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Removed intake: any suggestions for maintenance or upgrades while it is off?

C

chi2

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Location
Los Angeles, CA
I have to track down a fuel leak that appears to be originating somewhere in the valley of the beast. To do this I will be removing both upper and lower intakes, and wanted some suggestions about what maintenance, upgrades or mods I can do while I have the top of the engine exposed. Here are a couple that I was thinking of:
  1. Replace fuel lines
  2. Replace OPS
  3. Clean engine valley (it is really gummy with 140K of dust and diesel)

Is it a good idea to replace the OPS even when mine is working just fine? AFAIK, the OPS has been on this truck for at least 5 years (prev owner did not replace it).

Also, what solvents would work best to clean the engine valley? It is really gummed up with old diesel, and I want to take a wire brush to it (I will be sure to keep the junk out of the openings into the head).

Thanks.

Jon
 
By all means replace OPS, plastic body on mine even though the OPS was working was embrittled from underhood heat, as soon as I touched it, it broke so was only a matter of time before it would have been an issue. Purple Power IMO is about the best non caustic cleaner out there, you could use easy off oven cleaner if it's really cooked on, but that is caustic cleaner, use very carefully.

BTW can you add/update your signature is your truck S or F code engine
 
If you still have PMD on the pump, you can remove it and relocate it. If you have relocated but the original still on the pump, you can take it off. There is no signature so I don't know if you have done it.
 
Carefully inspect all of the wires running through the huge wire loom in the intake valley....make sure none of the insulation is getting soft from contact with diesel fuel...
 
Thanks for the replies so far, and sorry about not having my signature up. I think the sig is up now.. I have an "F" intake (however, it is an "S" engine).

I will inspect my loom, and I was thinking of checking any grounds that may be behind the engine on the firewall or close proximity. There are a lot of wires on the firewall that I will inspect.

Jon
 
If you're REALLY bored, or just have "that kind of time", you could gasket match the lower intake. Clean the mating surface, use a sharpie to 'paint' around the openings, line up the new gasket, use an awl (or similar) then use a die grinder with aluminum bit to grind away excess material to open up and let it breath a little easier. (PS, don't forget to blow out or clean ALL the shavings or you might not like what happens next)
 
So did I. Even got lucky. My local NAPA had one remaining set of Victor Gaskets. Feed the beast highly recommmended. I started writing my version of it but I have to steall back my pics off the old site. I basically did what TD did but I didn't make any of the fittings. Got them all at local hydrualic shop and I made my new fuel line removable with fitting instead of hose clamps. I used a MR Gasket 150 degree #6 at IP and found a #6 x #4 something but it was o ringed. Gotta find the reciept. I have to take new pics. This site won't let me upload the ones I had. File sizes too big. At the fuel manager I used a #6 hyd x 1/8 npt IIRC then a #6 female x 3/8 barb at the fuel line.
 
Aces and Tim,

Your Feed the Beast write-ups were both excellent (found at this site and the old site, respectively). Aces, I especially appreciated your contrasting of TD's method with your own (i.e. use of different fittings, etc.; one thing that would help Ace's post are a few more paragraphs :D - but I'm not complaining!).

Thanks for all your hard work developing this body of public knowledge.

Jon


Acesneights1 said:
So did I. Even got lucky. My local NAPA had one remaining set of Victor Gaskets. Feed the beast highly recommmended. I started writing my version of it but I have to steall back my pics off the old site. I basically did what TD did but I didn't make any of the fittings. Got them all at local hydrualic shop and I made my new fuel line removable with fitting instead of hose clamps. I used a MR Gasket 150 degree #6 at IP and found a #6 x #4 something but it was o ringed. Gotta find the reciept. I have to take new pics. This site won't let me upload the ones I had. File sizes too big. At the fuel manager I used a #6 hyd x 1/8 npt IIRC then a #6 female x 3/8 barb at the fuel line.
Click to expand...
 
I have heard about these little suckers- the rocker buttons- but my valve train sounds fine and I do not relish removing the fuel lines to get the valve cover off... I have bad luck with those fuel lines :queasy:!

Other than a metal clicking/tapping noise suggestive of worn valve train, is there anything that would indicate that the rocker buttons are worn?

Is there a schedule for replacement, such as 150K miles or 200K, etc? (My truck has about 150K, btw).

Thanks.

Jon

Sunshine said:
If it`s not to late how about changing the Rocker Buttons...

Have fun...

/Paul
Click to expand...
 
chi2 said:
I have heard about these little suckers- the rocker buttons- but my valve train sounds fine and I do not relish removing the fuel lines to get the valve cover off... I have bad luck with those fuel lines :queasy:!

Other than a metal clicking/tapping noise suggestive of worn valve train, is there anything that would indicate that the rocker buttons are worn?

Is there a schedule for replacement, such as 150K miles or 200K, etc? (My truck has about 150K, btw).

Thanks.

Jon
Click to expand...

Hi Jon

Well it was a wise suggestion from Todd at Heath Diesel when we spoke on the phone once...At the time i had 190Km or 120miles on the clock, they seemed okay wasn`t brittle or anything..as i had the lines of i changed them..Hope this gives you a peace of mind.. Hope TD can give some help with this..
/Paul
 
Sunshine said:
Hi Jon

Well it was a wise suggestion from Todd at Heath Diesel when we spoke on the phone once...At the time i had 190Km or 120miles on the clock, they seemed okay wasn`t brittle or anything..as i had the lines of i changed them..Hope this gives you a peace of mind.. Hope TD can give some help with this..
/Paul
Click to expand...

Oh sure pick on me :biggrin5: I didn't do it when I swapped intakes, had i thought about it or been recommended to do it I would have as recommendations from Heath are usually good ones, pulling lines not that tough IMO, how many miles on your truck, mite be worth having a look, these have been known to occasionally fail, I've never seen a written inspection interval on em.
 
Well, I'll chime in on this one. When I pulled my engine down at 200k, those things were so brittle that I was able to pop a couple of them off with my bare fingers!!

Yes, you did read that correctly. Obviously, heat-cycles probably have a lot to do with the lifespan of those things, and the engine in my truck was used hard for most of its life.

Considering what sometimes happens when they do fail (worst case scenario is releasing the valve locks and dropping a valve), I personally do not think it is worth chancing.

As a matter of fact, -even though I just replaced mine with new ones during the engine build, -I'm going to do them again at 100k just for good measure.

I know the little plastic doo-hickeys work, -but I can't help but shake my head when I look at stuff like that. I mean seriously, -what's the deal? Did the engine guys and upholstery guys get together for drinks one night after work and get totally hammered, or what?

My vote is obviously to replace them, -yes, maybe I'm paranoid. Considering what can happen if one does break, -to me it's not worth it.

Pulling injection lines and valve covers is EASY.

My .02
 
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