"Lee's Limo" 2001 F350 crew cab 4x4 diesel

[Bamfster]

Re: "Lee's Limo" 2001 F350 crew cab 4x4 diesel

Hard to tell from the pics, but how far over is #8? I see some scuffs/gouges, but how far out is it?

[milner351]

Re: "Lee's Limo" 2001 F350 crew cab 4x4 diesel

it would be tough to get my bore gauge in there, but I'm going to guess that based on the ridge left from where the top ring changes direction near the top of the cylinder it's worn oversize at least 5 thousands, enough to catch a finger nail on anyhow - and that dark spot at the 6 oclock position in the cylinder is worn a bit farther than that.... I'm guessing gravity held a piece of material there a while between the piston and block and that was the beginning of the end.

I talked to a friend at praise band practice tonight that works for AVFuel - and they send all their stuff to superior for repair and have had very good luck with them --- he's going to call them tomorrow and talk to them about my engine - maybe there's a discount in the works - who knows, but that's another good reference for that shop.

[88 Dippy]

Re: "Lee's Limo" 2001 F350 crew cab 4x4 diesel

WTF? NAPA has one weird core. so what you are sapose to replace theengine before it blows then?

[min301]

Re: "Lee's Limo" 2001 F350 crew cab 4x4 diesel

Jasper pays labor on their warranty.

[milner351]

Re: "Lee's Limo" 2001 F350 crew cab 4x4 diesel

That Napa warranty deal rubs me the wrong way, otherwise I've been happy with napa parts - we have a good contact at the place we deal with through work - so I'll keep using them.

Jasper warranties are in the 6 month to 1 year range - I'm not willing to pay probably $1500 or more to have a warranty that short, I will time it out long before I mileage it out.

I'm pretty sure that superior will be able to rebuild what I have for substantially less than what a rebuild long block will cost from any of these big rebuild houses.

Time will tell - now - what else to replace while I'm in there?

torque converter?
water pump?
starter?
high pressure oil pump? (not cheap)
rad and heater hoses?

[Bamfster]

Re: "Lee's Limo" 2001 F350 crew cab 4x4 diesel

Belts, hoses ... the usual stuff. Since you mention the torque converter, It may be a good time to upgrade depending on what's in there now. I know you said the trans looks like it's been freshened.

[DanStokes]

Re: "Lee's Limo" 2001 F350 crew cab 4x4 diesel

Cam, roller rockers, Dominator, some cool billet valve covers........

Or maybe not
Dan

[milner351]

Re: "Lee's Limo" 2001 F350 crew cab 4x4 diesel

the plot thickens

just got off the phone with a guy up in the area where Rhonda and I will be
going this weekend.

he has a complete powerstroke 7.3 turbo to oil pan - injectors, the whole
thing - for $500

Says "his guys" (he owns a gutter company) - ran it out of fuel - and while
cranking it trying to get it to prime, they were spraying fuel into the
intake.... then it "popped a piston".

His mechanic at the dealer he works with came up with the "popped a piston"
conclusion, and he had him put in "another moder I had laying around"

They didn't take it apart.

it's got a ton of miles on it - (truck has over 325,000 now - he put the engine in a month ago)
but the turbo and injectors are two years old.

I'm wondering if it's worth looking into - I'm sure I could make back some money selling off the parts I didn't use, and
IFFFFFFF the block is OK - I can forget about the cost of pistons and boring work - just hone it and get a re ring kit - saving about $500 on not buying pistons.....

It could be a wild goose chase, it might payoff.... hmmmmmmm.

[Bamfster]

Re: "Lee's Limo" 2001 F350 crew cab 4x4 diesel

It's free to look at right? Around here, you could sell the turbo and injectors easily for $500 .... Then it'd be like getting a free long block builder.

[88 Dippy]

Re: "Lee's Limo" 2001 F350 crew cab 4x4 diesel

for $500 you could make your money back easy


i would at least look at it. at my work we do fleet trucks and there is this one ambulance that has over 600k on it's original 7.3L PS :o

[Huskinhano]

Re: "Lee's Limo" 2001 F350 crew cab 4x4 diesel

Man John, do I feel for you. I've been following along as well. If that happened to me, I think I would probably look for a complete, running motor and call it a day. You'll know you'll end up with a good motor and be done with it. I don't think I would be able to tolerate any more farting around. Good luck at what ever path you go down. I'll have a cold one for you ;D

[milner351]

Re: "Lee's Limo" 2001 F350 crew cab 4x4 diesel

Well guys after much deliberation and finding out that the re ring kits aren't that much cheaper than the kits with pistons... I passed on the complete engine for now - but - I may still go get it if we run into any more issues.... it was just too much to deal with this weekend.

My first Father's day was spent mostly at mother in laws house fixing faucets, fridge door closer, doing maintenance on her 3 cyl diesel zturn snapper mower, and mowing for a couple hours..... i think i'm doing it wrong >

Rhonda did surprise me with a cool set of Jensen indoor/outdoor wireless speakers for the patio.... 8)


I'm hoping to have an estimate today from Chuck on pulling the engine
- then I will drop the long block off at Superior and wait for them to tell me what overbore is required
- then I'll order the complete rebuild kit from powerstrokeshop.com for $1085 (beat any other price I could find) it's the Ford kit that comes with a warranty and every possible part, wow - I was really amazed how complete it was - even comes with the oil cooler! It ends up being a much better deal than trying to peace together a rebuild / re-ring kit any other way I tried.

I need to call superior to see how much they'll charge to build the short block (and warranty it)
they told me they can turn it around with machine work in a week, including rebuilding the heads, magnaflux and pressure checking everything.

While it's out - I'll try to get the engine compartment cleaned up a little bit, find a good torque converter that's not crazy expensive, and maybe replace the battery cables while there's plenty of room to do so.

I'm planning on painting the valey of the engine light gray or white before assembling it so I can more easily identify leaks in the future.

I have to decide if I'm going to put a new high pressure oil pump on it while it's out - that's another $390 or so.

At this point I'm just not comfy with a "known good" used engine - I know they last forever - but the way my luck is going - I'll get one and end up needing to do a bunch of work on it.

This way - I know I'm getting a quality rebuild with good parts - and the family truckster will have a NEW engine.... that should serve us well for 10 years... (it better!)

[DanStokes]

Re: "Lee's Limo" 2001 F350 crew cab 4x4 diesel

Seems wise to me. And obviously they don't last forever - yours didn't!

Dan

[milner351]

Re: "Lee's Limo" 2001 F350 crew cab 4x4 diesel

Well - they SHOULD damned near last forever -

WITH PROPER MAINTENANCE!
(I think this whole engine damage scenario was the fault of a loose air cleaner box lid)

Obviously the previous owner of this heap didn't know what maintenance was - lesson learned.... as usual for me- learned in the most painful and expensive way possible. >


Looks like with labor to R&R, machine work on short block and heads, and additional parts "while I'm in there" this whole project is creeping up on $4k. :o

I keep telling myself that's only 5 payments on a new $52k truck, or maybe a years worth of payments on a "newer used" truck.
When this is done - I'll have my first new diesel ;D it's only money right? : >

[milner351]

Re: "Lee's Limo" 2001 F350 crew cab 4x4 diesel

Engine is out.

Should be able to get it to superior tomorrow - problem is - I'm playing phone tag with the machine shop manager and not getting my questions answered. Still don't know how far apart he wants it when it arrives, and - don't have an estimate to assemble the short block - or if it will come with a warranty if he does assemble it.

So far - here's the list of what I'll be replacing "while I'm in there"

at 190k - for $125 - it's getting a new steering box while it's a piece of cake to get to
Another $125 and I'll have a new AC condenser (looks not so great) and dryer

I'm searching for a kit to replace the battery cable terminals - or if I have to - the whole positive cable ($$)

Engine will get all new pistons, rings, gaskets, oil pump, oil cooler, valve job, head bolts, water pump and all coolant hoses.

If there is any doubt about the condition of the oil pan - it will be replaced (engine has to come out to replace it)

I plan on drilling and tapping the driver's side exhaust manifold for a stainless swagelock fitting to hold the thermocouple for the pyrometer -- I've been told that "pre turbo" temps are more useful to monitor than "post turbo"
The oversized down pipe I have to put on it already has the swagelock fitting in it - but since the manifold will be on the bench easy to work on with no worries of chips finding the turbo --- I'll do it now.


Repeat after me now -- a new one is over $50k, a new one is over $50k..... ;D