Complete 7.3L Power Stroke Long-Block Build

Diesel Power 2002 Ford F250 Power Stroke Diesel Rebuild Long Block

Connecting rod failures are known to cause some of the most catastrophic engine damage imaginable. And in the modern diesel engine's case, its connecting rods are subjected to very high levels of stress. Among many things, a thrown rod can lead to scarred cylinder walls, a damaged crankshaft, busted camshaft, and even a hole in the side of the block-oftentimes rendering the engine irreparable.

If you're hip to the 7.3L Power Stroke segment, you know (or soon will) that connecting rod failures are more common in '99 to '03 7.3L engines that utilize powdered-metal rods-especially if the engine has been modified. When a 7.3L engine with powdered-metal rods is modified (usually making more than 400 hp at the wheels), premature rod failure can occur. The most common cause of powdered-metal rod failure in 7.3L Power Strokes is due to extremely high cylinder pressures. However, high rpm, engine overrev (where the piston and valves make contact), and spun rod bearings can lead to their demise as well. But powdered-metal rod failures aren't solely limited to the extreme performance crowd.

Diesel Power 2002 Ford F250 Power Stroke Diesel Rebuild Cracked Rod

Here is a look at the number five connecting rod, which cracked along the center of the beam. This led to an additional break in the rod bearing, followed by some extreme valve slap on the piston. Since the truck only benefited from a set of small injectors and Edge tuning (known to be conservative), combined with the fact that more than 350,000 miles had been accumulated on the rotating assembly, we ruled in favor of high-mileage metal fatigue being the culprit.

Here is a look at the number five connecting rod, which cracked along the center of the be

Recently, Loren Taylor of Diesel Tech experienced a powdered-metal rod failure in his '02 F-250 Super Duty. With only a set of mild injectors and conservative aftermarket tuning, he quickly ruled out any high-cylinder pressure scenarios. The cause? He concluded the failure was due to high-mileage metal fatigue. With more than 350,000 miles on the engine, the number five connecting rod cracked in the center of the beam and caused a chain reaction, where the rod split at the bearing as well. The rod failure also contributed to a damaged crankshaft, some valve-to-piston contact, and a damaged cylinder bore. With the engine disassembled, and the fact that Taylor was far from being done with his 7.3L workhorse, he opted to rebuild the engine and upgrade to forged-steel connecting rods.

Heading straight to an area Ford dealer, we inquired about its 7.3L DIT diesel engine overhaul kits. In addition to a laundry list of top and bottom end parts included in its kit, we ordered an OE crankshaft, high-pressure oil pump, two complete and pre-assembled cylinder heads, and of course, eight forged-steel connecting rods. Follow along as we upgrade and rebuild the 7.3L Power Stroke from the ground up using some of the best factory parts money can buy.

Diesel Power 2002 Ford F250 Power Stroke Diesel Rebuild Connecting Rod

Powdered-metal rod vs. Forged-steel rod:
Powdered-metal rods were phased into the 7.3L's assembling process starting with engine serial number 1425747. But in order to deplete its inventory, Ford reverted back to the forged-steel units starting with engine serial number 1440713 and running through number 1498318. Engine serial number 1498319 until final production utilized powdered-metal rods.

This may be why powdered-metal rods have been found in many '01 and even '00 model year trucks. Although you can also find your '99 to '03 engine's serial number on the driver-side valve cover, or on the rear oil cooler pad, concrete proof that you're dealing with powdered-metal connecting rods can be found by pulling the 5/16-inch pipe plug located on the block next to the oil cooler pad and taking a peek inside the crankcase.

In the photo shown, notice that the powdered-metal connecting rod's cap is secured using bolts (left), whereas the forged rod's cap is fastened with studs (this can be visible through the inspection hole in the crankcase mentioned above).

Ford offers engine overhaul kits in standard, 0.010-, 0.020-, and 0.030-inch (PN 2C3Z-6R007-D for the 0.030-inch overbore) sizes for the 7.3L Power Stroke. If you're only seeking to freshen up a worn 7.3L engine, these kits can be had for $1,100 and come with everything you need-even RTV silicone and a new oil filter. All of the parts in the kit are original equipment (OE) and can be purchased from your local Ford dealer. In addition, Ford has a no-hassle core policy on diesel parts (including the block and heads). This means the block can have a hole in it, a rod can be bent, the crankshaft can be broken in two pieces and so on-but as long as you return the pieces, there are no extra charges on the core components.
Ford offers engine overhaul kits in standard, 0.010-, 0.020-, and 0.030-inch (PN 2C3Z-6R00
First, the machining and short-block assembly began at County Auto Machine in San Jacinto, California. The OE crankshaft (PN 3C3Z-6V303-AARM) from Ford was bolted into place (with no assembly lube or oil) using Plastigauge between it and the bearing journals to measure for proper clearance. Then the main bearing caps were torqued to the recommended spec (which spreads the Plastigauge material across the bearing surface), then loosened, and the squish was measured with the supplied, calibrated gauge card. The 7.3L crankshaft utilizes four main bearings and one main thrust bearing-five main bearings in all. The main thrust bearing is located at the rear of the engine. We should also note that the factory camshaft was retained, but the kit supplied five new cam bearings.
First, the machining and short-block assembly began at County Auto Machine in San Jacinto,
From there, the main bearing caps were lubricated with assembly lube and torqued in two stages. The first stage called for 76 ft-lb, the second stage for 96 ft-lb.
From there, the main bearing caps were lubricated with assembly lube and torqued in two st

Parts and price list:
*All of our genuine Navistar part costs came from Pioneer Ford in Goodyear, Arizona.

PART:	PART NUMBER:	PRICE:
7.3L DIT diesel engine overhaul kit (0.030)	2C3Z-6R007-D	$1,102.55
Forged-steel connecting rods (8)	F4TZ-6V200-CARM	$487.76 ($25 core, each)
Crankshaft	3C3Z-6V303-AARM	$1,030.30 ($300 core)
Cylinder heads (2)	F5TZ-6V049-AARM	$1,382.44 ($300 core, each)
High-pressure oil pump	F81Z-9A543-CRM	$647.18 ($150 core)
Machine work and short-block assembly	N/A	$800 - $1,200 (estimate)
TOTAL 7.3L BUILD (labor not included)		$4,200.23 - $4,600.23 (core charges included)

With the top compression ring, intermediate compression ring, and oil control ring installed on each piston, the new, forged-steel connecting rods were installed using the supplied wristpins and pin retainers. Then the connecting rod bearings were lubricated with assembly lube and the rod caps were separated for installment.
With the top compression ring, intermediate compression ring, and oil control ring install
Due to extensive damage in the cylinder bore, an overbore of 0.030 inch (30 thousandths of an inch) was needed in order to reuse the block. Here you can see a 0.030-inch piston in a piston ring compressor being fitted to the driver-side front cylinder.
Due to extensive damage in the cylinder bore, an overbore of 0.030 inch (30 thousandths of
The forged-steel connecting rod caps are secured by studs rather than bolts. Bolts are used on the powdered-metal rods. Two torque sequences are recommended for tightening the studs. The first pass calls for 52 ft-lb, and the second requires 90 ft-lb. After each piston and rod assembly was installed, the crank was rotated to prepare for the next piston installation.
The forged-steel connecting rod caps are secured by studs rather than bolts. Bolts are use

At Diesel Tech, Taylor installed the front cover with the supplied right and left front cover gaskets, followed by a solid bead of silicone for a good seal (shown). After that, the supplied water pump gasket was installed on the water pump. The water pump and thermostat were relatively new, so Taylor opted to reuse them.
At Diesel Tech, Taylor installed the front cover with the supplied right and left front co
Both the front cover bolts and the water pump bolts were torqued to the recommended 18 ft-lb specification.
Both the front cover bolts and the water pump bolts were torqued to the recommended 18 ft-
Because the high-pressure oil pump on Taylor's engine had more than 350,000 miles on it, he went with a remanufactured unit from Ford (PN F81Z-9A543-CRM). First, the supplied high-pressure oil pump gasket was installed, followed by the high-pressure oil pump. With a refreshed high-pressure oil pump feeding the engine's aftermarket injectors, a few extra ponies may now be on tap.
Because the high-pressure oil pump on Taylor's engine had more than 350,000 miles on it, h

Before the high-pressure oil pump was installed, the factory drive gear was set in place (Taylor made sure the numbers faced the front of the engine). Also notice the new oil reservoir gasket, which was supplied in Ford's overhaul kit. From there, the high-pressure oil pump reservoir was installed, followed by the top cover and the supplied oil reservoir gasket.
Before the high-pressure oil pump was installed, the factory drive gear was set in place (
Once the high-pressure oil pump shaft was correctly seated on the drive gear, the two mounting bolts were installed and torqued to 18 ft-lb, followed by the drive gear bolt (arrow), which called for 95 ft-lb. Then the drive gear access cover was reinstalled. And while it was easily accessible, Taylor put the injection pressure regulator (IPR) in using a 11/8-inch socket and torqued it to 35 ft-lb.
Once the high-pressure oil pump shaft was correctly seated on the drive gear, the two moun
Next, he began installing the low-pressure, lubricating oil pump on the front of the crankshaft. Ford supplied a new oil pump housing and gerotor gear, which sits in the oil pump housing (shown).
Next, he began installing the low-pressure, lubricating oil pump on the front of the crank

Then the low-pressure oil pump was installed on the crankshaft, followed by the low-pressure oil pump cover (shown). Four bolts secure the pump, and because there isn't any direct stress placed on them, they were torqued considerably tight. A 71/4-inch Fluidampr harmonic balancer was also added to the end of the crankshaft to help manage the 7.3L engine's notorious torsional vibrations (PN 720211).
Then the low-pressure oil pump was installed on the crankshaft, followed by the low-pressu
Back on top of the engine, Taylor installed the fuel filter housing, which mounted directly behind the high-pressure oil pump. In fact, two of the four mounting bolts go through the high-pressure oil pump reservoir. All bolts were torqued to 18 ft-lb. The turbo pedestal was also reinstalled at this time (using the supplied O-rings). The pedestal mounting bolts were torqued to 18 ft-lb as well. Then, while he still had easy access to the front cover, Taylor installed an updated camshaft position sensor (PN F7TZ-12K073-B). The latest version of the camshaft position sensor (CMP) from Ford is gray, whereas the old units were black. It's located slightly above and to the left of the low-pressure oil pump cover, and the mounting bolt has a 10mm head (it too received an 18 ft-lb torque spec).
Back on top of the engine, Taylor installed the fuel filter housing, which mounted directl
Rotating the engine assembly around, Taylor installed the seal plate at the rear of the engine using silicone. Oftentimes, when 7.3L owners believe they have a rear main seal leak (which is very rare), it's usually coming from this seal plate.
Rotating the engine assembly around, Taylor installed the seal plate at the rear of the en

Speaking of the rear main seal, one was included in the overhaul kit, and it was installed next. Taylor put Loctite on the inside of the wear ring and a coat of silicone on the seal itself before it was installed on the crankshaft. We should note that the OE crankshaft from Ford came with the wear ring already installed, but we wanted to show readers how to do it on their own. A rear main seal installer tool is required, which presses the rear main seal flush with the face of the block. Then, once the rear main seal is seated correctly, the five mounting bolts are installed and the installation tool is removed.
Speaking of the rear main seal, one was included in the overhaul kit, and it was installed
After rotating the engine assembly upside down, the oil pickup tube was installed and a thick bead of silicone was applied to the crankcase for a good oil pan seal. Then the oil pan was installed, and all mounting bolts were torqued to 18 ft-lb. Taylor also replaced the O-ring on the oil level adapter (the access point of the dipstick), applied some silicone, and reinstalled the plug (arrow).
After rotating the engine assembly upside down, the oil pickup tube was installed and a th
Next up, he installed four supplied seal O-rings (PN 4736C1)-two on each end of the supplied oil cooler (PN 1C3Z-6A642-AA). It's important to use plenty of assembly lube here because the header assemblies are pressed on (red arrows) and can be a bear to put together. The oil cooler mounted to the front cover and the block, and Taylor used the supplied front and rear oil cooler gaskets before all oil cooler retaining bolts were torqued to 18 ft-lb. The yellow arrow illustrates where you can find the 7.3L engine's serial number.
Next up, he installed four supplied seal O-rings (PN 4736C1)-two on each end of the suppli

Moving to the top end again, ARP head studs (which Taylor had retained) were handtightened to the block, and the supplied head gaskets were installed. The head gaskets were self-explanatory, with the word "up" indicating which side would mate to the cylinder head. There are 18 studs in each head, and the 7.3L benefits from having six bolts (or in this case, six studs) per cylinder.
Moving to the top end again, ARP head studs (which Taylor had retained) were handtightened
Another contributing factor to the 7.3L's 920-pound assembled weight is the cast-iron cylinder heads, which were installed next (PN F5TZ-6V049-AARM). After that, the ARP washers and nuts were installed on each stud and torqued (starting from the center and working outward) in three sequences: 40 ft-lb, 80 ft-lb, and 125 ft-lb.
Another contributing factor to the 7.3L's 920-pound assembled weight is the cast-iron cyli
Once the heads were on, the supplied glow plugs were installed and torqued to 14 ft-lb (PN F4TZ-12A342-BA), the pushrods were reinstalled (with the copper ends facing up), and the rocker arms were installed and torqued to 20 ft-lb.
Once the heads were on, the supplied glow plugs were installed and torqued to 14 ft-lb (PN

With assembly lube applied to the injector tips (holding the copper O-ring in place) and fresh oil on the injector bodies, each one was tapped into place in the head. The injector hold-down plate mounting bolts were then torqued to 10 ft-lb, and each injector's oil spill spout was installed and tightened to the recommended 9 ft-lb specification.
With assembly lube applied to the injector tips (holding the copper O-ring in place) and f
From there, the under valve cover harness's (UVCH) UVC connectors, glow plug connectors, cylinder head intake plenum, and valve cover were reinstalled. Then, in the last step before all fuel, oil lines, and electronics were reinstalled, Taylor installed the exhaust manifolds. There were no gaskets to replace here (metal-to-metal connection), and the mounting bolts should be torqued to a minimum of 45 ft-lb.
From there, the under valve cover harness's (UVCH) UVC connectors, glow plug connectors, c
Taylor filled the crankcase with oil and topped off the high-pressure oil pump, oil rails, and oil filter before firing the engine for the first time. This eases the priming process during the initial fire up.
Taylor filled the crankcase with oil and topped off the high-pressure oil pump, oil rails,

SOURCES
County Auto Machine San Bernadino CA 951-487-0917	Fluidampr 180 Zoar Valley Road Springville NY 14141 716-592-1000 www.fluidampr.com
Ford Parts Glendora CA www.fordparts.com	Diesel Tech 1685 S State St. San Jacinto CA 92583 951-766-5777 http://www.dieseltech1.com/
ARP 1863 Eastman Avenue Ventura CA 93003 800-826-3045 www.arp-bolts.com	Pioneer Ford 13680 West Test Drive Goodyear AZ 85338 623-792-2557 www.pioneerford.com