03 complete engine tear down, things to do.

Alright, doing(should say did) a complete engine teardown. I have a 03 F-250 equipped with a 6.0 with 203k miles. Looking for opinions on things to do or something I may have overlooked. No major issues with the engine, had a moderate exhaust leak at the manifold on one port, EGR system was still present. Previous owner had been running intake/exhaust/tuner but that's about it. Doing some preventative maintenance got carried away into complete teardown since I'm looking for a nice DD year round. Not an unlimited budget but I'm looking to do things right once(hopefully).

The ride:


Me getting carried away:


Things at the machine shop:
Block decked, initial talks with machine shop, block needed .005-.008 to be trued up. Cylinder bores, perfect, honing to be completed. Balancing the rotating assembly. Pistons, cut as needed from decking block. Cylinder heads to be checked over.

Things from Ford:
Gaskets and seals for complete rebuild, LPOP, HPOP, piston rings/bearings, oil cooler kit, thermostat, glowplugs, cam and crank sensors, turbo pedistal(mine has a TSB out about a moan/droan), fuel pump(ebay), fuel regulator spring at fuel filter housing, turbo drain tube, IPR and ICP sensor

Aftermarket/Other
EGR delete, coolant filter kit, Powermax turbo, ARP head studs, FICM tuning and ECM/TCM rollback from PHP. Going with a 05+ intake horn/elbow and manifold. Edge CTS with EAS pryo and fuel pressure. Fuel banjo bolts(ebay)

I'm considering replacing the HPOP discharge tube, if replaced the only o-rings in the HPO system that weren't touched would be the ones in the line going from the standpipes to the HPO 'logs'. For the turbo supply, I see no issue with the quick connect fitting there instead of the o-ring and hold-down clamp. Considering tapping a couple ports into the upper oil pan for a possible engine oil bypass or extra turbo drain someday.

So anything I'm missing? Any recommendations? I appreciate the help and will keep things posted as they go back together.

I have no real comments but I am going to watch this thread as I am about to pull the engine from our 03.

Subscribed, gettin a 03 soon with 319k, gonna do full build on it.

Your using oem headgaskets?

For a stock power rebuild...things look good.

If you plan on (or are) running a tuner with ANY plans of larger injectors...I would higggghhhly recommend H11 studs (~30% stronger than ARP's)...and depending on your ultimate hp goal...you might consider fire ringed HGs.

Also, if you stick with OEM gaskets(which we prefer up to ~550hp)...ensure that your machine shop is familiar with the Ra (surface finish) spec for the MLS style gaskets.

Deck the block and the Heads!!! Absolute flat will make all the difference in the world. You'll have to shave the pistons down a little, and some bowl work wouldn't hurt. Other than that get rid of the EGR and stud it. If you aren't going for monster horsepower that should be more than great. Going for high HP, there are lots of options, but that would be the best base.

Thanks for the input and some reassurance I've covered most things. Yes, OEM headgaskets will be used. Block and heads will be decked. Talked with the machine shop and they are familar with the finish needed. If ARPs weren't already purchased I'd consider H11 headstuds. I'll probably be staying within the realms of the powermax for HP at anytime in the distant future, and keeping it at a tuned stock for at least a while.

Build is a slow progression, no progress other than things at the machine shop should be done by early next week.

There is a write-up on h11 vs arp. Don't know where in the world it is...but the consesus was they are relativly equal except for the rediculous price on h11s. but as always have fun Your in the right place to make this easy.

As a guy that has done it a time or two, looks good. When you put it back together I wold throw a coolant filter on it.

nice build man. sub'd

Finally got some work accomplished over the weekend. The engine is at my parents', I'm working away from home as of current. Brother picked up the things from the machine shop. Block was decked .006" to be trued up, pistons cut the same. Got some assembly done over the past weekend, cam, crank, and several pistons in. Installed the new engine oil cooler and chopped the old one up for giggles, didn't look too bad.

Coolant filter is going on immediately, probably going to wait on water pump replacement until the filter can work some magic cleaning out the cooling system.

Ordered up some final needed parts today. I was at the dealer looking for the rubber support/bushing for the HPOP branch tube, has anyone replaced just that? It looked like the rubber support was only servicable as part of the branch tube....I'm considering machining a replacement on the lathe out of plastic as the rubber piece was kind of chewed up.

SIX_OHH said:

There is a write-up on h11 vs arp. Don't know where in the world it is...but the consesus was they are relativly equal except for the rediculous price on h11s. but as always have fun Your in the right place to make this easy.

Click to expand...

Yeh but idk if its the same thread or not but they discontinued the h-11. For what reason i have no clue cuz i didnt read all that much but it was said that arps were better in the end.. jus sayin

Subd to watch the build!

Finally! It lives again. Took a while longer than I had hoped. I don't think I've tried as hard to have everything done right working on an engine and had as many issues arise as they did, but its all done now and running great. The Powermax has some nice top end, seems slower to spool than stock but its been a long time since I drove with the stock turbo. Running a CTS with EGT and fuel pressure sensor. I did not take that many pictures besides this piece that I made with some description about it.

On the left in the picture below is a piece of rubber that helped the support the HPOP branch tube. It was fastened in the back of the block. At 203k it seemed to be deteriorating. I could not find this at a Ford dealer, even looking at the parts diagrams with partsman. Seemed to be serviceable only with the branch tube replacement. On the right is my first rendition, a piece of plastic machined in a lathe to be a press fit. After thinking about engine temps I decided against it. Had I not forgotten to order the back plate o-ring seal, I may have installed it.



Here is my second rendition. A piece of aluminum, once again machined in a lathe, with grooves cut for o-rings. This was a piece I made myself. I saw no 'outward' support for the branch tube from the original piece, so I saw no need to make any provisions either.



I did replace the HPOP discharge tube, so the only o-rings that weren't replaced in the HPO system were the stainless hose pieces under the valve cover. So far so good. Only 365 miles on it. Last tank of 230ish miles of varied speeds for break-in I still pulled 16.7mpg.

Next mods, engine oil bypass(I tapped a hole in the upper oil pan for a return) or replace some idlers as preventative maintenance on the front of the enigne.... there are a lot... dual alternators. Maybe some videos to come of driving.

:fordoval: