Overview/tips on the servicing of air intake, valley pan, and valve covers - 7.3 IDIT

[Zion]

For some context:

My truck is a Frankenstein of a few other fords and just so happens to be my first diesel. As it is most applicable to my questions, I'm specifically dealing with what I believe to be a 1994 7.3IDI factory turbo (I haven't checked the block code, but the turbo on it looks aftermarket/rebuilt and is non-waste gated so it could be a reg. block). When I got it, the engine was covered in old oil, leaves, and other particulate (this will come into play later.) I had decided to do return lines a few months ago and had done a poor job with injectors 5&7, causing a notable amount of fuel leaking into the valley pan. On a subsequent test drive, a friend pointed out that it was leaking quit a bit of oil on the ground. I regularly checked my oil level, and this leakage coincided with a loss of a quart of oil over 40 miles. At that point, I put it away for the winter until I had the time to work on it.

I started tearing into it this past weekend, first with the removal of the turbo. Most of my work on this truck has been a learning experience, and in getting the turbo off, the Lake Loch Ness of black fluid in my valley pan escaped down the turbo drain and most likely took some of the previously mentioned particulate with it. I am now under the impression that the leakage was just the old oil soaked diesel spilling off of the back of the block, but that would not explain my oil loss. I am pretty confident in assuming that a mixture of grimy oil, diesel, and random debris is not an ideal mixture to have drain into your engine.

With that being the case, here's my semi-educated guess, and related questions, as to what I should do.

Replace Turbo Seals.
- I've seen that typ4 has a ats/factory style seal kit for sale, but I am not sure if that is ideal for my turbo.

Drain Oil.
- Diesel is not a lubricant, and an IDI is not vegetarian so I have to 86 the plant material.
- What else can I do to deal with the introduction of foreign bodies into the oil system? It has not ran nor circulated the oil, so I figured that draining it out would be a good idea.

Remove/Reseal Intake Manifold.
- Is it easiest to remove just the hard lines to get the manifold off or does the pump need to be taken out as well?
- Is there any maintenance that I should do on it?
- Is their a gasket or gasket maker that I need to apply upon reassembly?
- What is the torque suggested for those bolts?

Remove/Reseal Valley Pan.
- Similar to above, what is the re-sealing procedure? I have heard about fel-pro gaskets but do not have the familiarity to know what is best.
- Is there anything I should check while it is off?

Remove/Reseal Valve Covers.
- Similar to above, what sealant/gasket does it require and what should I look for in terms of general engine health checks?

I've got more on the docket, but these are within my means in terms of the tools and disposable income I have available.

If you have suggestions, I'd appreciate the wisdom. If not, I can exercise my googling skills. A "TLDR" comment has never bothered me, so feel free to be cynical. Passive aggressive knowledge is still good knowledge.

Thanks,

ZION

 

[Runningaford]

I know there are numerous opinions of what to do, and what to use. Anymore, I try to stick to motorcraft for the engine. My truck(avatar) was recently crushed by a 6000 pound hemlock in a windstorm. It missed me by 2 seconds, but landed across the hood. Between having the truck towed, and brought back after buying it back as 'totaled', I've replaced the fender, the hood, return fuel lines, glow plugs, and old olives. Some of the hard lines got bent, due to the fuel pedestal, and ATS air filter taking a great deal of the final tree weight; so I've got some air leakage somewhere(read headache); as well as an unknown electrical draw. The rear tank started leaking, as the glued on skid plates, were disturbed by the tow, breaking the awesome almost 30 year rust seal on the tank. For now, and until I figure out the amazon code for the 30+ gallon folks on here have switched to, I've had to run out of my never hooked up rear auxiliary tank in the bed.

Any ways, most of your questions I think could be answered in the tech section at the top of this forum.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Since I have no idea how much liquid is in a "Lake Loch Ness of black fluid", the oil change is a really good idea. If you want to be extra sure on that part, do two consecutive oil changes. For the first refill, I'd just use some cheap oil. Maybe even some gasoline oil. Then run the engine for 5 or 10 minutes. This is just to flush all of the nasty fluid into the oil pan. The non-diesel oil won't hurt the engine to be run through it for a short time. Then change the oil and filter again, refilling with your usual diesel oil. Do not reuse/reseal the valley pan. any of the solids that happened to fall into the hole in the valley pan will probably be tapped in the baffle that's right below the hole in the "bottom" part of the valley pan that you can see while it's on the engine. When removing the valley pan, make sure to keep it as level as you can to prevent any trapped solids from falling out of the baffle into your lifter valley.

 

[Zion]

I know there are numerous opinions of what to do, and what to use. Anymore, I try to stick to motorcraft for the engine. My truck(avatar) was recently crushed by a 6000 pound hemlock in a windstorm. It missed me by 2 seconds, but landed across the hood. Between having the truck towed, and brought back after buying it back as 'totaled', I've replaced the fender, the hood, return fuel lines, glow plugs, and old olives. Some of the hard lines got bent, due to the fuel pedestal, and ATS air filter taking a great deal of the final tree weight; so I've got some air leakage somewhere(read headache); as well as an unknown electrical draw. The rear tank started leaking, as the glued on skid plates, were disturbed by the tow, breaking the awesome almost 30 year rust seal on the tank. For now, and until I figure out the amazon code for the 30+ gallon folks on here have switched to, I've had to run out of my never hooked up rear auxiliary tank in the bed.

Any ways, most of your questions I think could be answered in the tech section at the top of this forum.

I did take quick trip into the tech section, but I've been pulling all-nighters for midterms and had the critical thinking skills of a rock. My bad, but I will be certain to dedicate the appropriate attention to it when I have recovered a few brain cells. Unfortunately, there isn't a great selection of parts stores where I live, so I figured I'd let someone convince me to drink their favorite brand's koolaide to avoid throwing hail marys with online shopping.

 

[Zion]

Since I have no idea how much liquid is in a "Lake Loch Ness of black fluid", the oil change is a really good idea. If you want to be extra sure on that part, do two consecutive oil changes. For the first refill, I'd just use some cheap oil. Maybe even some gasoline oil. Then run the engine for 5 or 10 minutes. This is just to flush all of the nasty fluid into the oil pan. The non-diesel oil won't hurt the engine to be run through it for a short time. Then change the oil and filter again, refilling with your usual diesel oil. Do not reuse/reseal the valley pan. any of the solids that happened to fall into the hole in the valley pan will probably be tapped in the baffle that's right below the hole in the "bottom" part of the valley pan that you can see while it's on the engine. When removing the valley pan, make sure to keep it as level as you can to prevent any trapped solids from falling out of the baffle into your lifter valley.

I took a PDF of 1994 Ford 7.3IDIT turbo removal too seriously, but regardless, the grommet in the valley pan was smoked. I'm not too familiar with the lifter valley, so besides keeping the pan level and reducing any movements that might dislodge particulate, is there any form of safeguard or catch system I could employ to give me a smaller margin of error? I know that IDIs have a penitent for surviving sub-par maintenance, but I'd like to limit the harm I may do to the engine as I learn how to work on it.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

so besides keeping the pan level and reducing any movements that might dislodge particulate, is there any form of safeguard or catch system I could employ to give me a smaller margin of error?

Not really. These engines aren't designed to have anything fall inside that hole and that's the main safeguard. The valley pan is sealed down from the factory with something similar to RTV so you'll have to pry it up. Remove the IP. Pry up on the front side. Then pry up on the back side doing this while avoiding lifting up any higher than needed. They are only sealed on the front edge and back edge. The intake manifold holds the valley pan down to the heads so there isn't a need for any sealer there. I would use a short flat tip screwdriver or something similar to pry it up so that it doesn't get lifted very high. You'll have to work across the entire sealed surfaces in small increments, but that's the best safeguard that you can do. Of course be sure to clean out all of the debris that you can from the lifter valley. That would be any sealer or debris that happened to fall into there from removing the valley pan.

 

[TNBrett]

Any time I’m doing something like this, I like having a shop vac around. Cleaning as you go is almost never a bad idea. You may even be able to suck out some debris that fell in before you disturb anything.


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[Old Goat]

I didn`t see it mentioned. There is a Valley Pan drain behind the CDR or Turbo Drain Grommet.
It may not be noticeable if the pan has a layer of thick crap. (Rat Turds)

Use a ratchet extension in the square hole of the
VP drain to unscrew it. Poke around with a Screw Driver to find the hole.

I learned this taking these apart at PNP pulling IP`s, Manifolds, Valve Covers etc....
Amazing the goodies you find when pulling the intake manifold..like tools


Goat

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Use a ratchet extension in the square hole of the
VP drain to unscrew it

Use a 3/8" ratchet.

 

[Old Goat]

Use a 3/8" ratchet.

I did forget to give the size, but if 1/4 is too small and 1/2 too big...they will work it out.

I was at PNP today, 50% sale thru Monday.
There is a 87 6.9, 4 door. Already got the IP, VC, manifold, and figured I would pull that drain plug
just to have it on hand for what ever if I need one but probably wont, but i will at least have one.

I used my HF 3/8 drive Earth Quake Impact Gun.
That damn thing wouldn`t budge it. Those Rat Turds must have epoxied it in tight.
I pulled a couple others and they came right out.


Goat