My first diesel

[Kbates522]

I just bought a 1987 4dr f-350 with a 6.9 from an old family friend. The truck has been sitting for the past 16 years and he was gonna junk it soon so I bought it from him for $250. Body has few rust holes and interior is in great shape. I pulled the motor after finding it was seized up. Tore it down to bare block, turned out to have only been stuck rings. I plan on doing a light hone and replacing crank and rod bearings as well as the rings. So far I'm in love with the simplicity of this motor and its lack of electronics as I specialize in classic cars and restoration. This is my first diesel truck so I was just looking for some advice on other things to check.

 

[riotwarrior]

Welcome to OB

Sounds like good score....thread is uzelezs without pics...make sure you select Go Advanced button on bottom right of reply windo and then add pics.

Good head studs are worth while investment for sure...cheap insurance. Talk with Typ4 Russ get a cam for your engine....

Do not remove frost plugs and if you take it to a machine shop do not let them remove them either.

They are a very special plug and require a special tool to install.

Rebuild oil cooler while yer at it and utilize stock oil pump.

Pics man

JM7.3CW Eh!

 

[Kbates522]

Response

The day I got it

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After I cleaned it

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The motor torn down

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[icanfixall]

WElcome to the forum. Thats a nice late 6.9 engine too. This forum can help you do anything you want with this truck or engine. Please... Just ask BEFORE you purchase anything from the internet. We... Being this forum know who is selling the crap and we try to steer members to the better parts. Way too many times a new owner comes here with "problems" because they bought **** from the cheats. You know the cheats wont take back their crap either.. So you end up buying something twice and that ends up costing usually double...

 

[Kbates522]

Thanks. Well I've been looking at the enginetech rering kit. It's reasonably priced and seems to only use top names for its parts. Other than that I've been doing my pricing on rock auto.

 

[Kbates522]

Any suggestions on where to get arp studs reasonably priced? And I'm not gonna be putting a turbo on it and aside from putting a cam I'd like to mostly keep it stock for a little while so could I use new head bolts

 

[IDIBRONCO]

The 6.9 head studs are very reasonably priced compared to the 7.3 studs. I bought my 6.9 arp studs on ebay for about $215 a couple of years back. For the 7.3 studs I have recently bought ( I have yet to install them), R&D performance was close to $100 cheaper than any arp models I found. I still paid about $430 for them. I forgot to check with R&D when I bought my 6.9 studs so I have no idea how they compared price wise.

 

[Kbates522]

Yeah I have been checking R&D a lot even before I bought the truck. They don't have 6.9 studs. And does anyone know where I can get a core support? It's been the hardest thing to find the right size.

 

[icanfixall]

Here in California a core support rust free is around 50 bucks almost everywhere last I checked on them. Try summit for the 6.9 arp stud kit. Last I checked they actually were selling them cheater that arp was because of the high purchase power they have.

 

[TahoeTom]

If you are a restorer it may matter to you that the bed is '87 or later. On the earlier beds the wheel arch is different and matches the front fender arch. Looks good from here.

 

[MTKirk]

I would mic those cylinders before you hone and order rings. I doubt you will get them to clean up without going out of spec. Check your pistons too, mine had no visible wear on the skirt, yet one was under spec. they must deform?

 

[Kbates522]

Already mic'd them and the crank nothing is out of its tolerance and doesn't need to be bored. Only one ring was stuck. The second ring of the first cylinder I've already checked everything engine wise to make sure it's safe to rebuild.i have experience rebuilding engines just not with the diesel parts

 

[Kbates522]

And icanfixitall I'm gonna need you to send me one of those core supports lol I'm from the Texas coast and it's impossible to find one here

 

[Kbates522]

TahoeTom I'm not to concerned with originality on the truck as I really only do restorations on pre-72 and I have a 65 mustang to do all that on lol. this is gonna be my daily driver. I have a lot of questions i just haven't had a lot of time to ask them. Like I read it's better to use a 93 to 94 glow plug set up from 7.3 is there any modifications that need to be done for this? What's the best brand for injectors and are there any to steer clear from? Do any of you have a wiring diagram for the engine compartment. The wiring harness was cut and removed from the driver side headlight to the glow plug harness I can figure out most of it except the relay/solenoid. I know the lmc core support is the wrong size for the truck but has anyone found a way to make them work? I have no problem doing fab work just need some direction. We're all f350s in 87 ifs and if so will a Dana 44 ttb work under it with no muddling just light towing?

 

[smithman]

TahoeTom I'm not to concerned with originality on the truck as I really only do restorations on pre-72 and I have a 65 mustang to do all that on lol. this is gonna be my daily driver. I have a lot of questions i just haven't had a lot of time to ask them. Like I read it's better to use a 93 to 94 glow plug set up from 7.3 is there any modifications that need to be done for this? What's the best brand for injectors and are there any to steer clear from? Do any of you have a wiring diagram for the engine compartment. The wiring harness was cut and removed from the driver side headlight to the glow plug harness I can figure out most of it except the relay/solenoid. I know the lmc core support is the wrong size for the truck but has anyone found a way to make them work? I have no problem doing fab work just need some direction. We're all f350s in 87 ifs and if so will a Dana 44 ttb work under it with no muddling just light towing?

I bought an LMC core support knowing that it wasn't going to fit my diesel. It wound up being damaged in transport and I was reimbursed but got to keep it. I tore it down by drilling out every spot weld and used it to beef up my OEM support. I had to re-do the bushing mount areas and the bottom of the lower hoop. If you can bend 16 ga sheet metal and can use a welder, then you can probably repair yours. The bottom of the lower hoop was rebuilt with 1/8 angle iron. The areas near the mounts were rebuilt using parts from the LMC donor support. The front panels near the headlights were double layered using donor parts. Blasted, then 2 coats of POR 15 and engine enamel. It now weights about 15 lbs more than original since I double layered several areas. Not a bad thing.