Time for a rebuild in Oz

[Sorro71]

Hi All
I've been a member for a few months now and this is my first post. I purchased a 1987 F250HD 2WD with 7.3n/a and C6 with unknown mileage about 2 years ago. When I purchased it I replaced the gearbox and fitted a GV overdrive which made a huge difference. Recently It developed a bad knock and the oil pressure dropped to about 35psi maximum, all this happened whilst towing. I thought I had done a main bearing or worse. Oh well looks like it's time for a rebuild. Only problem is there's not many 7.3 IDI's over here. Ford trucks were only ever made with petrol engines in Australia until about 1986 then nothing till late 2001 after Ford started to make RHD's in Brazil and imported them into Australia. With the help of the internet and forums namely "Oilburners" I've been able to find a wealth of information on them. I've lost count of the hours I've spent researching posts and Tech articles. So the journey begins. I've removed the engine which I had to do by removing the radiator support panel and grill etc. I didn't have the head room to lift it out the top. Once out time to dismantle, I found I had 4 stuck injectors, 2 head bolts that were rusted in and had to be punched out of the head, 1 head gasket that was about to let go, 8 slightly melted pistons and some main bearings that were starting to "pick up". Every thing else was as you would expect. The engine is now at the machine shop for machining.
I've been collecting parts to put in and with the rebuilt engine.
With the engine I'm fitting a new Banks Sidewinder, Typ4 cam, Moose junior pump, ARP studs, new lifters and valve springs, as well as the usual replacement items. I'm also installing a facet lift pump and replacing cab mounts. Attached are some pictures, Ill add more as things progress.
Thanks to all the members that have helped so far, your advice has been invaluable.

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[BDCarrillo]

Welcome! I know the heartache you're feeling... I pulled apart a junked motor with 300,000 miles on it and was sickened by the carnage. I'd highly recommend having a shop check out the valve guides while you have it apart.

Good luck on the rebuild!

 

[icanfixall]

Welcome to the best forum for honest truths about these trucks and engines. Ebaty and the internet will be a great help finding parts but please ask here before buying parts. In this country we have some horrible ebay sellers that have MADE their own reputations and are listed in the forum here called The Hal Of Shame. They got there by doing horrible things to customers so be careful when buying parts. You rebuild plan is fine doing what you want done. Look closely ar the front and rear main seal rub areas for a groove. If the old seals wore a groove you will need something called a speedi sleeve seal to repair it. No new seal will work if the groove is worn in the wear areas. Also please replace the o rings in the oil cooler when its off the engine. Thats a tuff job when the engine is in a truck but plenty have suffered doing it too. With the look of the copper main bearing I suspect your oil cooler o rings are hardened and ready to fail. The valve guide check is a very good idea. Just make sure the shop doing the work does not cheap out and knurl the guides. Thats an old process that lasted for a short time and failed horribly causing huge oil useage issues. Removing the cam gear is a little tuff too. I suggest looking at the gear and if it has the 2 drilled and threaded holes in it that you replace it . The new gear has no holes drilled and threaded and its balanced much better. The old gear was not very well balanced and the engine would shutter at idle every about 7 seconds.

 

[Sorro71]

Thanks Guys
I hope to hear back from the machine shop tomorrow on what needs to be done. They have a good reputation, it's a family business that been operating for a long time. I'll make sure they've checked the valve guides. I pulled the oil cooler apart a couple of days ago and went a bit weak at the knees, I was very close to cooking the engine. The rear housing was just about to let go, the front is salvageable, I'll be able build it up with the TIG. I've got a few lines of enquiry out for a new rear housing. Ford discontinued them a fair while back it seems but there might be one tucked away on a shelf some where, although I might have to sit down when I hear the price, if they can find one. The cooler bundle looks OK so far. I've attached a couple of pictures of the housings.

 

[Rot Box]

Wow I'll bet IDI's are rare in your neck of the woods. That said you probably see 70 series Land Cruisers all the time.. I'd love to get my hands on one they're rare and expensive around here. Funny how that works.. Anyway looks like you're off to a great start

 

[icanfixall]

Both the front and rear oil cooler housings are still available thru both Ford and International. They are expensive too. Sad that the water in the cooling systems eats away the aluminum. Best of luck TIG welding that. JB WEld epoxy might be a better repair idea too. When you refill the cooling system with coolant and water please use steam distilled water. That has no minerals in it that will drop out and eat away the soft metals it contacts plus.. Its not a conductive water so electrolysis wont be a factor again.

 

[Sorro71]

Thanks Rot Box, the 70 series are common here but they're expensive, that hasn't changed. I used to have an 89 model 75 series with a 2H diesel and aftermarket ARB turbo. It was a great truck but I had to sell it when the kids came along. I went all over the country in it, got to some pretty remote places. It never let me down once. I'm still dirty that I had to sell it.

 

[Sorro71]

It's been a while since I posted. Machine work is almost done. It took a while in between finding replacement parts and then waiting for them to be delivered. The last problem with the machining is the pre-combustion chambers are loose in the cylinder heads after cleaning. There in pretty good shape otherwise. Do I have to get new ones or is there some way of reclaiming them. I have found some new ones but at $81 each over here. Is there a way reclaim them or is it best to bite the bullet and purchase new ones?

 

[typ4]

define loose, it may not be the precup ,it mayu be the bore, I have a pic of mine staked i but the machine shop did it to keep the surfacer from removing them. Ill check with a different shop that does many and get some info.

 

[Sorro71]

I,ve got a feeling it's only because of surfacer. Before I took them to the machine shop I could only just get them out with a flat bladed screwdriver,some wouldn't move. They certainly didn't rattle around in the bore. Could you please send me that pic Russ. The shop is a good hours drive away so Im trying to get as much info as I can before I drive up there. I also read last night in the ford shop manual to be careful when removing and refitting the cylinder head that they don't fall out, so they obviously aren't,t a press fit.

 

[Sorro71]

Finally got the engine back from the machine shop today. I've got a couple of questions, I'm hoping someone might be able to help with.
I had to get another cylinder head as one was cracked was cracked. The new head is slightly different in the blocked off ports where the inlet manifold is bolted the replacement head has cup type welsh plugs fitted where as the original has only an oval port that is blocked off by the valley pan gasket.. The replacement head has the numbers 1809 215 C91 stamped with C3 cast after it and the original head has the numbers 1809 03 0C1 cast into it. I've measured everything I can think of and they appear compatible. Are they?
The original heads had pre cups that were cast with 88 on them the replacement head had pre cups that had 84 printed. They've mixed them up and I have 88 and 84 in the same head do you think this will be an issue? They have a different shape to the throat.

 

[TahoeTom]

Your replacement head may be a 7.3 head. The plugged coolant ports on the intake side was a 7.3 upgrade. I had the machine shop install pipe plugs in those ports on my 6.9 heads. I didn't want to rely on the intake gasket plus gasket eliminator sealant to keep coolant out of my crankcase. Check the head gasket side of the head and see if the coolant passages at the lower corners has a cup plug. The 6.9 has a triangle shaped coolant passage at the corners. You could check diameter of head bolt holes as the 7.3 increased the head bolts to 1/2" from 7/16 for the 6.9. I don't have experience with the pre-cups but the 7.3 and 6.9 did have different cups. I believe the injector protrusion in the head is slightly different between the two.

 

[Sorro71]

Thanks Tom,
You're right its a 6.9. I measured everything except the the diameter of the head bolts. I'm feeling rather stupid right now. I found some more info on the casting numbers this morning they confirm it as well. The first pic shows the plugs on the intake side of the 6.9 and the second pic shows the 6.9 at the top you can see the smaller holes for the head bolts but the water ports are round. So I have mismatched heads and pre cups, what a mess to sort out. Time for a few cold beers and a fishing trip.

 

[TahoeTom]

Is your block a 6.9 or 7.3? In USA 87 IDI's came with 6.9. I see in your first post you said it was a 7.3, but the description of the original head was a 6.9. Maybe plugging the ports on the head gasket side was only done on US 7.3's.
Edit: Here is a picture of my 6.9 head. The coolant passages at the corners are triangle shaped.

 

[Sorro71]

The block is definently a 7.3, It's just been rebored .020 over. The truck was privately imported from the states some time ago it was built in the Kansas City plant in November 1987 so I'm guessing its among some of the first 7.3's. The head that supposed to be a 7.3 but has turned out to be a 6.9 was purchased off a specialist wrecking yard over here that deals in American motor vehicle parts. The F trucks were never sold here by Ford with a diesel engine until the powerstrokes came along.