Just installed my factory turbo on the 90 7.3

[94turboidi]

I was going to do a engine swap but plans temporarily changed and I rebuilt the factory ford turbo and got it all hooked up on my 90 7.3 engine. I can tell a difference in power but ran into 2 problems.

When I rebuilt the turbo it came with a flat gasket for the oil drain tube instead of the rubber o-ring that was originally on it. It seemed like it should seal but I noticed after driving around it was dripping oil and I thought it was my rear seal at first and then found out it was this gasket. I tried tightening it quite a bit thinking it was just loose (its hard to get to) but that didn't help. I think I have to raise the turbo up to switch this gasket out for the o-ring?

My other thing is I no longer had the rubber seal from the intake to the round aluminum housing going to the turbo so I used the one out of the N/A air cleaner on the bottom but its not a real tight fit and the pressure is trying to blow it out.

Can I just get a thick o-ring this size somewhere or do I need to get ahold of ATS or someone to get one or Ford? I have noticed here lately when I go to get parts for this engine the parts stores don't have any clue what a factory 7.3 idi turbo is.

All in all I think it was worth my time to switch the turbo over once I get these problems worked out, it doesn't feel like the fuel needs turned up to match the turbo but I would think maybe it would be a good idea but have never messed with turning one up.

What was wierd was when I got all done my cruise and tach were not working. I messed with everything, fuses, wiring going to tach sensor and ended up removing the wiring at the solenoid and putting it back on. Now the tach works but cruise still doesn't. Can't figure that one out yet.

 

[starmilt]

On the oil drain tube, did you check to see if enough oil would run through it, you may have to punch some holes in the baffle.

 

[OB_WAN]

as for cruise/tach, the cruise on my '90 is run by the blower motor fuse. every time my blower motor(which was overdrawing amps) melted the fuse, my cruise would stop working.

Just a thought.

 

[OB_WAN]

On the oil drain tube, did you check to see if enough oil would run through it, you may have to punch some holes in the baffle.

I read about this before with someone having issues with the turbo leaking oil on the turbine end. he ended up punching some more holes in the baffle and all problems went away. Does anyone have pics of this?

 

[starmilt]

I think there is one in agmens tech article on installing a turbo, IIRC.

 

[94turboidi]

I am not sure if I understand this correctly but if it wasn't being allowed to drain I would think it would leak around the grommet before it would at this flat gasket with 2 bolts. I don't see how it builds enough pressure to leak where it is leaking. So if I take it apart to put the o-ring in there instead of the gasket I need to punch some holes in there also? This baffle is located through the grommet hole in the valley pan correct? What should I use to punch the holes, how many holes? Also this 90 engine is under a 1994 cab for the cruise problem. Thanks!

 

[Diesel JD]

Use something like an ice pick or very sharp regular screw driver, something like that to punch the holes in the valley pan baffle. The turbo is of course a big user of oil to stay alive and happy so a lot drains back in a hurry there and sometimes people have problems if they don't do this step. Later valley pans have been updated to accomadate enough drainback for a turbo but there are still quite a few trucks around with N/A original intakes or ones replaced years ago and there are a lot of new old stock parts out there. More drainback is better than not enough, anything you can make those holes with except of course a drill or anything that might create shavings or filings in the oil. I have little experience with the ATS factory turbo, or probably most accurately no experience with it. I do know it uses it's own special grommet where the pedestal snaps into the valley pan and that any correct sized oring should be fine on the cold side of the turbo or so I have heard anyway. As far as the gasket you're talking about do you mean on top of the turbo pedestal? Is that where you're leak is? The pedestal is the piece that the turbocharger itself bolts onto and which plugs into the valley pan, I don't know if it's supposed to have a gasket or an oring, both or neither. I'm sure someone here does know, a lot of people have these.

 

[94turboidi]

Yes its ontop of the pedestal where the turbo sits on that its leaking. I wonder if it would have leaked at this gasket at all if I had punched these holes in there. I think I will put the o-ring in place of the gasket when I take it back apart to be safe. I felt like I was done yesterday but I guess I just have a few bugs to work out to make it right.

 

[THECACKLER]

I believe a Chevy intake gasket will work for the Compressor Outlet (the hat) to intake manifold seal. Carquest # G27098. I've got the p/n for the Turbo Drain to Valley Pan Grommet and an illustrated ATS parts list if you need it.

 

[94turboidi]

I took the grommet off the valley pan from the turbo engine and put on here and seemed to fit good. I thought I had heard you could use a chevy gasket for that but wasn't sure. I usually go to Oriellys I wonder if they an cross that part number. I might check their website to see. Its snowing here now or I would be working on it right now but my plan is to pull the turbo back off punch a few holes in the baffle, change that gasket to an o-ring and put either that chevy gasket for the intake on or a thick o-ring the right size.

The only other thing I might do once I get the bugs worked out is I might put a muffler on it, it still has a bit of a gas straight pipe sound that I thought the turbo would eliminate. I did notice that I could actually carry on a conversation in my truck without yelling when driving though. With it being a N/A before and straight pipe and 4.10 gears its hard to talk in the cab. I used to like a louder truck but I have got to the point where I prefer it to be as quiet as possible.

 

[94turboidi]

Not sure if that gasket will fit or not but I found it as a Fel-pro gasket:

Fel-Pro - Air Cleaner Mounting Gasket
Part Number: 60038

I will write it down and give it a try hopefully in a few days when it warms back up. Its only 1.99 Although I think napa has it listed at 1.69

 

[94turboidi]

Got it fixed this morning put the o-ring in and got that gasket and everything is good now. I just need to get my cruise working again but I will figure it out eventually.