7.3 Sitting out, What should I do?

[Coyote_Red]

I have my 7.3 pulled out and sitting in the garage waiting to go back in the frame after I paint it. I have been told that it has about 3000ish miles on a U-Haul rebuild. I can see the stickers on the valve cover and where one used to be on the air cleaner so I have no doubts they have worked on it but no way to verify the mileage.

What should I check or do while it is out and easy to work on? It ran great with no issues that stick out in my mind.

I plan to pull the heads and check the bores as well as remove the coolant passage plugs Ford installed.
Replace the GP's.
Re-thread the one glow plug hole since the GP will not seat down with normal tightening.
Check the injectors for coking.
Replace the cracked manifold.
Remove the broken manifold bolt.
Replace the sloppy dip stick tube.
The oil cooler doesn't leak so I plan to leave that alone.

 

[icanfixall]

Check the oil pan gasket if it has one. Remove it or risk the oil leak down the line. Never did the factory use a pan gasket and they worked fine with rtv. We do the same now with no problems. Just because a gasket comes in a kit does not mean we are to use it. Its simpler to include all possible gaskets for a idi enfine like ours. I'll even bet ya a gasket kit has both van and truck oil cooler mount gaskets.. Oh yes.. They are differant between the trucks and the vans. The van front header has only three bolts holding it to the block where the trucks have four... Thats secret information.. Don't pass it around...

 

[Coyote_Red]

Thanks for the tip Gary. I read your post earlier this week about not using a gasket on the oil pan. I forgot to add that I plan to pull the oil pan and sand/coat the pan in a rust inhibitive paint. For some reason the oil pan has a tendency to rust out atound here .

Also, thanks for the heads up about the van vs. truck oil cooler. With this being a U-Haul engine I supect it is a van engine swapped into a truck. Now I have a way to check.

Weren't the U-Haul engines governed to a different rpm?

 

[racer30]

Before you take out the freeze plugs, Make sure you have the right tool to put the correct plugs back in. I left my factory stainless plugs in because they where installed correctly and showed no signs of leaking so I didn't want to risk messing up a good install. Also look closely at where the valley pan seals to the heads under the intake manifold. You need to make sure it gets sealed correctly or you will wonder why you have oil running down onto your starter. and yes the governor is set lower for some of the International engines in dump Trucks and some applications like the uhaul rental trucks, But you won't Know for sure witch pump setting you have until you run her wide open.

 

[typ4]

I would do the oil cooler just because if the overhaul gasket set came with black orings they will leak in about 20k miles, the correct ones last a looooong time.

 

[OLDBULL8]

If your going to remove the freeze plugs, ya gotta have the right tool to install new ones. The two I had made are sold, on e to Texas the other to Pennsylvania. Be a couple of weeks before I have more.

 

[Coyote_Red]

Thanks for the ideas guys.

 

[icanfixall]

These freeze plugs you talk about replacing. Are they the 7 thats in the block on the back, and both sides.. If so I would not replace them unless they are a brass or carbon steel plug installed by the rebuilder. Only the factory stainless steel will work. Many have tried to use other brands but they just don't work. Please use the special tool if those are to be installed and use a good sealant on them too. Now if your removing the cooling passages in the heads and block lower corners fine.. You just were not very clear in your post as to what plugs might be coming out. If you are taking out the plugs in the block corners and the heads you will need to run the 6.9 head gaskets because the 7.3 head gaskets don't have the coolant ports cut in them. The head gaskets are the same other than the coolant passages open in the 6.9 and closed in the 7.3. We have a few members that are running the 6.9 head gaskets on their 7.3 and no problems with any cooling or leaks..

 

[Coyote_Red]

Ah, I see where I can confuse you guys. The coolant plugs I am talking about are the ones in the head and block that require the use a 6.9 head gasket.

 

[riotwarrior]

I have my 7.3 pulled out and sitting in the garage waiting to go back in the frame after I paint it. I have been told that it has about 3000ish miles on a U-Haul rebuild. I can see the stickers on the valve cover and where one used to be on the air cleaner so I have no doubts they have worked on it but no way to verify the mileage.

What should I check or do while it is out and easy to work on? It ran great with no issues that stick out in my mind.

I plan to pull the heads and check the bores as well as remove the coolant passage plugs Ford installed.
Replace the GP's.
Re-thread the one glow plug hole since the GP will not seat down with normal tightening.
Check the injectors for coking.
Replace the cracked manifold.
Remove the broken manifold bolt.
Replace the sloppy dip stick tube.
The oil cooler doesn't leak so I plan to leave that alone.

Seeing as you are in for the full Monte and inspection letting the oil cooler pass could be a crux you wish you had dealt with when you had the easiest access. I am with Russ on this and fully suggest a removal and thorough inspection and replacement of O rings and reseal to the block!

Now since you are willing to spend the $$$ on the HG and Valley pan gasket, DON"T stop there, pull that pan, inspect the insides and while at it for chitznggilz plasti guage the main and rod bearings. All that top end work warrants a bottom end inspection too right? Plasti guage is cheap and a tube of silicone for the pan will surely help alleviate any doubt.

I myself am considering this route when I pull engine for my swap as its alleged 5K on a reman...however no tags on mine that I see yet.

Good luck with what ever route you choose, just know that the more you know the more confident in your truck you will be!

JM2CW

Al

 

[Coyote_Red]

Your right Riot. I am this far deep what is a little more time to plasti gauge a few things and verify it was a complete rebuild and not just a top end overhaul. I already have a tube of ultra-black waiting to pull the pan in the next few days.

Edit: What is the plasti-gauge spec for the rods and mains?