Will the na engine do fine a stock boost levels....can you turn the fuel up at all? What about lifespan? Is the na engine going to have a shorter life under boost than the stock turbo engine? I'll need to research threads here about putting a turbo kit on an na engine...I know plenty of people have done it. Which pump and injectors to use etc.
ZF5 swap questions
- Thread starter cardana24
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Will the na engine do fine a stock boost levels....can you turn the fuel up at all? What about lifespan? Is the na engine going to have a shorter life under boost than the stock turbo engine? I'll need to research threads here about putting a turbo kit on an na engine...I know plenty of people have done it. Which pump and injectors to use etc.
IDIBRONCO
IDIBRONCO
If your N/A engine is running good, I'd just put the whole thing in, fuel system and all. You will have to turn up the pump. At stock boost levels, your N/A engine will enjoy a long life if properly taken care of. That means at least a pyro, if not an intercooler. At stock boost levels, an intercooler wouldn't be mandatory, just the pyro. This will also give you the extra time needed to take care of your other engine(s) and have another one ready for install some day in the future. I would do the changing around of oiling fittings while the engine is out of the vehicle. It's a real PITA to do with it in the truck.
The_Josh_Bear
Full Access Member
I can't help with the block differences but for picture hosting you can actually just upload pictures here onto OBN in the reply from your computer or phone.
Just click the blue "upload a file" button when you are composing a post and it'll host them for you.
Just click the blue "upload a file" button when you are composing a post and it'll host them for you.
The doner truck was delivered last night...it's beat, it was a farm truck and has 226k miles on it! But it has a good working zf-5 and the engine runs. If I choose to use this engine what should I look at or replace before installing it in my truck? I would do the water pump and re seal the oil pan at a minimum. The engine sounded good when running when I heard it for a few minutes, but that's all I know about it. It barley has any oil on the stick.
Would you all suggest pulling the engine and trans together (with transfer case attached) or is it easier doing a piece at a time? I just have a standard parts store engine hoist.
Would you all suggest pulling the engine and trans together (with transfer case attached) or is it easier doing a piece at a time? I just have a standard parts store engine hoist.
IDIBRONCO
IDIBRONCO
Some people do it, but I tried the engine/trans combo pull once. It was in my wrecked (my first) 85 F250 so I thought I'd try it since I could just cut away anything in the way. I WAS WRONG! Maybe it was because the truck had been flipped upside down, but I had the worst time with everything. I will never attempt that one again and wouldn't recommend anybody to do it. Just my opinion, based on the number of these engines that I actually did a R&R on. That said, since you're planning to reseal the oil pan anyway, that would be the perfect time to pull a rod cap and main cap to check for excessive bearing wear. I would also highly recommend resealing the oil cooler. If it happens to start leaking in a few months, you'll kick yourself for not doing it before. As easy as it is to do, there's no reason (to me) not to do this.
What are everyone's thoughts on doing the head gaskets on the na engine just for good measure while the engine is out? I am going to pick up a new battery tomorrow just so I can get the truck (doner truck with the zf5) running to see it run again. I am going to fill the radiator a watch for bubbles. If I see bubbles then I would do the head gaskets. But what if I don't see bubbles and it is running well, what would you all do? The engine has 226k miles. Also I have never pulled a head on an IDI, most of my experience is with over head cam vehicles, which I assume are more complex.
Randy Bush
Full Access Member
Don't know others thoughts , but I would put the engine in first the trans and transfercase. I know when I put an engine in my 93 2x it was a real fight to get the engine low enough to line up with the clutch shaft.
IDIBRONCO
IDIBRONCO
It sure wouldn't hurt to change the head gaskets. You could look at your cylinders and know what kind of shape they're in. Not saying that they're bad, you'll just know 100%. This job is undescribably easier to do with the engine out on a stand, plus you'll have an easier time lifting and reinstalling the heads. They aren't your modern aluminum OHV heads, they are heavy. My opinion is that if you're even considering doing this then you should go ahead and do it for peace of mind. You can also do the cooling system mod at this time (see my thread 7.3 cooling system mod if you're not sure what this is).
Oledirtypearl86
Full Access Member
Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it
IDIBRONCO
IDIBRONCO
Kind of what I was hinting at.
As for head gaskets what else would I need other than the fel pro head set and a new set of bolts? Its seems that most people talk about using the 6.9 gaskets on the 7.3, is that because of the additional coolant passages that you are are talking about that are blocked off on the 7.3?
IDIBRONCO
IDIBRONCO
Yes although you'll have to open up the passages in your block and heads too in order to see any benefit.
Macrobb
Full Access Member
I totally believe you should do the head gaskets on whatever motor you put in, assuming you have time. You'll need new head gaskets and a new valley pan gasket to do this.
It's one of those things where the gaskets get old after many years, and putting more strain on them(less about the turbo and more about long hot pulls up hills pulling a trailer) can make them start to leak.
As far as "how far can you take a N/A block", well, my 93 came with one under a factory turbo kit. After my serp belt broke and I limped it 3 miles to an auto parts store with no water pump, it started weeping coolant out the corners of the head gasket.
I figured it would probably fail soon anyway, so I installed my RD2-110 oversized IP, unplugged the wastegate(15+ PSI) and just ran it! Dyno'd it at 250RWHP at that time.
A /year/ later, the head gasket finally failed, after slowly weeping more and more. Pulled the motor, and it was spotless inside when I put new gaskets on it.
(The motor is currently in a different truck, because I needed my 93 running when it failed and I had a running 7.3 IDIT just waiting to drop in).
So, really, with new gaskets(and not overheating things), you aren't in much of any danger with a maxed-out stock IP(which gives around 200-220 RWHP peak). Just watch the EGTs and keep oil and coolant in the engine and you'll be fine.
I personally don't see any need to worry about modifying the gaskets - they've worked fine for years without modification, and I haven't seen cracking near the rear worse than the front on turbo applications.
(N/A, the rear does get hotter due to CDR oil going almost exclusively to those cylinders. On a turbo setup, it goes in pre-turbo, so it's evenly distributed).
It's one of those things where the gaskets get old after many years, and putting more strain on them(less about the turbo and more about long hot pulls up hills pulling a trailer) can make them start to leak.
As far as "how far can you take a N/A block", well, my 93 came with one under a factory turbo kit. After my serp belt broke and I limped it 3 miles to an auto parts store with no water pump, it started weeping coolant out the corners of the head gasket.
I figured it would probably fail soon anyway, so I installed my RD2-110 oversized IP, unplugged the wastegate(15+ PSI) and just ran it! Dyno'd it at 250RWHP at that time.
A /year/ later, the head gasket finally failed, after slowly weeping more and more. Pulled the motor, and it was spotless inside when I put new gaskets on it.
(The motor is currently in a different truck, because I needed my 93 running when it failed and I had a running 7.3 IDIT just waiting to drop in).
So, really, with new gaskets(and not overheating things), you aren't in much of any danger with a maxed-out stock IP(which gives around 200-220 RWHP peak). Just watch the EGTs and keep oil and coolant in the engine and you'll be fine.
I personally don't see any need to worry about modifying the gaskets - they've worked fine for years without modification, and I haven't seen cracking near the rear worse than the front on turbo applications.
(N/A, the rear does get hotter due to CDR oil going almost exclusively to those cylinders. On a turbo setup, it goes in pre-turbo, so it's evenly distributed).
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Got some work done. I got the trans out, then I moved on to the engine. This trans will be for sale soon, I was rebuilt at my local ford dealership and is in good shape.
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Engine time. I’ll start pulling stuff in the doner truck next.
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