Crewcab Project

[catbird7]

Engine removed from donor plow truck.

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[catbird7]

Pulled the dash from the parts truck.

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[catbird7]

Been out for several weeks with covid, nasty stuff. I missed two full weeks at work and three weekends in the garage. Illness aside, still slugging away on the crew cab, deep into wiring issues as you can see.

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[catbird7]

Underhood is starting to show some progress! Before & current photos.

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[IDIBRONCO]

Looking MUCH better so far.

 

[catbird7]

Thanks, it's been a bigger chore than I anticipated.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

I've R&R'd an engine on a couple of these and I can't even begin to imagine what you're going through.

 

[catbird7]

More progress, finally pulled the 2nd ZF 6spd, damn they are heavy! ZF 6spd's are a little difficult to come by, so when I look at this photo can't help thinking of that TV commercial (years ago), where the guy with Russian accent says, "opulence, I has it"!

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[catbird7]

Also managed to start reinstalling the dash and pedals. Covered the firewall with peel & seal first. Also installed new heater core.

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[catbird7]

MAJOR PROBLEM! I was cleaning the engine, specifically I was picking rust off the engine and my ice pick type tool punched straight thru one of the heads! Unbelievable as it might sound it punched straight thru just above the passenger side front exhaust port. After continuing picking, it developed approximately a dime sized hole. I'm guessing the head is not salvageable. Anyone ever encounter this before? Do I have any options other than replacement? Real sucks! I was getting close to an engine install, now this will be a major set back.......

 

[IDIBRONCO]

I can't answer that, but I guess it was a good thing that you found out now rather than while driving down the road several hundred miles from home.

 

[catbird7]

Need to weigh options tomorrow, investigate price of having the other set of heads rebuilt / valve job + associated gaskets. I'm not familiar with these engines, I'm an IDI guy so it appears I'm going to be forced into learning.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Other than the injectors and rockers, they aren't all that different. From what I know, the PSD's didn't have the valve guide issues that the 7.3 IDIs did. On the other hand, they still weigh about the same, so it's just one more way that they're similar.

 

[catbird7]

I never disassembled one. Can I just pulled the heads and not fool with the pump?

 

[catbird7]

Are the head bolts re-useable?