7.3 IDI Turbo Knock -> Engine Pull and Rebuild

[Macrobb]

For installing lifters, I just quickly dunk them in oil and install. Lube the outside, not fill the inside.

Shaving pistons, yea, I'd assume it does require a rebalance if you want things to be balanced.
If the piston-protrusion is in spec, mess with the heads to add clearance is my feeling.

 

[saburai]

First of all, I hope you're feeling better. Secondly, have you considered using plastigage instead of Play-Doh?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastigauge

 

[MICHAEL MICHAUD]

First of all, I hope you're feeling better. Secondly, have you considered using plastigage instead of Play-Doh?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastigauge

I am feeling a bit better with some meds and immodium!

Yes I will use plastigauge for the main and rod bearings. The playdough is for squishing between the valves and pistons. Unless there is some really thick plastiguage i guess i could stick it to the valves and see if it crushes but I wont know the actual amount of clearance.

Typ4 messaged me and said the minimum clearance is 15 thou

 

[MICHAEL MICHAUD]

I bought 15 lifters from Amazon for less than $8 a piece, they only had 15. So I got 1 more for about 10 bucks also from amazon. The one that came solo was made en Mexico, the others all made in the USA. There are several noticable differences between the two:

The roller has a more play between it and the housing in the mexican one
The mexican roller doesnt roll as smoothly but still decently smooth
The overall orientation seems to be about 90* off from the USA ones
There is a ring on the USA ones in the middle that isnt there on the mexican ones

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[genscripter]

That's what I'm saying. Two new pairs. I know, it sucks, but it's cheaper than engine trouble after all the work that you put into this. You can use 6.9 head gaskets. They are cheaper than 7.3 gaskets on Rock Auto. At least they were a few months ago. The price difference is shocking.

Carefully examine your HG's if you buy from RockAuto. I bought a set and when they arrived, they were so thrashed from their packaging/shipping that they were bent and some of the metal separated. I filed for a return, and they just sent me a new pair rather than have me return the busted ones. Thankfully, the new pair was packaged more carefully.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Carefully examine your HG's if you buy from RockAuto. I bought a set and when they arrived, they were so thrashed from their packaging/shipping that they were bent and some of the metal separated. I filed for a return, and they just sent me a new pair rather than have me return the busted ones. Thankfully, the new pair was packaged more carefully.

I hate to hear about this, but at least they were kind enough to help you out like they did.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Typ4 messaged me and said the minimum clearance is 15 thou

I'm sure that someone said that he said .030 was minimum. Maybe i was wrong and maybe I could have used my Typ4 cam after all since I did buy some -.015 pistons. Well I'm NOT going to try to change it out now! Maybe sometime down the road. Of course the best thing to do would be to pull it out to check clearances which won't happen for a while yet.

 

[MICHAEL MICHAUD]

I'm sure that someone said that he said .030 was minimum. Maybe i was wrong and maybe I could have used my Typ4 cam after all since I did buy some -.015 pistons. Well I'm NOT going to try to change it out now! Maybe sometime down the road. Of course the best thing to do would be to pull it out to check clearances which won't happen for a while yet.

Dont tell me you guys will all be sitting around laughing at me for actually using the playdough technique while the rest of you will get around to it eventually haha.

On a more serious note, the new Fel pro valley pan came in from Summit with one of the intakes significantly damaged. New one on the way and they gave me a $25 gift card for complaining about how ridiculous the item description for the banks turbo downpipe is. It should mention requires modification for more reasoms than I care to list.

DIY thread chaser from an old head bolt. Just cut some directional slots with my grinder Dont feel like spending another 50 bucks on something like a name brand thread chaser Im at the point where I have to start getting away with what I can where I can.

If i cant I will do what I have to.

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[IDIBRONCO]

That will work if it will get to the bottom of the threads at the bottom of the holes. I won't laugh at you for using Play-Doh. That's what I did and how I found out that I needed shorter pistons. It truly works and is cheap to buy.

 

[Thewespaul]

Don’t know a single racing shop that doesn’t use playdoh to check those kinds of clearances, you could call it the “industry standard”

Plastigauge requires a compression to make a measurement, which is the opposite of what you want when checking piston/valve clearance, if you have so little clearance to compress a plastigauge between the valve and piston, your valves are probably already bent from turning the engine over.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Plastigauge requires a compression to make a measurement, which is the opposite of what you want when checking piston/valve clearance, if you have so little clearance to compress a plastigauge between the valve and piston, your valves are probably already bent from turning the engine over.

And it also measures .001, .002, and .003 if I remember right.

 

[MICHAEL MICHAUD]

Alright haha i was trying to be a little sarcastic about the playdough thing just because Bronco said hed get around to it someday, thats my plan i cant think of a better way. Plastigauge I understand isnt even close to what needs to be used. Thats for bearings and other compression situations i suppose for extremely tight clearances.

The support is much appreciated, Gentleman!

Fun fact: I use playdough at work sometimes to get impressions of Compressor and Turbine blade damage. Most blades are accessible through bore holes, that get plugged during operation, by a 4mm borescope. I it use to observe the blades and there is a special tip/ software that allows me to take pics and measure damage or defects with +- .003" accuracy and to make go/ no go calls on the internal blades of the engines.

11 stages of compressor, totaling over 1130 blades. You can imagine its not the most popular inspection.

Oh, PS, someone has to turn the motor over by hand.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

What I meant was that I wasn't going to pull my freshly assembled engine back out of my truck to install my Typ4 cam and have to check clearances then before I can use it. A stock cam is going to be good enough for now.

 

[saburai]

Depending on the necessary clearance, Plastigage Pl-C . or PL-E. At 007-.020 and 030-.070 respectively, would be appropriate...

http://www.jhps.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PL&Product_Code=PLE&Category_Code=

 

[MICHAEL MICHAUD]

I had no idea. Thank you for sharing.