hm. . . I'll have to check vacuum. should still be about 21" eh?

 

This will make my day. I would cancel a few other upgrades for that.

 

I didnt realize they exhausted into the CC .. Crazy design ..

 

Just-Another-Dieselguy: hear anything about the steel timing case? I'm holding off on doing my seals again until I hear something about this. If all else fails I'll pony up and go to a machine shop and see what one would cost locally. But I can see that being nearly 2 grand for that hunka iron

 

Heck I could make one out of Metal around my shop .. LOL.... not like I have the time..... BUT .. if I did ..

 

Update. Did some thinking. Did some talking.
Make one or have one made. You will have the same issue.
Unless it was made from cast iron, like the engine block. If you go with any other metal you will be potentially be facing the same exact issue.

 

so what's a block of cast iron cost? Did they give you an approximate price? surely there is a metal that has more similar thermodynamic expansion to the iron than this shitty pot aluminum crap.

If I cannot get this thing to seal in the cold, truck's gone. I'll buy another 7.3 powerstroke when I bite the bullet and seal it then sell it come spring. I can't be doing gaskets every time I need to run the truck in the winter. that's bull, and it's crap design. It's not as if the 7.3 loves winter either, with it's low compression and reliance on finnicky glowplugs, but that's upgraded glowplugs and a pan heater beat the hell out of pissing oil every time I need to run the thing in winter.

I am beyond frustrated with this issue. Whoever thought this was a good design choice needs to be taken out back behind the woodshed.

edit: I don't mean to sound demanding. *sigh*
I parked it today is all. don't wanna run it without redoing the gasket set with a little film of anaerobic sealant along the gaskets this time, and replacing the oil pan gasket as well. Also looking into running a 2nd block heater off the rearmost welch plug and a pan heater since I cannot afford a proper webasto. with a webasto/espar I'd probably run it through winter. I've got too many hours of my life into this thing to sell it, really. I love it and I hate it. as in, there are days I'd sooner set fire to my Dodge than look at it.
my ford was a much better truck when it came to a cost of ownership perspective. but I got awful lucky. I bought a 7.3 for 2 grand, and it had a good injection system and engine.

the winter beater?
a 225 slant 6 84 ram I bought for 200 bucks. it's a real crapbox. you guys don't know how sad a day it was.

regardless, back on the topic of the crankcase, is there a procedure for testing the vac pump to see if it's pressurizing the crankcase?

 

I will do some more digging and see who I can persuade to make one, or make them do some digging, I will report my findings

 

thank you. I love my truck. I just. . .certain things make me wonder is all.

I've been advised to check the case mroe thoroughly for cracks, with Pro Star PRS50210 penetrant dye. Buddy thinks may case my simply be cracked slightly enough that I cannot see the damage, and THAT is why new gaskets didn't do much good.

As for the cold issue, I was told today by a machinist to use anaerobic gasket maker in a thin film on the gaskets, as I was going to try. He figures that might flex enough to absorb the expansion difference in the metals. he said if that doesn't work, I can pony up and try it. he figures it'll cost a good thousand bucks at least for one, so he told me to try every damn thing possible before I do it.

Don't **** anyone off by pressing the issue bud. I know I am asking something rather large here, and something that is not normally done.

As for winterizing it, canuckian tire just got in circulating coolant tank heaters (which I was told they didn't carry), and I read that cummins retailers can get a 4 gallon sump oil pan that has a bung for an element style pan heater in it. I'll call the western star dealer in Saskatoon about it (they sell the CHEAPEST genuine cummins parts around, and they deliver for free) and see what one would cost, or perhaps find a wrecking yard with one. I never mind extra oil capacity, and that pan heater would be awesome.

Thank you for the help man. this truck has been a real adventure.

 

Dang .. you are having some Chitty luck my friend .. the turbo can also be pressurizing the CC ..

if you care to check that its fairly simple ..

Get a 3 gallon Bucket and run a hose from the oil drain off of the turbo into the bucket .. start engine ( I reccomend doing with a warm engine ) .. stall test and build some boost .. if ou see a bunch of bubbles or a ton of air you know its the turbo .. if you inly get oil .. not the turbo @ this time .. ( happens all the time with Cat's and Cummins .. the big ones ..) ..