Throw some blizzaks on the Mustang and go have fun!

Running and driving is overrated. Just ask my bronco.

I hope it's only the turbo. What happened?

In other 7.3 news, I pulled the 73 back to Missouri yesterday. 600 or so miles. About 5-6k hanging off the back bumper. Didn't lose any injectors or lock the engine. 222 mile stretch at 77mph, 6-8psi, 90-110*F over ambient, and 8-10k*F on the EGTs. 12.33 mpg.

Definitely time for a regear.

Found best mpg over 70mph was at 2k rpm and >10psi.

the thrust bearing is bad. Causes the shaft to slide over. Which means the compressor wheels kisses the compressor housing. I caught it early enough that it didnt pump tons of metal shaving into the motor. I only drove it about 2 miles once I heard the squealing. It would come and go.




So I made a phone call in hopes someone would be open today. As luck would have it Bob and dieselOrings was there. Talked to him about it for some time and decided that the best solution is go 38r. So I borrowed a car and drove out to weldona to get it.




its all back together now. I just went for a short drive to check for oil leaks is all.

Well I drove it around a little now. I don't like the 38r. It doesn't "hit" as hard as the stock with billet wheel did. Seems to spool a little sooner ~1400-1500rpm vs 1700-1800. But it takes a while to hit full boost. I need to go through it and check for boost leaks and exhaust leaks but im only hitting 21psi vs the old setup at 27-28psi.

Do you have a tuner on your truck Rob? I don't know much about aftermarket turbos, but I assume the compression side on the 38r is larger than stock?

4.5 hour oil change. I rebuilt the oil cooler while I was at it.

Two weeks ago I was in KC when I notice the axle tube under the front of the truck was wet. I peered underneath and found a slightly loose hose clamp on the radiator. After I tightened it, I checked the fluid on the tube: oil. Further investigation showed my oil cooler was blowing crude past the o rings when cold. After some very anxious googling I found that the problem goes away once the motor is warm and the seals expand. I was pretty relieved as I thought I would be tearing my motor apart in MO versus CO.

Anyhow, I ordered the new o ring kit from Bob at dieselorings.com and put it in tonight during my oil change. I was due for new crude anyhow.

Needless to say, it was a messy venture. But a test fire has shown that everything is holding as it should. Which is good. Because I'm putting 1200+ miles on it this weekend.

I would DEFINITELY recommend this to anyone with 150k+ on their motors. I did not take pictures, but what I found was about 50% of the coolant passages through the cooler were clogged with crap. So, I was only getting about 40-50% effective oil cooling.

My original plan had me using the oil cooler from my builder motor. That plan was quickly scrapped when I found this.



It's full of aluminum shavings from when two pistons proved the 1220*F melting point.

Here's what those passages look like with a bottle cap for scale.





Not much room for error. Or crud.

Wow, those are small passages!!

Good work!

Wow....I've rebuilt alot of those over the years in trucks with 200k plus and never seen one with as much metal in it as yours.

What kinda mechanic would just replace two pistons in an engine that suffered that kinda trauma and not tear it completely down?

gotcha ok makes much more sense now. I did the same thing. bought a complete 7.3 turbo, injectors, and hpop for $300. got it home and did a compression check found #8 to be 100psi. its currently in my shed and some day i'll build it but for now my 350K truck keeps running strong so it hasn't been a priority

I'm getting ready to order a new ring & pinion & master bearing kit for my SD.

Ron's Machining Services was linked as a less expensive alternative to Randy's Ring & Pinion, in one of the forums I was reading. Their prices on the master bearing kits are MUCH lower than Randys or another place I checked (Filthy).

Ron's has gear & install kit package for the 10.25 (can be installed in a 10.5) priced at:

Yukon gear & USA Std bearings $400
http://www.ronsmachiningservice.net/gea ... -gear-pkg/

USA Std gear & USA Std bearings $320
http://www.ronsmachiningservice.net/gea ... r-package/

They don't have a 10.5" kit listed, when I spoke to them months ago, they didn't think the .25" larger ring mattered & suggested the 10.25" kit as fine.

To compare, Randy's sells the 10.25 gears & kits separate priced at:
Yukon gear & USA Std bearing: $608
https://www.ringpinion.com/b2c/ProductD ... rodID=6595
https://www.ringpinion.com/b2c/ProductD ... ProdID=253

USA Std gear & USA Std bearing: $529
https://www.ringpinion.com/b2c/ProductD ... ProdID=254

Filthy's prices were similar to Randy's, but they didn't offer the USA Std bearing set.

Just want to make sure I'm not missing something critical between the products. I've never done a new ring & pinion & bearings, so I want someone else's opinon.

I'm leaning towards the 10.25 USA Std gear & bearing since I've read decent reviews of the gears, and I'm not going to be towing heavy equipment or a huge camper trailer, just the Bronco.