spridgets
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [Spridgets] Chevy Diesels

To: "'Kirk Hargreaves'" <khargreaves2@gmail.com>, <bjshov8@tx.rr.com>
Subject: Re: [Spridgets] Chevy Diesels
From: "cathey speichinger" <cathe125@suddenlink.net>
Date: Sat, 26 Mar 2011 19:34:58 -0500
Had to do with the compression difference.  Crank couldn't hold up, nor
could the head studs.  The 7.3 Powerstroke that ford had in service from
late 1994 to early 20054 was literally the best diesel motor Ford has ever
produced.  Beat the hell out of them and they will still make the 500k mile
mark.  Take care of them and they will make the 750k mark easily.  If you
understood the injector system on the Powerstroke and understood that the
wiring harness for the injectors ran inside the valve covers and as such
were subjected to a lot of heat nad such then it became easy to diagnose
problems with them. 

 Prior to 1004 Ford's diesel was made by International and was of an
Indirect Injection type with a mechanical injection fuel pump;  You could
get more power out of them by recurving the pump and installing bigger
injector nozzles but without a turbo they would run out of power.  When the
Powerstroke was introduced and direct injection and the turbo along with the
electronic injection pump they came to life.  Add a programmer and you
really have a beast.  If you are loking for a good truck buy an early 2004
Ford with the 7.3 , run it till it is tired, have the motor rebuilt (around
6K for a rebuild) and run it for another 750 thousand miles.  

The 6.0 is junk (weak heads, and studs) and the 6.5 is almost as bad.  If
you buy one of them sell the truck before the warranty runs out as repairs
will rip the wallet apart (3k to replace the head gaskets and studs. 3500
for a complete injector replace, .. Oh yea, to do the heads involves raising
the front end and cab off the chassis as the motor sits far back into the
firewall).  Done a motor r and r on a 2004 F-350 and it was time consuming
but not difficult.  Just make sure you have a HEAVY DUTY motor hoist as that
sucker is HEAVY!!

Leo

Leo-----Original Message-----
From: spridgets-bounces@autox.team.net
[mailto:spridgets-bounces@autox.team.net] On Behalf Of Kirk Hargreaves
Sent: Saturday, March 26, 2011 4:07 PM
To: bjshov8@tx.rr.com
Cc: Spridgets
Subject: [Spridgets] Chevy Diesels

I am reading this and thinking of the diesel engine that General Motors came
out with in the early 1980's where they tried to make a diesel engine out of
a small block gas engine. .  a huge failure by way of an attempt to cut
costs.  As bad or worse than the Vega all aluminum engine that had aluminum
cylinder walls.

Does anyone remember this converted small block that did not stand the test
of time?

I do not recall the exact reason why this design did not work.  . something
to do with the cylinder head gaskets blowing all the time. .  . or some
other inherent design factor that left so many of these stranded by the side
of the road?

Kirk
Suggested annual donation  $12.75
Archive: http://www.team.net/archive
Forums: http://www.team.net/forums
Unsubscribe/Manage:
http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/spridgets/cathe125@suddenlink.net
_______________________________________________

Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
Suggested annual donation  $12.75
Archive: http://www.team.net/archive
Forums: http://www.team.net/forums

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>