7.3l IDI engine R&R

[tuke]

Been a while since I posted here but time has come. I'm going to be pulling the motor on my F250 and was wondering if there are any tech articles tips with the best / easiest ways to yank and install its replacement in this bad boy. Searching didn't seem to come up with anything specific.
Thanks
Ed

 

[RLDSL]

Varrying opinions on the subject, but I've found easiest way is to pop the hood off, remove the core support and pop the cab mounts off and jack the cab up and set it on about 6 inch blocks to give you extra clearance to get your hands in there to loosen bolts and pull the engine up higher to clear the frame and mounts, A tilt adapter for hooking up to the cherry picker is a must ( Ive seen it done without, but I dont want to be party to that again , without the tilt the engine has to roll *somehow* and that means crowbars , feet, and creative language) It'l come out easily in a matter of hours, going back in takes quite a bit longer to line everything up. Considering that I'm half crippled, it's not all that difficult to do this way for a normal person

 

[SparkandFire]

I did it the hard way... That is, I didn't remove the core support, the hood, and I didn't lift the body. Doing it this way almost means the engine has to go in and come out sideways... I did have to undo the springs for the hood and prop it up with a 2x4 to get the 6.9 into the '94 truck.

When lifting the engine, I removed the two nuts on each engine mount that go through the crossmember, I took out the top engine to transmission bolts and the next bolt down on each side, leaving a bolt on each side tight. Then I got the engine as high as I needed to to clear the engine mount studs on the crossmember, then I jacked the transmission up until it was supported by the jack, loosened the bolts and made sure the transmission and engine were aligned correctly. This way when the engine goes back in, the transmission will already be where it belongs.

You have to pull the radiator. No big deal since the coolant has to come out anyway. I also removed the fan from the engine.

I did do it with a heavy chain between the lifting eyes on the engine, I had the chain as tight as I could get it, no slack between the eyes, that way there would be enough clearance for the oil pan to come over the core support.

It helped having Towcats' MASSIVE hoist on hand.

Go slow and steady, check the clearance on everything when the big moment comes.

 

[riotwarrior]

Quite simply for me...remove the entire front clip and hood....got tons of access then...maybe the undo of front cab bolts and tip it up but I have NOT done that yet...CLIP removal is best way full access all around - Bar none!

This way...

just the rad support removal....

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Or this way....got way more room, can paint the frame and or anything else ....

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That allows you to do this...and I think this turned out ok..painting fire wall and doing that is so easy..

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Yer choice....both work...I prefer the pull clip method...I think it's quicker and less problematic myself

 

[tuke]

Ok so the fun begins, started the process by draining the fluids and removing the rad support.

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Here is the reason for pulling the motor nice hole in block and oil pan

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I will post more pics as I continue with this project.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

All that seems like a lot of extra work to me. When I used to r&r these engines for a living, I never removed more than the hood and I've literally done this dozens of times. Remove the radiator and the pulleys off the water pump and the crank. That's it. Removing the oil filter does give you extra clearance. Sit all of the accessories off to the side. I would use a strap around the water pump to pull up on, but an engine tilt would be nicer. The engine always came out straight not sideways. You do have to use a raise, move forward, repeat method. I used an a frame and chain hoist to install the 6.9 in my Bronco and will have to do it again next spring to replace the leaking rear main seal. If all you're doing is a r&r on the engine, this always seemed simpler to me. I could usually have a N.A. done and out the door in a day. Sometimes a turbo"d one too. It just depended on how much trouble I had taking the turbo off.

 

[riotwarrior]

All that seems like a lot of extra work to me. When I used to r&r these engines for a living, I never removed more than the hood and I've literally done this dozens of times. Remove the radiator and the pulleys off the water pump and the crank. That's it. Removing the oil filter does give you extra clearance. Sit all of the accessories off to the side. I would use a strap around the water pump to pull up on, but an engine tilt would be nicer. The engine always came out straight not sideways. You do have to use a raise, move forward, repeat method. I used an a frame and chain hoist to install the 6.9 in my Bronco and will have to do it again next spring to replace the leaking rear main seal. If all you're doing is a r&r on the engine, this always seemed simpler to me. I could usually have a N.A. done and out the door in a day. Sometimes a turbo"d one too. It just depended on how much trouble I had taking the turbo off.

Ya start off by saying the ONLY thing you remove is the HOOD....then you state it's RAD, accessories and so on...sounds like lots of work to me...

I don't remove anything if I can help it. JUST AC if it has it and it is set aside....PS pull lines and drain, this allows you to flush pump while yer at it and refill with fresh fluid upon install....just....for good measure!

12 bolts or there abouts holds the clip on....ya gotta undo fuel lines and electrical wires either way....leave rad and shrowd in clip...pull batteries to lighten up a tad if ya gotta....but its so much MORE room to work on it's my preferred method. I had a friend help me and less than an hour the clip was OFF...he was amazed and said he will never ever do an engine pull the old way....but eh...

JM2CW...doesn't mean ya'll gotta do it that way!

Clearly there are many ways to skin this cat, the ultimate choice is the OPs his is the final say. Unfortunately his images are not showing up.

I wish he had mentioned his method.

 

[junk]

I pulled my engine up and out. I removed the hood for access and removed the front tires for height. I pulled the engine straight up and out. I left the flywheel on when removing and that was tight so when reinstalling I left the flywheel off. I pulled the radiator out. I barely had enough lift with my engine puller. I had to have the oil fill sit beside the pullers arm. I didn't use an engine angler either. If I had to do I again I might pull the radiator support as height was my biggest issue. It's tight but I thought it was still much better than a fwd vehicle.

 

[icanfixall]

These engines can be pulled with the hood still connected to the springs. I have seen it done and I have done it that way. There is a trick to doing it this way. you must place the chain almost straight across the intake manifold lifting eyes. I did remove the radiater and all the front of the engine. The second time I pulled my engine I removed the springs from the hood and used a 2x4 to prop it open all the way back near the windshield. then when I was done working for the day I just removed the 2x4 and closed the hood. Many differant ways of pulling the engine. If I had some help I would have pulled the front clip... But no help here... Just short bus window lickers around here...

 

[hesutton]

This is the way I remove and install the engine on these IDI's. Like Al said, it is about 12 bolts and it really quick if you have one other guy to help move the clip on/off the frame. Lots of room to work and no climbing all over the front of the truck to unhook/rehook everything from/to the engine.

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Heath