Blew up my 7.3.....Kinda...

[DOMINANCE]

I know I am committing blasphemy even hinting that such a horrendous thing could happen..I had to look and make sure someone didn't swap a 6.0 out for my beloved 352,000+ mile 7.3.... Fact is the engine still runs..Not strong not well and is sadly all but dead...Story goes like this..
While pulling my friends 35' 17,000lb Donzi home from a day of diving (because his 6.0 was in the shop at 74,000mi with a head gasket issue) my turbo gave out on the Intake side.. 20 miles from his house..Before I could get pulled over 2-3 quarts of oil had come out of the exhaust and the dip stick was blown across the engine compartment... 3 gallons of Rotella later Boat was home, Truck and I had to drive up on a trailer so a Cummins Dodge could pull The Big Red Machine to my house...
I know I still feel the shame...
But I have been finding pieces..and doing research..Now comes the mission..Pull cab... I'm gonna do an over haul on my trans and go with a bigger torque converter... Just for giggles I'm gonna pull my engine and see how bad it really is...But I have no real hopes..Have been on DieselEngineTrader.com looking and will probably buy an engine with a pushed out head gasket to drop in..After ALOT of serious work...
Here are a few questions and feel free to add posts I have missed that could be beneficial to my build up..I will be doing a coils spring front end up grade and new axles while cab is off also..Lots and lots of Pics soon to come...
1) I know there is a set off engine numbers Ford used in 2000-2001 that were better engines anyone know what they are or where to find an article about it..
2) I will be using ARP head studs but have never seen anything on better head gaskets for a 7.3
3) local speed shop (Jordan Performance Conway SC) is really good and said if I got some specs and directions to go with a diesel engine head they would do all the work for me...
4) thinking either full ATS system with stage 2 injectors or a full Banks system..Since I will need both a turbo and an Intercooler and tubes(don't trust mine after all the trash I found in them)...Anyone running either system and have any input.....
Again thanks for any help..
Luss
DOMINANCE Performance & Offroad...
Myrtle Beach SC...U.S.A.

[107stroker]

Man hate to hear it. Keep posting on progress and who does it. I'm at ocean isle,NC and would like to know a good wrench.

[Buffalo444]

Originally Posted by DOMINANCE

1) I know there is a set off engine numbers Ford used in 2000-2001 that were better engines anyone know what they are or where to find an article about it..
2) I will be using ARP head studs but have never seen anything on better head gaskets for a 7.3
3) local speed shop (Jordan Performance Conway SC) is really good and said if I got some specs and directions to go with a diesel engine head they would do all the work for me...
4) thinking either full ATS system with stage 2 injectors or a full Banks system..Since I will need both a turbo and an Intercooler and tubes(don't trust mine after all the trash I found in them)...Anyone running either system and have any input.....
Again thanks for any help..
Luss
DOMINANCE Performance & Offroad...
Myrtle Beach SC...U.S.A.

OK, first off, no reason to pull the cab on a 7.3. everything can be done cab on. Pull the engine and trans.

There were no "better engines" in 00-01. It would be better to pick up a 2000 or earlier engine with forged rods. Of course, if you are going with a complete ovehaul, whey have a Ford kit for about 1k that you get with new pistons, even bored over, so you may want to consider keeping the engine you have and just having it bored/honed. What year is your truck?

Better head gaskets are cometic.

I have never heard of your speed shop. And it is nice to do things locally. But I would go with a reputable diesel shop. Its a big investment, and not something *I* would gamble with. There are many across the nation.

I also would not waste the money on a complete "system"... If ATS is the same one that does the trannys, then no. And Banks is a HUGE waste of money. You could probably get IC pipes, a nice ballbearing turbo, and a 6.0 intercooler, with some nice hybrid injectors and a decent HPOP for less than you'll spend on what you're wanting with any of those kits.

If you are going to build the trans (which I would suggest if you plan on going up there in hp) I would either get a JW diy kit with a good triple disk tq conv and vb, or just get a fully built trans. Either JW or BTS.

If you have a ballpark figure on what you are wanting to spend on this it would be easier to point you in the right direction.

[DOMINANCE]

My truck is an 01..I thought I'd read some where that for a few months somewhere between 2000 to 2001 Ford ran out of light duty engines and used 466 engines from International for the big trucks because the SuperDutys were selling so well they couldn't keep up with demand..Something about larger main journals and shot pinned connecting rods and caps. Swear what I read had the actual serial numbers of from which number to which number they were known to be in trucks..
I will be doing the work myself at my shop... As far as removing the cab it's pretty simple actually and Ford even went to it on 08 and up you have to do it to do about anything.I've had mine off before just to try it when I had my big shop (before economy went to crap)and my mechanics looked bored.Off on and breaks bled with a chassis steam clean in 3 hours.Pluss I saw some 08's at the Beach Ford getting new turbos after about 1000 miles and it looked fun and cool.....But mainly I want to clean up my frame maybe build an air ride cab set up (maybe do a tube sub frame for cab) if I build one..and switch from the Leaf spring to an 06 coil spring set up and replace both axles..Mine have some miles and will look great under my Isuzu Amigo...
Jordans builds 20-30,000 dollar race engines daily..We have several guys big time into Drag racing around here and I my self have had them build great engines..I trust them and the owner really wants to give a go at a diesel plus it's free...
As far as head gaskets was just seeing if anybody made a full Brass head gasket or o-ring set up...
Trans once again is staying local shop her in town builds top fuel trannies and has the contract for Ford to build all of their Ambulance package and us military trans and will custom build my converter triple disk with full electric lock up for me.. And I mean build from billet block of aluminum dude is freaky good at them...
I want to use my engine But I'm afraid what the cylinders are gonna look like when I pull the heads..Plus there was literally pieces of metal coming out the tail pipe..I already have the 6.0 intercooler and trans cooler...
Been looking at piecing together all the parts but I like the fact they have all there home work done on what goes with what..Hate putting something together and a few parts can't play nice together...Plus was more just gonna go with the inter cooler and tube kit,turbo and injectors from either one I run an Air Raid intake,Fass fuel system,Bully dog propane, Beans modified Engine comp with a Hypertech Hyper Chip tuner and Banks 4"exhaust but am going to modify fire wall and switch to a full 5"exhaust and 7"stacks(more for looks it's an ego thing).. I do need to look into a good HPOP...
I will look into some of the parts you mentioned thanks Buffalo444...

[kingranch89]

I would stay away from the bullydog and hypertech products there is much better products on the market

[charlie-2]

a dt 466 in a superduty??? wow have not heard that one before!

[Buffalo444]

Originally Posted by DOMINANCE

My truck is an 01..I thought I'd read some where that for a few months somewhere between 2000 to 2001 Ford ran out of light duty engines and used 466 engines from International for the big trucks because the SuperDutys were selling so well they couldn't keep up with demand..Something about larger main journals and shot pinned connecting rods and caps. Swear what I read had the actual serial numbers of from which number to which number they were known to be in trucks..

nope. you are thinking of where they went from pmr's back to forged rods to use up the rest of the stock of 7.3 forged rods. there is a series of serial numbers you can find to see if your truck has forged rods or pmr's, being as it is an 01. They never ever put a 466 in a SD, the capabilities and interchangeability of the 444 and 466 are completely different.

I will be doing the work myself at my shop... As far as removing the cab it's pretty simple actually and Ford even went to it on 08 and up you have to do it to do about anything.I've had mine off before just to try it when I had my big shop (before economy went to crap)and my mechanics looked bored.Off on and breaks bled with a chassis steam clean in 3 hours.Pluss I saw some 08's at the Beach Ford getting new turbos after about 1000 miles and it looked fun and cool.....But mainly I want to clean up my frame maybe build an air ride cab set up (maybe do a tube sub frame for cab) if I build one..and switch from the Leaf spring to an 06 coil spring set up and replace both axles..Mine have some miles and will look great under my Isuzu Amigo...

I mean taking the cab off is not hard. If you have a post lift to do it, and really find it necessary, have at it. know that you will STILL have to pull the engine to remove the oil pan and get at the bottom end, and since the trans has to come out too you will save yourself trouble unless you are going to do all the things you mentioned..

Jordans builds 20-30,000 dollar race engines daily..We have several guys big time into Drag racing around here and I my self have had them build great engines..I trust them and the owner really wants to give a go at a diesel plus it's free...
As far as head gaskets was just seeing if anybody made a full Brass head gasket or o-ring set up...

Cometic's as good as it gets for 7.3s. Its somewhat of an upgrade over stock. There is really no point of going to brass hg's on a diesel. Diesels build power with fuel and air, and alter compression via turbocharger.

Trans once again is staying local shop her in town builds top fuel trannies and has the contract for Ford to build all of their Ambulance package and us military trans and will custom build my converter triple disk with full electric lock up for me.. And I mean build from billet block of aluminum dude is freaky good at them...

You can go with whoever you want for this, but for a trans to be able to contan the torque of a hi-pro diesel, you absolutely have to know the nature of the beast. A trans can last forever under stock hp levels, but once you turn it up.... watch out. If you want to go with that guy thats fine, but if you want to get one that will be stood behind no questions asked for 2 full years, and for the life of it after that all you have to do is take it to Arkansas, buy a BTS and forget about it. Best rep in the business.

I want to use my engine But I'm afraid what the cylinders are gonna look like when I pull the heads..Plus there was literally pieces of metal coming out the tail pipe..I already have the 6.0 intercooler and trans cooler...

If metal came out of the tailpipe it was probably from the turbo. It takes a LOT to hurt these blocks, so I would just wait til you pull the heads before you go buy an engine. the 7.3/T444e engines are EVERYWHERE, so It wouldn't be hard to find one.

Been looking at piecing together all the parts but I like the fact they have all there home work done on what goes with what..Hate putting something together and a few parts can't play nice together...

Any good tuner can make you a chip to make whatever parts you have work together flawlessly based on specs... hell you can have it live tuned and it will be perfect. You willl HAVE to have custom tunes will any non split shot injector.

Plus was more just gonna go with the inter cooler and tube kit,turbo and injectors from either one I run an Air Raid intake,Fass fuel system,Bully dog propane, Beans modified Engine comp with a Hypertech Hyper Chip tuner and Banks 4"exhaust but am going to modify fire wall and switch to a full 5"exhaust and 7"stacks(more for looks it's an ego thing).. I do need to look into a good HPOP...
I will look into some of the parts you mentioned thanks Buffalo444

They do not make a full 5" exhaust. The biggest downpipe you can possibly need is 4". Any more is a waste of space and time. Oh and get rid of the propane. That might have been why you blew the thing in the first place. The only beans thing i think you might be refering to is the beans modified IDM, and nothing hypertech has will not work with single shot injectors in a SD. You WILL need a custom tuned chip and thats that. Stealth makes a lot of good HPOP's.

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Comments in Blue

[Buffalo444]

Originally Posted by kingranch89

I would stay away from the bullydog and hypertech products there is much better products on the market

Bullydog I agree is junk. Hypertech on the other hand has a pretty good reputation and is just fine in a relatively stock application. He wont be able to use it though.... Got to have custom tunes.

Originally Posted by charlie-2

a dt 466 in a superduty??? wow have not heard that one before!

Yeah... no

[charlie-2]

Originally Posted by Buffalo444

Bullydog I agree is junk. Hypertech on the other hand has a pretty good reputation and is just fine in a relatively stock application. He wont be able to use it though.... Got to have custom tunes.



Yeah... no

would be sweet though!

[Buffalo444]

yeah if the 466 was ever in a SD they would be the most popular engine ever. No more 6>8 from the cummins guys, those trucks would probably be worth more than any other on the market. That and everybody would be pulling with dt466's because it would have been offered in a 1 ton or smaller. Everything would be different... hell the 6.0 may never have came to be. It probably would have been a 6.8 ish i6, then a CR 466 when Ford got to the CR.... man things would be different. lol