How bad is the HG job on a 7.3 IDI?

[steelholder]

Alright guys so I got the harmonic balancer installed after reading Nick Piscas write up. He mentions it having to be .125" from the oil pan edge. Mine gives a few readings. At around 9 o'clock (passenger side) it reads about .2565" away from oil pan, at 6 o'clock most bottom edge, it is .1750" and at around 3 o'clock (drivers side) its .2020" from the edge. How crucial are these distances and why is there a variance? I added a speedy sleeve to harmonic balancer, don't think that would make a difference. It's on the keyway. Isnt that supposed to insure proper placement and give even readings throughout (distance of HB edge to oil pan)?

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[IDIBRONCO]

I don't think that's all that critical. The torqueing of the bolt will set the final clearance. As for you different clearances, maybe the oil pan isn't on perfectly straight? Maybe the oil pan wasn't made perfectly square? Maybe the balancer isn't perfectly true? You did say that it's supposed to be ABOUT 1/8" away, not that it has to be.

 

[miked]

I agree with idibronco the oil pan is just stamped steel

 

[Nero]

I have always just torqued the center bolt down to position the balancer, has never been an issue.

 

[ihc1470]

On that type of balancer the outer ring can slip from the inner hub if the rubber ring starts going bad. Usually there is a witness mark to show if that is happening. I could not find a spec in the IDI manual that list runout. The DT series engines that used that style of balancer list a runout spec of .060 measured with a dial indicator. I agree I have never worried about the distance from the pan as long as long as there is clearance. Not much way for that clearance to change unless the bolt had been loose. If that was the case one would probably notice that the balancer was loose on the crank. The OP did not say if he was measuring from the same spot on the pan as he rotated the crank or if he was measuring to different spots on the pan.

Many years ago on a DT436 in a farm tractor I own the outer hub actually came off the inner hub. There was no doubt there was a slippage going on! Rare but it can happen so good reason to check the condition of the rubber and look at the witness marks when one has a balancer off.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

The OP did not say if he was measuring from the same spot on the pan as he rotated the crank or if he was measuring to different spots on the pan.

Yes he did. He measured at different points without spinning the balancer/engine. He measured at 9, 6, and 3 o'clock.

 

[steelholder]

Ok guys, I got the engine into the frame, 2 studs on both sides so i know it' set where it's supposed to be. I really thought that was going to be way easier. Im having trouble with getting the bellhousing to align perfectly and even worse, getting the torque convertor studs on the flex plate. Any suggestions on how I can get those to line up better? I have the trans on a jack and dont know what I need to do to reduce the gap and get them to mate better, please see below.

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[asmith]

good trick is to get some longer bolts that fit the holes for the transmission mounting bolts. cut the heads off and thread them into the upper holes. That way they are more like a stud and you can slide the transmission over them. It helps keep it all aligned properly and takes a bunch of the weight off.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Your transmission is sitting at an angle. You'll have to push the driver's side up so that it's close to being level with the engine. You'll also probably have to raise the front of the engine up so that it's close to being at the same angle as the transmission is at. If the motor mounts are in the holes in the frame, you're putting WAY too much pressure on the torque convertor already and that's not a good thing. That can cause internal transmission damage. MOVE THE ENGINE NOW!

 

[steelholder]

Your transmission is sitting at an angle. You'll have to push the driver's side up so that it's close to being level with the engine. You'll also probably have to raise the front of the engine up so that it's close to being at the same angle as the transmission is at. If the motor mounts are in the holes in the frame, you're putting WAY too much pressure on the torque convertor already and that's not a good thing. That can cause internal transmission damage. MOVE THE ENGINE NOW!

Move the engine where? It's sitting on the frame.

 

[Nero]

I use a rachet strap n the engine lifting bracket and the frame to make the engine sit more level, makes aligning the transmission a lot easier.

Don't force it. When it is aligned, it'll drop into place. The center of the torque converter has a pilot hole it sits in, and there is also dowells that center the transmission to block.

 

[steelholder]

I use a rachet strap n the engine lifting bracket and the frame to make the engine sit more level, makes aligning the transmission a lot easier.

Don't force it. When it is aligned, it'll drop into place. The center of the torque converter has a pilot hole it sits in, and there is also dowells that center the transmission to block.

WIsh I could picture where those are connected and in which direction your leveling it towards

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Move the engine where? It's sitting on the frame.

Up and forward like you're pulling it back out. There's a pretty good chance that you've damaged the transmission now by having the engine sitting in place while the transmission's not aligned.

way so I always pull it out.
A few more things. Be sure that change the front seal in your transmission before putting the engine back in. Otherwise it will most likely leak. When pulling and going back in with the engine, go slowly and keep looking around to make sure that you didn't forget to unhook something or that nothing is being pinched when going back in. Keep a close watch on the torque convertor while going back in with the engine. Make sure that the studs are lined up with the holes in the flexplate. As the engine gets closer, I like to keep wiggling the studs to make sure that they have play. There will still be play in the convertor studs after the engine and transmission are bolted back together. That's what the nuts are for. If you get to a point where the two aren't together and you can't wiggle the studs, STOP! You'll have to pull the engine part way back out and make finish seating the convertor. A trick I like to do is to put the convertor drain and the stud next to it at the bottom. Then I rotate the engine until one of the stud hole sin the flexplate is also at the bottom. That makes it easier to line up the flexplate and the convertor.

A little late for a reread now.

 

[steelholder]

Up and forward like you're pulling it back out. There's a pretty good chance that you've damaged the transmission now by having the engine sitting in place while the transmission's not aligned.

A little late for a reread now.

It wasn't bolted onto the engine they were butted up but the trans was on its own jack. I was able to get them properly aligned and bolted in. Hopefully there's no damage

 

[steelholder]

Alright guys, im almost at the point where I can almost turn the truck on and see if it doesn't just blow up.. ha. I have a few last questions I hope.. Pic one shows a connection I cant locate. It's on the same cable where the 2 connectors to the fuel filter are, can anyone take a look and let me know where it goes? Pic 2 is another funky connection that I don't think was ever connected anywhere (or maybe it was) and goes to 3 different places from T, no clue where any of those tiny tubes go, also hoping someone can check in their rig and post a pic here. Pic 3 was connected to the engine near the dipstick area and has a 120v wall plug on the other end? What's that about?

What's the consensus on using radiator flush chemicals? I have heard they can jack up old trucks and even cause leaks. I was hoping to use some for good measure after I found what looked like oxidation in the passages but not sure? I have distilled water in it now.

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