7.3 IDI Oil Cooler Rear Header

[Wvdirtroad]

Definitely metal. About the length of my fingernail. I've been thinking I may be hearing a light tapping/knocking noise but I'm not 100% sure on that one. I cleaned the cooler up last night and didn't find anymore pieces. Would it be worth it to remove a valve cover and have a look? I've never head the valve covers off so I'm not sure if a defective bearing would be evident on these engines?

 

[IDIoit]

if it is a roller lifter, yes pulling the covers off and wiggling the rockers, making sure there all nice and tight will work.

if you see one thats obvious it has lots of play, you found another issue to address.

 

[Wvdirtroad]

I will have to take a look then. I have a replacement gasket that came with the truck which I could go ahead and do while I'm at it I suppose.

 

[ifrythings]

I can't see those needles being on the oil side as the oil pump would of pulverized them if it could even pick them up from the sump. The only two thing that have needle bearing is the roller lifters and the support bearing in the ip (unless you have an old school ip that uses a bushing) again how did they get out of either of those places and look that good? If on the water side the only thing could be the water pump if it had a trust bearing but not likely as they usually use ball bearings. Could be someone threw them in the rad at some point for who knows what reason.

 

[BDCarrillo]

Good point... We know where it may have come from, but the "how" is pretty fuzzy

 

[Wvdirtroad]

They fell out of the inside of the oil cooler from where the fins are that the coolant flows through.

 

[OLDBULL8]

Those pieces, whatever they are had to be in the bottom of the radiator, with the wiggles in the rad tubes it would be difficult to get down thru them. Enlarging them 500 times, they appear to be hollow, hard to see with the pic shadows. I sure wouldn't be concerned about them.

 

[Wvdirtroad]

I do know the kid I bought this truck off of had the passenger side valve cover off at some point. Perhaps that's how they got in there. Either way as long as it isn't anything too major that seems like a good thing to me.

 

[Wvdirtroad]

Half the cooler cleaned up and pressed back into the front header with new seals. Lubed up with Vaseline and it all went together surprisingly easy.

New question- is it common for the headers to have signs of pitting or cavitation in the coolant channels? I'd assume on a truck that the sca's weren't maintained on its possible?

 

[Knuckledragger]

Good assumption on the SCAs. Probably run with water only, not knowing anything about cavitation. As long as the pitting is in the coolant area and not the O ring sealing area, you have nothing to worry about.

 

[IDIoit]

as far as ive read, cavitation only happens near the cylinders.

its nothing more than the reaction of the diesel compression action.
which eats at cylinder walls.

if aluminum is being eaten in a coolant system, its more than likely electyrolysis.
wrong coolant, along with lack of grounding.

 

[icanfixall]

If you run only distilled water there will be no electrolysis because that water is non conductive.

 

[IDIoit]

Gary, as i am not a chemist or an intellect,
i somewhat disagree that distilled water is non conductive.

in my course of doing electrolysis for rust removal,
i have read that for best results distilled water is used.

now, granted when doing this process, a median is used to promote conductivity,
(arm&hammer baking soda)
but water in itself (pure h2o)is a conductor if im not mistaken.

hopefully some of these smart guys can shed some light on our smart *****

 

[dmm]

as far as ive read, cavitation only happens near the cylinders.

its nothing more than the reaction of the diesel compression action.
which eats at cylinder walls.

if aluminum is being eaten in a coolant system, its more than likely electyrolysis.
wrong coolant, along with lack of grounding.

Yeah, cavitation erosion in diesel engines affects the cylinder water jackets. It's caused by the immense pressure spike when the fuel ignites. Piston slap also contributes, which might help explain why some engines / cylinders are more vulnerable than others. A related, but different, phenomenon can affect the water pump. Just ask some 6.4L PSD owners. I don't think cavitation will occur elsewhere in the cooling system.

 

[dmm]

Distilled water conducts electricity, albeit poorly; but that's probably irrelevant unless you're running straight water: I'd imagine antifreeze has enough ions to make the mix plenty conductive.