7.3 Head Gasket Replacement-ARP Head Stud Install

[tbrumm]

Here are some pics of cleaning up the head bolts holes. I ran a ss bore brush into the holes with my cordless drill first. Basically stuck the brush in the hole and then ran the drill in reverse to back the brush out of the hole. Somebody on here posted this procedure and I wish I could remember who so I could give credit where it is due. It worked well.

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I then chased the head bolt threads with ARP's special thread "chaser". This is not a tap and is snot supposed to cut - it just gets the crud out of the threads. This may have not even been necessary after the bore brush, but it made me feel good anyway.

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[tbrumm]

Due to my big "deer basher" front bumper, I could not get the cherry picker as far into the engine bay as I would have liked. While I was able to get the heads off, it was not ideal. So, I bought some 1/4" wall rectangular steel tube and added an "extension" to the lift arm. While I would not use this extension for pulling an actual engine due to the comprised lifting geometry, it worked great for setting the heads back on.

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Here are both heads back on the block - finally! I skipped taking pics of all that boring (but extremely important) cleaning,scraping, prepping process that was completed before the heads were set back on.

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The original exhaust manifolds on my truck were badly "eroded" ( that is the best way I can describe the huge amount of rust and pitting. I found some nice used one on eBay that were even already painted with Castblast. You can see the fitting for the pyrometer probe that I have already installed in the driver's side manifold.

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[riotwarrior]

Lol way to go....hows it run

BTW....Looks more like a moose proof bumper to me

Just sayin

 

[tbrumm]

The truck runs great! Starts immediately and runs smooth. The only problem I am having is that now that I have a pyro, I see how very fast the egt's get up to 1100° pulling even a short grade unloaded. Not happy about that. Before the pyro, ignorance really was bliss. I installed a new air filter and that helped slightly. I have never messed with the fuel screw, and I suspect that the previous owner (US Air Force) never did either. The truck puts out a light black haze when pushing it ******* a hill, but certainly nothing I would call excessive. Unless under hard acceleration, it doesn't smoke at all, but it is the original IP with newer injectors from Russ. I suspect that the stock muffler is full of soot and restricting flow, so that will be the next thing I probably deal with.

 

[DaveBen]

The egts do jump quickly. Don't get too worried about the high egts. Seconds will not matter but minutes will, if over 1100 degrees. I back off if I see 1200 for more than 10 seconds - that is just me and my 6.0 engine.

 

[homelessduck]

I am finally getting around to updating this. The truck has been back on the road for a few weeks now and is once again doing daily driver duty. I am happy to report that it runs very well and there are no leaks! So, on to some pics!

@homelessduck fixed me up with a nice turbo oil cooler and here it is rebuilt and installed (thanks again homelessduck!) Sooooooooooooo much easier to install the oil cooler while the head is off!

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Glad it worked out for ya !

 

[tbrumm]

So here are some pics of the engine bay all buttoned up. And now I have factory AC which seems to be working fine as well. Guess I will have to change my sig now.

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Say Hello to my little friend The pyro looks lonely in there without a boost gauge next to it.

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The scrap parts pile - Sheesh!

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[F350camper]

very pretty in there! Nice work! Man I really need to work a coolant filter into mine. You idi guys keep reminding me of that with all your pics...

 

[Thewespaul]

Have you checked your timing? With that little smoke I would suspect something else at play. I can say from experience that removing the stock muffler helps a ton.

 

[tbrumm]

Have you checked your timing? With that little smoke I would suspect something else at play. I can say from experience that removing the stock muffler helps a ton.

When I put the injectors in (which was about 10k ago), I rented Gary's meter and timed it. I set the timing to 8.6 degrees and made a center punch mark. I ran the truck a while and that just seemed a bit advanced - a little too much clatter. I backed the timing down to 8.1 degrees and made another center punch mark. The truck ran better and was quieter so I left it there. When I reinstalled the IP this time, I set the IP at my 8.6 degree mark to try it again. I ran it like that for about a week. Again, too much clatter and off the line the truck was slightly sluggish. I moved the IP back to my 8.1 degree mark and the truck likes that setting a lot better. It is quieter and it has its "snap" back off the line now. At 109k, I know the IP is beginning to get tired, and a replacement IP will be in the works for next summer (along with a Facet Duralift electric pump ). But the IP doesn't leak and the truck runs well with it. It has always had the "haze" under hard acceleration or pulling a hill, so that isn't anything new. I know the IP's retard timing as they wear - i wonder if they add fuel as they wear? I have a Filterminder on the lid of my air cleaner. It was in the "change" zone on the scale so I changed the air filter the other day, and that helped slightly with the egt, but the filter didn't seem that dirty either. With the new filter installed and some miles on it now, the filterminder is already one-third of the way down the scale. I guess that just shows how restrictive the stock intake system is, or how restrictive the air filter is, or a combination of both. The old and new air filters were both Baldwin PA2092 paper filters. Maybe I need to throw a Fram in there for increased air flow (and increased dirt flow too ). I really don't have a desire to try and cobble together a homemade cold air intake system. The muffler is looking pretty rusty, so replacing that is probably next on the list, and might help the egt's. I have read tons of threads on muffler choice, but still haven't found a real solid recommendation for a N/A muffler that is reasonably free flowing but is also quiet. I like quiet- no straight pipe for me. I like the hearing the engine purring away up front - just don't like that overwhelmed by the roar out the back.

 

[79jasper]

Walker big truck muffler comes highly recommended.


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[Thewespaul]

I've also heard success with just buying a straight through equipment muffler that doesn't harm any flow just reduces noise. As much as I've timed by ear in the past, just because you lined up what was 8.1 degrees on one pump doesn't mean it will be 8.1 on another. I recommend to everyone to make the investment and get a timing meter so they can do this on their own, but if you're happy with how your truck runs, you probably don't feel the need to

 

[tbrumm]

just because you lined up what was 8.1 degrees on one pump doesn't mean it will be 8.1 on another. I recommend to everyone to make the investment and get a timing meter so they can do this on their own, but if you're happy with how your truck runs, you probably don't feel the need to

The IP and injectors are the same ones as when I timed with Gary's meter. The timing marks I made when using Gary's meter should still work until I put on a new IP. (Of course the timing retards as the injection parts wear and the parts have 10k worth of wear on them since using the meter) When I get a new IP, I will have to rent Gary's meter again, or buy one. I certainly agree with the logic of buying a meter. Finding a nice Kent Moore, that is not way over-priced to begin with, is the hard part.

 

[tbrumm]

Walker big truck muffler comes highly recommended.


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In the threads that I have read, those that installed the BTM are happy with it. Every thread i have read has the BTM behind a turbo though, and I have seen some comments that the BTM might be pretty loud on an N/A truck. I think the BTM would probably be my first choice - just wish I could find somebody who installed it on an N/A truck and get some first hand feedback.

 

[79jasper]

Yeah, it's hard to find any comments about a muffler on a N/A. Especially since most will just run a straight pipe.
Another I've seen is the aero turbine.
Diesel power products pushes them. But again, you'll really only find comments about it on a turbo truck.

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