Will a 7.3 idi out of 1990 ford van...

[DaytonaBill]

I'm going to look at this motor tomorrow evening but I'm not sure if the fan belt system can be changed over to the serpentine belt system and I'm not sure if the van motors are even the slightest bit different than the F-series motors.

What I need to know is will this motor swap over to my F350 CC without any mismatches or hardware issues?

Here is the link to the motor...

Thanks for the help, I just got the truck back from the shop and they said I have major issues, namely wrist pin or a broken piston... They think it will cost more to fix than the truck is worth...

I mean, "Who the frell cares?"

So anyway, if you guys think they are the the same motors, (mounting pattern and plug and play for the serpentine belts) then I can buy the motor (if it passes the audio test, the smell test and the SCA test) with confidence and get my truck running again by Sunday evening!

As usual, I eagerly await your responses...

 

[icanfixall]

So if I'm reading this corrtly you are taking the van engine and wanting to install it in your truck and use your trucks serpentine belt system on the van engine?? If so then yes, the van engine will accept all the serpentine belt brackets and parts. The serpentine aluminum mounts both bolt to the front of the heads with three special hardened and special length bolts. Reall easy job too. Now for the what wont work. The vans drivers side exhaust manifold will need to be swapped from the truck to the van engine. Also needing swapping needed will the complete oil cooler from front to back. The headers front and back are differant on both engines. So swap the truck engine oil cooler to the van ingine . You might want to change the fuel filter from the truck engine to the van engine too. You will need the truck fuel system from the lift pump line all the way up to the injection pump fuel inlet. Thats really a simple change out too. It just looks involved.

 

[DaytonaBill]

Cool!

So that means all I need are oil cooler gaskets, lift pump gasket, valve cover gaskets and exhaust gaskets...

Well, the local NAPA has them all... I guess I better make a trip to Tractor Supply for two gals of sca charged antifreeze...

So, two days should be a reasonable time to swap engines???

I have swapped gas engines numerous times, but this will be the heaviest engine I've had to dangle in the air...

Now for the $1,000,000 question...

Since the engine diagnosis is bad wrist pin, should the oil cooler be cleaned (metal fillings...) and new o-rings put in?

Thanks, I'm encouraged...

 

[icanfixall]

No need to worry about the oil cooler having metal in it. The oil still has to go thru the filter so its not going to harm the differant engine. Also you really don't know the wrist pins or pistons are a problem yet. Why are you replacing valve cover gaskets on the new engine from the van. The size of metal from a suspected wrist pin problem is going to be a very small item and not going to harm anything.

 

[OLDBULL8]

I'd like to know how they diagnosed that if they didn't pull the pan or a head. If a glow plug end broke off and it got down into the piston it will make a ratteling sound.

 

[DaytonaBill]

Sorry about the long delay, I've been real busy...

Icanfixall, thanks for the information for swapping a van engine to a truck, I appreciate that as I'm picking the engine up Saturday evening...

The reason I wanted to change the valve cover gaskets was I just wanted to make sure I didn't miss the chance to fix any gasket leaks... The front and back seals on the new motor are good, in fact everything is good about the motor except for one fuel return leak and that won't be too hard to fix...

Oldbull8, I was told that Special Forces Automotive used some kind of transducer that uses a magnetic attachment to record all of the sounds the engine made and the computer identified a bad wrist pin sound in all of the many sounds the engine made. It might operate along the same principals as a knock sensor...

I don't know if such a diagnostic tool exists or not, but after I replace the motor, I'll have a chance to see if it was right... Plus I get to rebuild it right and have the assurance that all is well when I finish... Or I might get a IDIT engine from Promar and use the old engine for a core... It just depends on when the revolution starts...

 

[bbjordan]

If it were me, i would put new o-rings in the oil cooler. When the engine is out is the easiest time to do that job.

Oh, and if I recall correctly, the engine mounts are different too.

 

[DaytonaBill]

Oh, and if I recall correctly, the engine mounts are different too.

Different? What do you mean?

 

[DaytonaBill]

News Flash!!!

I got the replacement motor!!!

I will start the swap by changing over the oil cooler, check the thermostat, swap out the driver side exhaust manifold and install new gaskets among other things... I haven't decided whether I will paint it or not... I need to put new return lines on it and so tomorrow will be spent getting it ready for the swap...

How long does it take you guys to do the actual pulling the old motor out and put the new one in? I hope it won't take more than one day, with an early start...

 

[yARIC008]

I dont believe you can swap oil coolers, the bolt holes on the block are different. You will need to leave the van oil cooler on. Also, i think on the mounts, the holes on the block are the same just the mounts differ. Now that you have both engines you should be able to look and tell.

 

[DaytonaBill]

Read here...

 

[idi_econoline]

They think it will cost more to fix than the truck is worth... I mean, "Who the frell cares?"

Right on, DaytonaBill! Most guys on this board have heard this more than once; am I right?

My answer is: They don't make 'em like this anymore!

Best o'luck on your swap.

 

[bbjordan]

Can you see the difference?

Different? What do you mean?

Different like this:

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[bbjordan]

Van oil cooler mount pics

I dont believe you can swap oil coolers, the bolt holes on the block are different.

Nope. Blocks are the same. The oil cooler header is just different. You can see in the attached pics that the front van header only uses 3 out of the 4 mounting hole in the block.

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Use your existing oil cooler and engine mounts on your new/used block and the engine should pop in without issues.

 

[DaytonaBill]

Thanks Eric and bbjordan, much obliged...

Now I know to look for it...