New to me 1986 F-350 Crew with 6.9
- Thread starter JPalmer81
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JPalmer81
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Ya, I thought it was pretty weird, i am wondering if it somehow got installed like that by a careless worker or something. The lack of total engine failure would suggest that the arm somehow miraculously made it to the oil pan without getting chewed up by the crank or the retainer was installed broke, causing the lifter too much play and the reason it collapsed and seized where it did. From what I can tell there is minimal damage to the lifter bore, but haven't seen it from the inside. Wondering if I can just pull the cam and replace the lifter and cam and re use the push rod and valve spring. I need to get this buttoned up before winter sets in, I am afraid my 6.2 block is unbuildable at this point. Need to get one of my trucks running reliably soon.
Send the engine to me so i can do another of my n/a performance upgrades.
I will get it in the mail by tomorrow
I never heard how your dyno day went?????? I am liking the design of the 6.9 better than my 6.2, I can already tell it is a much heavier duty motor. I will be glad when I get it up and running. It ran when I bought it and it sounded really good aside from the loud thud coming out of the air box from the exhaust valve never opening. Hoping for the best and expecting the worst 
JPalmer81
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I found a 1993 7.3 with a cavitated block. Is the camshaft compatible with the 6.9? If the truck doesn't sell by tomorrow the guy said I can have what I want off it before he hauls it to the junkyard. And does it have the same dog bone lifter retainer guides as my 6.9?
the parts will interchange. if you are allowed to get anything and everything, index all the lifters before you pull the cam. the rollers should be interchangeable, but I'd keep them organized just to keep the wear patterns the same.
Yup, like Calvin said, the cams/lifters will interchange. I was thinking about that lifter failure and wonder if the broken retainer cause the lifter failure or the other way around. If the retain broke, it would let the lifter rotate in the bore and it's oil galley would no longer line up with the supply oil galley in the block.......... letting it get dry and fail/sieze in the bore. Or if something cause oiling failure to that lifter letting it seize in the bore and breaking the retainer????
Who knows........ just curious what happened.
Heath
Who knows........ just curious what happened.
Heath
JPalmer81
Full Access Member
Cool, gonna try to get all the parts off that truck this weekend if it works out, hoping he keeps his word. We shall see. Can I get that lifter retainer from the dealer if the deal falls through? Always nice to have a backup plan.
I have been thinking about how it failed as well. I got the cam out today and sure enough the lobe is pretty flat, so I will be needing a new cam. I got my magnet to help me work the lifter out and before I could get my extended needle nose pliers under it the thing fell and landed in the oil pan. Gonna drop the oil pan to get it out and I will post some pics up and maybe it will give some clues as to how it failed.
On a positive note, the lifter bore is perfect and not damaged at all, nice and shiny and smooth just like the others, so I am very happy about that.
Another question, are the IP pumps from a 7.3 any different from the 6.9? Would it be worth it to nab the IP too? If he lets me I am going to take it just so I have an extra one. If all goes well, by the end of the day Sunday, this thing should be running.
I will be having some questions about getting my timing back for my pump, some things got moved around when I was taking the cam out so I am just going to line the crank and cam up and figure out where the pump needs to be in relation to that. Getting excited about getting this thing back together.
The 7.3 IP is NOT different enough to notice any difference in performance, but it would be good to have it as a core for a rebuild down the road.
The gear timing is pretty easy. The cam gear has two different markings on it. A dot and a "Y". The dot lines up with the dot on the crank gear. The "Y" lines up with the "Y" on the IP drive gear. That's it. Not hard, but be sure you have the IP gear timing correct before you put the IP gear housing on. You can't put the IP gear housing on unto the front engine cover is back on......... So be very careful that the gear doesn't move while putting on the front cover and IP gear cover.
Heath
The gear timing is pretty easy. The cam gear has two different markings on it. A dot and a "Y". The dot lines up with the dot on the crank gear. The "Y" lines up with the "Y" on the IP drive gear. That's it. Not hard, but be sure you have the IP gear timing correct before you put the IP gear housing on. You can't put the IP gear housing on unto the front engine cover is back on......... So be very careful that the gear doesn't move while putting on the front cover and IP gear cover.
Heath
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Crank to cam dot lined up: Note... the engine is upside down in this photo............ 
Cam to IP gear "Y" lined up:
All three gears together:
IP gear with front cover and water pump installed:
Finally with the IP gear cover installed:
Heath
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Cam to IP gear "Y" lined up:
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All three gears together:
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IP gear with front cover and water pump installed:
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Finally with the IP gear cover installed:
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Heath
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88 Ford
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Nice truck! You mentioned that it is a project. What are your plans for it?
JPalmer81
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Crank to cam dot lined up: Not the engine is upside down in this photo............
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Cam to IP gear "Y" lined up:
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All three gears together:
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IP gear with front cover and water pump installed:
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Finally with the IP gear cover installed:
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Heath
Thanks Heath, I knew about the dot on the crankshaft gear and cam gear and was wondering about what the "Y" was for, now I know. That is too easy, I am really liking this motor more and more very simple and very well built from what I can tell.
It is indeed a project. My plans at this point are to just to get it running before the Alaska winter kicks in
Soon to come is a 4" suspension lift with some meatier tires on the wheels I posted a pic of on page 1 and a fresh coat of paint at some point. Wouldn't mind doing a fresh rebuild with all new internals this coming summer and maybe a set of headers from Stans with a good 3" dual exhaust to make it sound meaner. No turbo planned at this point, wouldn't mind keeping it in it's original NA form, has plenty of power for what I will be using it for.
gingrass179
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yes both heads can be done in truck...for the driver side it was very straight forward only extra item that eeded removal was heat shield on firewall...the passenger side you have to remove the outer panel of the evaporator box and evaporator for enough room
JPalmer81
Full Access Member
Well, I worked all day yesterday on the truck with the cavitated block and got the camshaft, all the lifter retainers, the newer rocker arms for $75, so I am happy with that. Got the cam installed today and all the lifters and retainers, plus the push rods and rockers done on the passenger side. I also got the block surface prepped for installing the head tomorrow and went and picked up the gasket kit for the timing cover and water pump. It was snowing like crazy yesterday really making it a challenge to take the motor apart, took me 5 hours to get all those parts off!
So slowly but surely getting this thing back together, hopefully it will be a runner here in a couple of days. I used a "used" lifter from a 6.2 diesel project I had to replace the bad one, but will be using the same push rods that came out. Was wondering if it was going to pose a problem using a "used" lifter, a "used" push rod and "used" rockers all from different vehicles? It is only on one cylinders exhaust valve.
So slowly but surely getting this thing back together, hopefully it will be a runner here in a couple of days. I used a "used" lifter from a 6.2 diesel project I had to replace the bad one, but will be using the same push rods that came out. Was wondering if it was going to pose a problem using a "used" lifter, a "used" push rod and "used" rockers all from different vehicles? It is only on one cylinders exhaust valve.
Unlikely to be an issue. But, take it easy the first few hundred miles to let the "new" old parts "settle in" to the new location. If nothing odd is happening, drive and enjoy.
Heath
Heath
JPalmer81
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Got the head installed today. Noticed my alignment dowels were on the head and not the block? Had to use some blue scotch tape to tape the gasket in place on the head and put it on that way. I used an engine hoist to set it and was much easier then when I pulled it off by hand. Ended up working pretty good. Also got the timing cover and water pump prepped for installation as well.
JPalmer81
Full Access Member
Got everything put back together. Is there something I need to be aware of when it comes to bleeding the fuel lines? Or just hook them up and turn it over and over and over till it starts? Thanks for all the help.
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