They kissed!

[pafixitman]

Yep, #5 exhaust and piston. I can't find any evidence of a crack. I planning on dropping on the new heads and running it. What do you guys think?

 

[69oiler]

i dunno if it was me i'd hate to pull it back apart if the piston did fail.

 

[Freight_Train]

Personally.....I would swap that piston out.But then again I tend to see everything on a worst case senario.I will say that there are engines out there with far worse than that still running.But there are also engines with far less that chernobyled.

 

[Dsl_Dog_Treat]

Holy Schnikies Joe,
Man that is a tough call but if it were me, I have to agree with Rob.
A micro fracture may not be see with the naked eye, but could become a bigger problem after getting it back together and then stuffing some air into that cylinder.
I know ya have a lot of coin and sweat equity all ready tied up into it, but you're not too far off from being able to drop that piston out and getting a known good piston in there.
Better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Double-S-Diesel]

put a piston in, why take the chance.

 

[Darrin Tosh]

Bummer Joe, Sounds like you should replace the piston,...Like the others said, hate to have to tear into it again,....

 

[pafixitman]

OK, who wants my paypal account for donations and directions to my house?

Since the block is still in the truck:
Can I pull the oil pan w/out pulling the motor?
Can I pull that piston with out pulling the motor?
Should I just pull the motor?

 

[reklund]

Just pull the motor and make your life easy. Take the opprotunity to put in some new lower end bearings and new rings while you have 'er all apart. Maybe some fancy head studs and a little port-n-polish on the heads couldn't hurt...

It's crappy news, but if you're gonna keep the truck look at it like this:

IT IS WAY CHEAPER THAN A $600/MONTH NEW TRUCK PAYMENT!

Good luck!
Ryan

 

[Freight_Train]

Pan won't clear the cross member.Pretty much you are stuck yanking the engine if you replace the piston.I am kinda 50-50 on pulling the piston or rolling the dice.I can vouch for how much torture these pistons can take and not come apart.....Hee hee hee,So can Travis.But I would hate to take the easy route and end up sending a rod out the side of the block.Looking at the pictures a little closer it doesn't look like the Custom Valve Relief is real deep.How deep is that divot?.Hell,the more I write the more I lean towards take the gamble.I have an extra dozen blocks laying around .I just remembered that one of the E's pistons looks like you took a jack hammer to it after a GP tip got eaten long ago.....and she still can handle 3500RPMs in Park at 7PSI(Yea,Under no load I can hit 7!WOW!).Hey,if push comes to shove....you can get a promar engine for around $2800 and they pay shipping both ways.....Say they use top of the line stuff(mahle hammers,Clevite friction parts,Felpro goo stoppers,etc. all with a 75K 3 year warrentee.....Even though I know you don't want to go that route.....

 

[Freight_Train]

Just pull the motor and make your life easy. Take the opprotunity to put in some new lower end bearings and new rings while you have 'er all apart. Maybe some fancy head studs and a little port-n-polish on the heads couldn't hurt...

It's crappy news, but if you're gonna keep the truck look at it like this:

IT IS WAY CHEAPER THAN A $600/MONTH NEW TRUCK PAYMENT!

Good luck!
Ryan

$600 hell.....that would be a bargin.Friend of mine bought his Wife a Brand new 06 super cab dodge ram with a Cummins and 6spd.....nearly 700 bucks for payments plus around 200 a month insurance.....Can you say OH MY EXAUST PIPE!

 

[69oiler]

with all the freak stuff your engine has been doing lately i'd say pull it and mic the bearings and stuff and replace the bad piston. yes pull it out if you have to go that far.

 

[krawlr]

Oh man that sucks. Unless someone I really really trust on the subject says it's OK, I would go for a new piston. I know you need it running yesterday but a piston taking a dump would really really suck.

AllData says yes you can pull the pan in the truck but it looks almost as bad as pulling the engine, sorry.

Disconnect battery ground cables, then remove engine oil and transmission oil dipsticks.
Remove air cleaner and install intake opening cover, manifold cover T83T-9424-A.
Remove fan and clutch assembly. The fan retaining nut has lefthand threads.
Drain cooling system, then disconnect lower radiator hose.
Disconnect return hose from power steering pump, then plug pump and hose to prevent contamination.
Disconnect fuel line heater connector and wiring harness from alternator.
Raise and support vehicle.
Disconnect, then plug transmission oil cooler lines from radiator, if equipped.
Disconnect and plug fuel pump inlet line, then drain crankcase and remove oil filter.
Remove transmission oil filler tube.
Disconnect exhaust pipe from exhaust manifolds and muffler flange, then remove the inlet pipe.
Remove upper inlet pipe mounting stud from right exhaust manifold.
Remove nuts and washers securing engine insulators to No. 1 crossmember, then lower vehicle.
Attach suitable engine lifting equipment to engine and raise engine until transmission housing contacts body.
Install wood blocks between engine insulators and crossmember. Use a 2 3/4 inch block on left side and a 2 inch block on right side. Lower engine to rest on the blocks.
Raise and support vehicle.
Remove flywheel inspection plate.
Position fuel pump inlet line at rear of No. 1 crossmember and, if equipped, position transmission oil cooler lines aside.
Remove oil pan attaching bolts, Fig. 17, then remove oil pump and pickup tube, Fig. 18, from engine and lay in oil pan (F-250-350 only). Remove oil pan. The crankshaft may need to be rotated to position counterweights in order to remove oil pan.

 

[apextrans]

I have no experience with anything that involved.......yet, but I would say why chance it? You sort of make a living with the truck (at least to some degree) so I would say do it right the first time around. You're already that far in.

 

[93turbo_animal]

Man thats a tuff one Joe but look at it this way best case scenario you put it back together and it runs great for as long as you own it worst case scenario it runs fine then comes apart on vacation far away from home ruining your new head causing you to have to pull the engine anyway but I think I would definately check and see if you can't pull the oan or atleast drop it enough to get in there all you have to do is be able to take the rod apart and put it back in

 

[ericboutin]

Holy Crap Joe!! Well you know the extent of my expertise since it was all gained on your motor but I'll chime in just the same. I just re-read what Aric said again and it makes alot of sense to me. After digging into this thing for what the third time?...I know you could probably do it again in your sleep but...that would really suck dumping all this money into heads just to ruin em down the road?!?! Hmm it is a tough call though cuz like Freight said I've seen some pretty unbelievable pics here and over at the other site of pistons that you couldn't believe were still going up and down!!
Other than that...I got nothing!