Shops, Barns, Varmints, and Trucks - Any Ford 7.3 Techs Here?

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Any Ford 7.3 Techs Here?

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Forum Name: Shops, Barns, Varmints, and Trucks
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URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=154728
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Topic: Any Ford 7.3 Techs Here?

Posted By: DennisA (IL)
Subject: Any Ford 7.3 Techs Here?
Date Posted: 10 Oct 2018 at 11:22pm

I'm having a repeat issue which three diesel techs have not been able resolve. A bad oil leak from the pedestal base. It will pump out 2-3gals in 20 miles. O-rings replaced as well as a new pedestal. Any help please!

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Thanks & God Bless

Dennis

Replies:

Posted By: PaulB
Date Posted: 11 Oct 2018 at 12:40am

Need a boat anchor?👻. Who nees a V8 anyway? There are straight 6s out therethat run forever👍

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If it was fun to pull in LOW gear, I could have a John Deere.
Real pullers don't have speed limits.
If you can't make it GO... make it SHINY

Posted By: Les Royer
Date Posted: 11 Oct 2018 at 1:30am

I'd say either your new orings slipped out of place or the oil is coming from somewhere else.

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I still gots my A/C but it's clear out in the barn now.

Posted By: Les Royer
Date Posted: 11 Oct 2018 at 1:54am

I assume you already know that there are orings between the pedestal and the turbo. There are also plugs on the back of each head with orings that can leak. And there is a metal tube on the right head, intake side that sits in a metal holding bracket , with the tube going to the rear of the cylinder head. That tube can get a hole worn in it from that holding bracket.

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I still gots my A/C but it's clear out in the barn now.

Posted By: Brian Jasper co. Ia
Date Posted: 11 Oct 2018 at 9:20am

Pumping out a large amount of oil, it's probably coming from the high pressure pump. There is a kit that has new o rings and fittings for the high pressure lines. Usually what happens is one of the block off plugs on the HP pump backs out a bit and then the o ring fails. Anything that leaks in the valley runs to the back and can look like it's the pedestal leaking. While you have it apart, look at the fuel tubes to and from the fuel filter housing. The right hand line to the RH head can wear on the bracket to one of the intake bolts. I've seen them wear through and make a big fuel leak. There's also a kit to replace all of those fuel line seals.

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"Any man who thinks he can be happy and prosperous by letting the government take care of him better take a closer look at the American Indian." Henry Ford

Posted By: DennisA (IL)
Date Posted: 11 Oct 2018 at 10:45am

Every time the pedestal o-rings are replaced the oil leak stops for a time. Some times 2 months some times 2 days. Just don’t know why.

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Thanks & God Bless

Dennis

Posted By: Tbone95
Date Posted: 11 Oct 2018 at 12:47pm

Full disclosure, I don't know diddly crap about the specifics of your issue.

Just a "general knowledge" thought though here, I wonder if the threads are good where you're bolting stuff together?

Posted By: farmboy520
Date Posted: 11 Oct 2018 at 3:05pm

I know it might be a stupid question. Are they using the right kind of o-ring?

Posted By: Red Bank
Date Posted: 11 Oct 2018 at 10:09pm

I agree with Farmboy and will add are they torquing the pedestal bolts?

Posted By: Tbone95
Date Posted: 12 Oct 2018 at 6:48am

Torqueing and rechecking after a warm up cool down cycle.....kinda part of what I was askin' too.

Posted By: Les Royer
Date Posted: 12 Oct 2018 at 8:04am

Are you replacing the pedestal with one that still uses the exhaust back pressure valve? Cause, you guessed it, there are orings there too. Visit Riff Raff deisel. They got a pedestal that deletes the back pressure valve in it's entirety.

Hey, it's one less leak to have to worry about.

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I still gots my A/C but it's clear out in the barn now.

Posted By: shameless dude
Date Posted: 13 Oct 2018 at 8:36am

riff raff???? lol, another good name for a ferd!

Posted By: DMiller
Date Posted: 13 Oct 2018 at 8:38am

There is a valley pan on the 7.3 diesel that CAN and many DO leak, there is a PCV system grommet in that pan that also age hardens has that been looked at? It is retained by the intake and ONE Allen head plug style fastener, they DO come loose.

Posted By: HudCo
Date Posted: 13 Oct 2018 at 9:58am

having done many 7.3 fords i would go with what brian jasper says will probley have to remove the pump to get to the last oring that needs replacing

Posted By: Brian Jasper co. Ia
Date Posted: 13 Oct 2018 at 12:35pm

There is no valley pan on any 7.3 Powerstroke, never has been. I haven't seen an indirect engine for many years now so I can't really say about them. Aside from the HP oil pump and turbo pedestal, the only other possible place oil could leak in the valley would be the lift/transfer pump used from 94 to about 96. Afterwards they used an electric pump and the hole for the lift pump is closed off with a cup plug. There is also no PCV system in the valley either. There is an oil separator on the left side valve cover only.

Heavy truck applications might be different, but the pickup engine isn't built that way.

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"Any man who thinks he can be happy and prosperous by letting the government take care of him better take a closer look at the American Indian." Henry Ford

Posted By: DennisA (IL)
Date Posted: 09 Mar 2019 at 4:10pm

Sorry it’s been so long. I forgot to inform everyone what was found. The pedestal “O” s were leaking again. This time they replaced the pedestal as well. It hasn’t leaked a drop since.

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Thanks & God Bless

Dennis