'Ol Faithful is sick (assesment of my 7.3, with video!!)

[memphisrain]

Well if you have read the post where I am considering a cummins swap, I've got some more info on the IDI. I went and bought a cheap mechanical oil pressure gauge to see exactly what my oil pressure was doing. Also, I found some other problems. Watch the video:

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The motor was warmed up and idling with about 12-15psi of oil pressure.

Thoughts and opinions welcome.

mR

 

[69oiler]

looks like a lot of blowby to me.

 

[HammerDown]

Simple solution...
Buy mine...oil pressure is solid, purrrrs like a kitten, runs like a bull with his nuts in a vice and my radiator isn't missing any paint!
Seriously...removing that cap with the engine running with...ONE HAND =stud or stupid!

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[towcat]

all of these motors will have blowby at idle. bring it off idle to 900 rpm, if the blowby persists or returns, you have a problem. right now I see a old motor but no major issues.

 

[argve]

Me thinks that's a lot of blow by as well - it does come with age but in my book it's also an indicator of the health of the engine and in my book that much blow by would have me concerned.

Now your oil pressure... is this on a hot motor or a cold one?

On a cold motor I would expect to see more on a hot (normal operating temp) it doesn't seem all that out of place yes it's a little low but as long as it's above 7psi at idle then your good to go.

 

[Cincinnati Guy]

12-19 PSI is normal for these old motors. It takes 3PSI to turn on the oil pressure light so I guess you can run it with as low as 3PSI. Mine runs about 12-15 Warm at idle at 700RPM, was told it was normal. I have little blow by coming from dipstick, and also with oil filler cap off.


Take the cap off and give the truck a little bit of idle, should go away, then try it again then put your hand over the oil filler hole, it should kind of suck on your hand.

 

[memphisrain]

This video was taken at normal operating temperature. When I first started it up, the pressure was 45 psi. I know I'm getting some blow by on the valves. I can hear it when I use engine braking to slow down. I can hear the valves "chirping." So, I know I at least need the heads done.

For the oil pressure, I guess I was thinking that was awful low. I my be just used to gas V8's, where it should be around 20 psi.

I'm going to do a compression check before I pull the heads, however, I guess that won't really tell me much until I get the heads straightened around, huh?

mR

 

[Diesile]

Not worried about the oil or blowby, looks and sounds quite normal for these gals.

Not that this is what to do but I had to run my 6.9 all winter when it was making metal that the filter was catching (probably valve train from the sound of it) and still had 425psi in all 8 with 330K on it this spring.

 

[smoking89IDI]

It's fun taking that filler cap off with the fan going a gazillion miles an hour 2 inches from your fingers huh?

My truck has a "chirping sound" as well but it has been doing it for 3 and a half years now so I don't think anything is wrong with mine but if you've narrowed it down to the valves get them looked at, a dropped valve is very bad!

 

[Shadetreemechanic]

Based on oil pressure and blowby, i'd say that motor has lots of life in it.
I'd drive it.

 

[memphisrain]

It's fun taking that filler cap off with the fan going a gazillion miles an hour 2 inches from your fingers huh?

My truck has a "chirping sound" as well but it has been doing it for 3 and a half years now so I don't think anything is wrong with mine but if you've narrowed it down to the valves get them looked at, a dropped valve is very bad!

Yeah, I made sure I was looking at my hand and NOT the camera when I was taking that cap off. I figured I would drop the damned thing in the fan and watch it shoot out, hitting me in the head, and making me to drop the camera. Now that would have been a video!

Hey, I'm encouraged by all of your thoughts so far, thanks.

 

[h2odrx]

Yeah, I made sure I was looking at my hand and NOT the camera when I was taking that cap off. I figured I would drop the damned thing in the fan and watch it shoot out, hitting me in the head, and making me to drop the camera. Now that would have been a video!

Hey, I'm encouraged by all of your thoughts so far, thanks.

I think of this when i open the hood too! Run it!!

 

[wolfman]

I'm a newby with diesels, but I've noticed tht with my 86 6.9 that my blow-by out the filler neck is a lot greater when the air filter is off. When the air filter is on, the motor hardly has any blow-by.

 

[RLDSL]

It doesn't look or sound out of line for an old diesel from here.
If you want to help the blowby situation a bit, run a couple of treatments of Auto RX through the thing. That stuff really helps old diesels.

 

[smoking89IDI]

If you want to help the blowby situation a bit, run a couple of treatments of Auto RX through the thing. That stuff really helps old diesels.

Ditto, i'm doing the same thing right now and WOW!!