Minuteman96
Registered User
Back in September I posted about my truck throwing in the towel and after swapping in a very clean 87 6.9 and taking the truck for its first drive where everything is dialed, and then also tearing apart the old motor a little deeper to see what happened, I figured I’d share the results of everything with all of you.
First off, the motor going in got ARP studs, felpro head gaskets, a new thermostat, new lifters, barely used late-style rockers, new pushrods, felpro valve cover gaskets and a few more smaller things. I had lightly used injectors from Russ that went in, and I’ll be getting a fresh injector pump for it from CDD. I tried to put the R&D fuel rails on it but I couldn’t get those things installed without it leaking. I tried 3-4 times and finally gave up. Talk about frustrating. Bought a Delphi kit and installed it, lo and behold not a single leak. I know plenty of guys had great results with the fuel rails, I did not. Not bad mouthing the product, I would say I probably just didn’t have good luck with them. Is what it is, life goes on. The motor itself went in fine, started after only 6 or so 15 second cranks and a couple squirts of liquid ****. No glow plugs ran with the **** of course.
Fast forward to about 3 weeks ago, I’m getting ready to move about an hour and a half away and the truck is pretty much dialed minus a few leaks I needed to address. Still had the fuel rails on, it was leaking fuel like a stuck pig, but I didn’t have the time to get to em and the truck was running ok. Had to say screw it and haul the thing up into the hills, but guess what, I forgot to dial in the FIPL. Pulled over about 20 minutes into the drive and couldn’t get the voltage dialed. Said **** it, pulled the fuse for the TECA, and ran it in limp for the rest of the drive which involved multiple red lights on inclines. The truck (and the people stuck behind me on those 2 lane roads) did not like that lol but it got me to my new home. Really is a testament to how tough these old trucks are. I’ll never sell this thing.
After trying again and again since then to get the FIPL voltage correct and failing, I had a good feeling it was bad and went to Napa to get a new one. Popped it in and bingo. Got the voltage dialed within a minute. Took the truck for a drive and man, I missed the thing. Glad to have it back on the road.
Now for what you guys have probably clicked on this post to read/see, I don’t know if you could say the connecting rod ripped apart the piston or the piston just threw in the towel and decided to grenade itself, but let me tell you, Im glad I didn’t pop new rockers, lifters and pushrods in this thing and try to run it again. I pulled the oil pan today to see just how bad the damage was and I just couldn’t help but laugh. Pictures attached. What’s crazy is the truck still ran after it happened and it started up twice with this damage. I’m honestly curious how long it would’ve gone on. Luckily and miraculously, I didn’t see any damage to the cylinder wall. I’m gonna finish tearing it apart, send it into a shop and have it cleaned up and painted, and I’m gonna rebuild the whole thing from top to bottom and slap on a banks turbo. Probably going to try and drop it into a CUCV or an old Highboy. CUCV would be my preference. Thanks to any of you who helped answer my questions on my previous post. Love this forum and all that it’s taught me. This IDI community is a hell of a community.
First off, the motor going in got ARP studs, felpro head gaskets, a new thermostat, new lifters, barely used late-style rockers, new pushrods, felpro valve cover gaskets and a few more smaller things. I had lightly used injectors from Russ that went in, and I’ll be getting a fresh injector pump for it from CDD. I tried to put the R&D fuel rails on it but I couldn’t get those things installed without it leaking. I tried 3-4 times and finally gave up. Talk about frustrating. Bought a Delphi kit and installed it, lo and behold not a single leak. I know plenty of guys had great results with the fuel rails, I did not. Not bad mouthing the product, I would say I probably just didn’t have good luck with them. Is what it is, life goes on. The motor itself went in fine, started after only 6 or so 15 second cranks and a couple squirts of liquid ****. No glow plugs ran with the **** of course.
Fast forward to about 3 weeks ago, I’m getting ready to move about an hour and a half away and the truck is pretty much dialed minus a few leaks I needed to address. Still had the fuel rails on, it was leaking fuel like a stuck pig, but I didn’t have the time to get to em and the truck was running ok. Had to say screw it and haul the thing up into the hills, but guess what, I forgot to dial in the FIPL. Pulled over about 20 minutes into the drive and couldn’t get the voltage dialed. Said **** it, pulled the fuse for the TECA, and ran it in limp for the rest of the drive which involved multiple red lights on inclines. The truck (and the people stuck behind me on those 2 lane roads) did not like that lol but it got me to my new home. Really is a testament to how tough these old trucks are. I’ll never sell this thing.
After trying again and again since then to get the FIPL voltage correct and failing, I had a good feeling it was bad and went to Napa to get a new one. Popped it in and bingo. Got the voltage dialed within a minute. Took the truck for a drive and man, I missed the thing. Glad to have it back on the road.
Now for what you guys have probably clicked on this post to read/see, I don’t know if you could say the connecting rod ripped apart the piston or the piston just threw in the towel and decided to grenade itself, but let me tell you, Im glad I didn’t pop new rockers, lifters and pushrods in this thing and try to run it again. I pulled the oil pan today to see just how bad the damage was and I just couldn’t help but laugh. Pictures attached. What’s crazy is the truck still ran after it happened and it started up twice with this damage. I’m honestly curious how long it would’ve gone on. Luckily and miraculously, I didn’t see any damage to the cylinder wall. I’m gonna finish tearing it apart, send it into a shop and have it cleaned up and painted, and I’m gonna rebuild the whole thing from top to bottom and slap on a banks turbo. Probably going to try and drop it into a CUCV or an old Highboy. CUCV would be my preference. Thanks to any of you who helped answer my questions on my previous post. Love this forum and all that it’s taught me. This IDI community is a hell of a community.
