We are just starting to do a rolling resto on a 1986 Ford F250 Diesel 4WD manual trans that was a Brush Fire truck in rural North Carolina. It is leaking oil like the Exxon Valdez from the valve covers. Looks like a simple enough fix. Am I missing something? Anyone have experience with these?
I drove a 7.3 IDI for a couple of years when I was a crane guy. It got 12 MPG all the time, went 25 mph up hills, and started for crap when it was cold out.
Are you sure it is the valve covers? That engine should have an oil cooler that eventually leaks. Can't tell you how hard that is, I farmed that job out years ago.
I had an 84 almost exactly the same. Never had a valve cover leak issue, but I'd assume it's simple.
Actually, I owned that truck for 5 years or more, and towed 16 hrs straight at full throttle and almost max rpm (about 70 mph) at least 3 times, and never touched any bolt on the engine except the oil drain plug.
snailmont5oh wrote: I drove a 7.3 IDI for a couple of years when I was a crane guy. It got 12 MPG all the time, went 25 mph up hills, and started for crap when it was cold out.
My 6.9 got 18 empty and 13 with a full bed and a trailer with a car on it.
Also, it did slow down up hills while towing but never got down that slow (once in third you were fine).
And it started beautifully in WI winters. It did have the automatic glow plug timer system bypassed. I used to fire the glow plugs manually 6 seconds on, 6 off, 6 on, etc before hitting the starter. 2 cycles in summer, 3 in winter, 4 below zero ambient. Keep the throttle matted while starting.
Maybe yours was out of tune?
The oil sender can leak too but I've seen (read) of plenty of leaking valve covers.
Have you powerwashed it then ran it so you can be sure of the location of the leak?
Have not yet cleaned the engine but it is like really obvious that the valve cover gaskets are leaking. Just not sure what other surprises there may be.
And the truck is getting close to 20 MPG in mixed driving! This is amazing to me as it is replacing basically the same truck with a 300 six which got 12 MPG. I have not had to plug it in yet either. Temps have been to the low 30s a few times but it fires right up.
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