Engine go caa-caa. 7.3 idi turbo. // Need Head Stud Kit

Knocka knocka
Knocka Knocka waiting for the boom.

So, I was chasing valve guide seals thinking this beast has a 'normal' problem.
Then I rerouted the CDR hose from the air filter housing to a road draft tube.
The smoke trail is similar to the wake behind a PT Boat in WWII.
Along the lines of the ocean wake following the HMS Queen Mary.
Occasionally the engine would bang and had the familiar ring of a rod knock.
Then looking at the oil pressure gauge yesterday, I saw it drop off to the low side of "Normal" at road speed. Then I eventually came to a red light and the oil pressure came up.
Yeah. A rotating rod bearing came to mind. Not to mention the rod knock noise.
So, now I am looking at a rblt engine fora few more bucks and I really should look at a head stud kit.
I am impressed with the $532 dollar price tag.
A fast internet search finds me an engine rblt for $3800.
(Quality? Think I will go with a local shop and 40 plus years experience)
Add a Rblt turbo for longevity insurance and another $1000
Now add the $532 head studs and this is getting a tad bit expensive.
Bone stock engine and the head studs are an insurance factor.
Oh yeah, Maybe I should add an oil cooler to this engine rbld. Add what, another $250?
The IP is new rbllt. Injectors, glow plugs, filters, belts, pumps. . .
This is getting fun.
Up to the $5500 price range. Add a crank and that might bump me to $5800.
At my young age, I am not interested in playing backyard wrench outside in the weather.
I did that a few years ago. If I can get it done cheap enough elsewhere, so be it .

 

Engine repairs are not cheap by any means, but if you want to keep her going your going to have to pay up.

 

Thank you for the valuable insight.
I find it interesting that ARP studs are $532 on Amazon and are among the highest priced.
~~I was foolishly hoping someone had a vastly less expensive source.~~
I do like the $212 engine gasket set with the valley pan from Felpro.
Add in the next 1,000 for the longevity insurance turbo with the next $400 of other accessories, this is getting entertaining. On a small push, I might just have to go look at the 2019 F350 Dually which is somewhere between $50K and $80K. However, this is a one time assault on finances versus a continual drain.
That might be an option I look at in another year.
The wife is balking at the potential 8 grand dump into this truck and I am also wondering about it.
The nice part of it is that the 8 grand is the amount the 401 plan went up in the past 40 days.
Easy come, easy enough to go.
On a side note, Her van is now pushing 246,000 miles and she has decreed the truck will become the daily driver. Yeah, sure dear. Stay outa my truck. I don't need the seat adjusted or the mirrors tweaked.
Speaking of which, I do need a back up camera.
No dear. Not for you.

 

I mean, you could always swap it.....
Or a better shape 7.3. What color smoke? Do a compression and leak down test.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

A compression check on an engine with a rod knock is futile.
I did install a road draft tube and the engine smoke makes a god smoke screen.
I found another truck and $1900 to get someone else's problems is not worth the long term.
I figure to shoot myself in the foot once and get it over with. A new truck with the 10 speed trans would be a very nice option.
So I figure to be out 8 grand and be done with the engine.
A very large hole in the foot and call it good.

 

The 3800 rebuilt from Promar Precision Engines? I talked to them onece when was looking for a turbo engine. From what I have read believe they do a good rebuild.

 

I just found them tonight. I still am leaning towards a small local shop that has been open for the past 40 plus years. I was down there once talking to them about another engine and they said all the right things. That engine block shipping cost is not free and it gets paid for on one end or the other. However, if the local shop is nuts, they might be worth looking at. By Monday night I should have a good idea of how this is going to go.
I just know that this is not going to happen before January at the start of the new tax year.

 

I must have missed the rod knock part.
Thought it was odd for the title, when I saw no mention of a actual knock. Lol
You could also look at a engine from Mel or Wes. Even with shipping should be under $8k.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

Hiya. 8K is the number I am shooting at, on the high side hopefully, including labor. If a shop is off the mark, then I will be getting this done in my driveway in a few more months, I have two other trucks for drivers if her van dies anytime soon.
Your not the only on to miss the rod knock, I drove it a few days and finally noted the occasional noise.
Now the engine has a rotating bearing that effects the oil pressure gauge.
That is a new one for me.
Currently the truck is parked and waiting for my left knee replacement operation and then to see what happens in January at the earliest.

 

You can spend six grand plus on getting your ride up to snuff, good for a decade or more, or you can spend ten times that getting a new rig that'll be a piece of crap that's not worth fixing in a decade or two, and spend six grand on the DPF delete along the way.

Keeping an old rig running seems expensive, until you consider the alternative.

 

I enjoy a story I ran across somewhere about building up the older engines to higher output.
Unfortunately, it still comes down to "Gears for Go" that 4 speed trans compared to the modern 10 speed is not going to hold up. That 10 speed can hold a power band over a wider range and get more power.
I figure I am already upside down on this toy and will never get even.
So now to talk to Promar engines and find a shop around here sometime in the next few days.

 

At the cost of $50k to $80k drive off the lot truck is half that value could have high price issues vs a old truck you have driven for how long know in and outs of? can have rebuilt by guys like @Thewespaul or @typ4 and others on here that specializes in idi engines, just boils down to which in the long run is better for you.

Newer = computerized crap exhaust fluid crap not cheap way over priced parts more to break long way to pay off vs paid off parts do not cost half a house payment easy to get helps a small business an could have a hand in learning.

To me old would out weigh newer since even with so called new improvements at a drastic price made of plastic will not compare to steal available parts/knowing the vehicle or helping people with a know how and make a living.

 

I have head stud kits in stock and can go through your engine too, I’m not as quick of a turnaround as promar probably is, but I think my engines certainly look better.

 

Who ever you go with, be REAL sure that they know how to hold the plugs beside the camshaft in the block after they install them. There's been a couple of members here who have had issues with these plugs falling out on their Promar engines fairly recently.

 

I'm not sure what you consider "upside down" to be, but if you're looking at it from the standpoint of "what can I get out of this if I sell it?", you may be in the wrong hobby. If you want a reliable truck that will last for a long time, then this is what most of us are looking for. For the cost of a new truck, you could easily have three of these trucks. Another thing to consider is this (also what I told a friend who was weighing fixing up his 7.3 PSD VS. buying a newer truck). You could spend $20,000 (his number) on a newer truck. If you spend $20,000 on building your older truck, you will have a unique truck. It will be YOURS. There won't be another one like it EVER. To me, having a truck built by me, for me, is priceless.