Engines out, what to do
- Thread starter JD3020
- Start date
JD3020
Active member
Haha yeah, i was feeling a solid puff of air out of the GP when it cranked over. Pulled the injectors out and got my parts from Nate today. Gotta order some more stuff from Ford tomorrow, pick-up paint, and some bolts to get it on the stand. Then i'll swap in my 2's and try another compression check.
IDK, i haven't thought about it but at this point in the game its prolly too late, as we are going to push to have it running Sunday night. Although i have a ****load of stuff that needs done on the engine, plus prolly have a busy weekend and work all day tomorrow. So it may just have to wait.
Stroker#66
New member
Same thing happened to me. I bought a used engine that sat for a couple years and couldn't get anything compression wise untill I squirted a tiny bit of oil in the cylinder then a got 450ish out of all of them. I guess the cylinders and rings dried up from sitting so long
JD3020
Active member
Thats sorta what i'm thinking. I think its been sitting for 3+ months.
Got the pan off of it just now. All pistons look great, no signs of any damage to them. All skirts fully intact. Cylinder walls still have excellent cross-hatching, no signs of scoring. All cooling jets are in place, pick-up tube looks good. Rods are all straight and look good. Cam looks good as well.
But i do have a huge concern now. around 2 of the main bearings, the crank is blued. :wtf: Was there any sort of welding done on the crank from the factory, or are these bearings toasted? Really really really hoping its supposed to be there.
Got the pan off of it just now. All pistons look great, no signs of any damage to them. All skirts fully intact. Cylinder walls still have excellent cross-hatching, no signs of scoring. All cooling jets are in place, pick-up tube looks good. Rods are all straight and look good. Cam looks good as well.
But i do have a huge concern now. around 2 of the main bearings, the crank is blued. :wtf: Was there any sort of welding done on the crank from the factory, or are these bearings toasted? Really really really hoping its supposed to be there.
JD3020
Active member
Why would they be blue though? This is only around 2 bearings, and its very localized to just around the bearings.
I'll try to snap a pic of em shortly.
JD3020
Active member
Stroker#66
New member
That's normal. The most likely happened During the machining of the crank I see it all the time in light and heavy duty engines.
JD3020
Active member
Hmm, ok.
I've only ever really dealt with smaller engines, and blue-ing anywhere on the crank means an issue. Never torn into a large engine though, or a diesel for that matter.
When i drained the oil i never paid attention to it, but i see no traces of bearing material in the oil pan or anywhere in the engine. The oil is just black. Engine seems to turn over just fine by hand as well. Gonna cut the filter apart and check there.
Just really has me on edge when i pull the pan on an engine that i've never seen run, with the luck i've had, and immediately see blue on the crank right at a main bearing.
bluedge8
Active member
honestly, it looks good in that motor from what I can tell, put it together and run it. And do oil the cyl's just to help it start, just a little oil though
JD3020
Active member
Pulled a bearing cap off of where the discoloration was the worst.
There is some very light wear/scoring, but you can barely even feel it. So i'd say that this engine is good!
There is some very light wear/scoring, but you can barely even feel it. So i'd say that this engine is good!
My engine had the cross honing when I took mine apart. The rings is what wear. By your getting good compression. At the moment. Looks and sounds good from what your saying.
JD3020
Active member
Yeah, so far its checking out fine.
But we pulled one cooling jet off. And from what it appears, it was brazed from the factory. I'll get a pic of it later.
But we pulled one cooling jet off. And from what it appears, it was brazed from the factory. I'll get a pic of it later.
Stroker#66
New member
Not as strong as tig welded jets
JD3020
Active member
Thats what i've figured out Never knew that that 7.3 cranks were hardended, or that that the discoloring is normal. I was freaking out cause i thought this thing had a bearing issue and needed a re-build, then i found out that there isn't even an issue. LOL Learn something new everyday.
And on the pick-up tube, where exactly do they break? Is it in the middle where there's 2 little tack welds, or somewhere else on the tube? Hope to have the MIG home tomorrow and get it and the cam gear welded, and decide if i wanna leave the jets alone or weld em.
And on the pick-up tube, where exactly do they break? Is it in the middle where there's 2 little tack welds, or somewhere else on the tube? Hope to have the MIG home tomorrow and get it and the cam gear welded, and decide if i wanna leave the jets alone or weld em.
Oil Pick-up Tube Mounting
The oil pick-up tube is bolted to the front cover and is sealed with an O-ring.
The oil pick-up tube is also secured to the No. 4 main bearing cap for support.
– When installing the oil pick-up tube, the two bolts that secure the pick-up tube to the front cover should be
tightened first. If the bolt at the main bearing cap is tightened first the tube may stress, crack, or not lay flat
on the front cover, and this would create an oil aeration concern.
JD3020
Active member
Thats what i'm trying to figure out exactly. I know they will crack and cause aeration issues, and i know guys have welded them to prevent that. But i'm trying to figure out what needs welded.
IIRC, up where it bolts to the front cover its welded all around, but the tube is in 2 pieces, and in the middle there are only 2 little welds that hold the tube together. So i'm assuming that needs welded all the way around, but not 100%.
