7.3 IDI intake valve needed

[94NAIDI]

In a previous post, I was doing a quick disassembly of my 1994 7.3 IDI Naturally aspirated to remove a glow plug tip. While the engine was apart, I noticed two of my intake valves have what appear to me to be excessive wear on the tip. The rocker arms on those two valves are also pretty worn where they make contact with the valve tip. I was able to order two new rocker arm sets. But I can’t find the replacement valves anywhere. I have placed orders with three different vendors who claimed to have them or could get them only to have my order cancelled every time. I now have called every vendor from my Google search to see if anyone has them. Nobody seems to be able to get intake valves for this engine. So here is my question. Does anyone know where I might be able to get two replacement intake valves for this engine? I would have never thought it would be difficult to get replacement valves. But apparently it is these days. Please let me know if anyone has a source to get these valves. At this point, I’ll even accept hood used valves. I’ve already combed my local FB Market place but no one close to me had them. I don’t really want to drive 4 hours to buy a complete parts motor for just two intake valves. I appreciate any help or advice anyone can give me.

Thank you.

 

[franklin2]

How are the valve guides in the head? That is what usually goes bad and messes up the valve itself. If you take it to a machine shop and have them look at it, they may be able to restore the guides and re-grind the valves and the valve tips.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

That's mostly on the exhaust side, but still worth checking.

 

[Old Goat]

I Googled 6.9/7.3 intake valves and this came up.

intake valves for 6.9/7.3 idi engine - Google Search

Click images at the top, and it turns to pictures etc...


Goat

 

[hacked89]

I just throw stuff like this away. How many do you need? I’ll mail you some.

 

[94NAIDI]

The valve guides were fine. The only issue with mine were the contact point between the rocker arms and the valve tip. Both the rocker arm and tip were badly worn. I was able to purchase the rocker arms new from Rockauto but none of those suppliers who claim to have the valves when doing a Google search actually have them. Trust me, I know. I placed orders with three of them only to be cancelled and called the remaining ones and talked directly to them. None of them could get the correct valves. They try to substitute powerstroke valves. But they are not the same.

Hacked89. Wish I would have seen your post but I was traveling and didn’t see it until now. I ended up buying a complete parts motor for $200 just to get two valves out of it.

Good news it’s all back together and in the truck and running good. But now I have to figure out how I can get my pump timing checked. I didn’t see anyone in my area on the timing registry. Looking into the rental option on this forum but can’t figure out how to pm him. Hopefully I can get that worked out soon. Because I was told that may be what caused my original glow plug issue to begin with. I love this truck, but I’m starting to hate the IDI with all the roadblocks I’m running into with parts and repair.

 

[franklin2]

Get it warmed up and then on the cold advance wire going into the injection pump, pull it off and put power to it from the battery while it's running. If the engine starts making a rattle (called the powerstroke rattle) and then the rattle goes away when the 12v is taken off the cold advance wire, the timing is very close to being correct.

If the engine has a rattle to it all the time and the cold advance doesn't make any difference, then the timing is too advanced.

 

[Reggie f250]

I'm in Illinois and I have a timing meter. Mabye we can work something out. I'm not too far from you.

 

[94NAIDI]

Reggie. I started having OD light flashing issues and started focusing on that. Completely abandoned this thread and never saw your offer. I haven’t figured out how to get notifications when someone replies to my threads so I have to actually go into each on to check. If you are still willing and able, I’d love to try and meet up with you to get my timing set. Please let me know. I have another thread I started with the glow plug issue that we are talking about the potential timing being off. I just had to replace another burnt out glow plug.

 

[typ4]

I can get new valves, well about a month ago I could. Likely have some good used around

 

[94NAIDI]

I haven’t checked lately. So I’m not sure if the market has got them back in stock or not. I appreciate the offer to help. But I ended up buying a parts motor and took the valves out of it. Got everything back together and seems fine. My only current issue is this truck likes to burn out the glow plugs which is what started the whole engine rebuild to begin with. So now I’m trying to get the timing checked to see if that is the culprit. I don’t have a timing light for the IDI. Hopefully I can make contact with someone in my area that does. I’ve been driving the truck and it seems to run fine. Just have to replace a glow plug every few months.