Powerstroke help

[billybob_81067]

Ok my 95 f-250 powerstroke was burning some oil so I figured my turbo was leaking some oil and I was right. Well I got the turbo pulled out (WHAT A PAIN IN THE A**!!!) and now I'm looking for a good turbo that's not gonna cost me an arm and a leg. Anyone here have any suggestions or links to websites with an assortment of turbos to choose from?

At first I figured I'd get a banks turbo, but after looking at their website it looks like they don't sell a complete assembled turbo, only the housing and turbo.

Anyone know of any other good brands of turbos for the 7.3L Direct Injected Powerstroke?

Also since I've got the turbo pulled I'm thinking of pulling the restrictive stock downpipe and putting on a mandrel bent high flow down to the cat, which (*cough* may be gutted in the near future*cough*)

:p

[cphilip]

Well the best resource for this is TheDieselstop.com. It used to be Ford Diesel.com but Ford had a problem with the use of the Ford name. Its still THE Site for Ford Diesel guys. There are several vendors over there that can hook you up and give discounts to members as well as several Ford Truck dealers that also give some real nice cost deals on stock stuff.... not to mention at but load of people in the know on Ford Diesels and Turbo's. Thats your best bet.

http://forums.thedieselstop.com/ubbthreads/

[cphilip]

Was it a Garret on there in them days? I think so. I think they pretty good ones....

What was failed? The intercooler? You measuring boost and cooling your EG down by measuring it or anything?

Someone tells me that Bob Riley from Dieselsite.com has a kit that takes any early PSD upgrade to the later more powerfull ball bearing turbo's. He can maybe help you out. If he has that then thats what you want.

[billybob_81067]

Thanks for the link cphilip, I'll definately check it out!

as for the turbo yeah it is a Garret, and I never measured the boost, it seemed to be working fine just from the feel of it while driving. What failed was the turbo seals so oil was getting into the intake and burning in the engine. At first I thought maybe I could just replace the seals and be good to go, but after tearing it apart the turbine definately had more side to side slop than I wanted. Also the long turbine fins seemed to have a slight notch worn in the tips. I don't know if this is normal or not. I'm planning on taking it in to a guy who knows more about them than I do and see what he says about it. Also I might take a pic of the turbine tomorrow and post on here just to get your opinion.

Is it fairly easy to rebuild the turbo with new bearings and seals? We had a turbo go out on our International 1586 series tractor once and it was actually almost as cheap to buy a complete rebuilt turbo than it would have been to rebuild the one we had with new bearings and seals.

Thanks :D

[cphilip]

Well if I am not mistaken that thing is smaller than the later ones they used. And so an upgrade to the newer unit (99 and up) would give you a real kick in the pants! And if Bob does have a kit to do that (as I saw reported) then it might just be one of them "might as well" kind of things. I not certain but I saw some mentions of the older ones not having ball bearing type bearing in it. Not certain what kind they would have had if not ball bearings but this would be a major upgrade too if that is so.

You should get some guages in there though. Especialy EGT and Boost. So you can monitor whats going on. Seeing the boost just kind of gives you an idea of if its working normal or not and EGT allows you to know when to shut down. When the air moving throught the thing is cool enough not to cook the oil into sandy grit. If you are shutting down too early eventually that oil still left in the intercooler passages is going to cause issues like eaten up seals and bearings. Its kind of hard to know without something to measure the temp coming off the exhaust headers. If its over 300 or so then oil will cook at that temp. Soon as you shut that engine off no oil is circulating and the oil still setting in the turbo is subjected to that heat. If that heat is below 300 then its not going to cook (Coke) that oil and every thing is fine. I see some times it takes four or five minutes of idel to see that EGT drop below 300 and sometimes its below when you get stopped. Depends on how hard you were running before you pull to a stop and what the ambient temperature is. No way to know without a Probe in the exhaust manifold and a gauge to measure it. But important thing to know.

I used the "X Monitor" in mine and always watch it until its around 280 or 290 before I shut it down. The X Monitor has Pyro (EGT), Boost and Transmission Temp all in one display with settable alert points and records highest reading which is also resetable. Nice package and does all the things you need to monitor one of these beasts.

Now of course I do not know what kind of mileage you have one this but still its a good idea to monitor these things and a simple EGT guage alone for the protection of that turbo is cheap and fairly easy to do. You have to drill and tap a hole in the exhaust manifold for the probe and then tap into a switched wire but thats about it. And you can get a one guage package for less than 100 bucks. The X monitor will set you back about 350 but the other two intalls are a sinch and if you tow some then its a god send.


Here is a picture of the X Monitor installed in my truck:

[billybob_81067]

Cphil,

I'm definately going to get some gauges for the thing now. :D I usually let it idle for 10 minutes or so after running it really hard, but it definately would be nice to know the exact temp. My pickup has just over 200,000 miles on it now, and the turbo that's on there does not have roller bearings, it has brass bushings instead. Have you seen any bearings made to upgrade the turbo to roller bearings? After tearing the turbo down completely and seeing it is in as good of condition as it is I decided I'd rather rebuild it than get a completely new turbo assembly. Also it will be much easier on my limited money supply... you can only spend so much when you're 18! :p

As for the turbo impeller and the slight indentation in the long fins that I was talking about: it is pictured below with the red circle around it. After placing the turbine in the housing and looking at how it fit the curve I believe that these indents are normal from the factory to ensure it fits correctly. I will also be posting the same picture on the diesel forum that you gave me to see what they have to say about it.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid95/p39c89d188ccaf9e8bef59934557696ee/fa2bdb5b.jpg

[joez]

Hey Cphilip, is your pyrometer mounted after your turbo? Banks themselves say that up to 1300*F is a safe inlet temp for the powerstroke. After that things get hairy. Above 1400* for a few minutes and your are roasting your turbo and melting the pistons. They dont recomend running over 1300* for very long, but under and up to they say its fine. And these are measured at the inlet.

If you are looking for cheap, just head to your local junk yards. Since you know how to remove the turbo already, start pulling them off of powerstrokes and checking them out. If they are in good shape, then just grab it for dirt cheap, and save up for an upgrade. This is just what i would do, even though you dont know the history of it. find a lower mileage and yank it out.

If my diesel had an EGT of less than 300* at the manifold(read:no turbo) when working, i think i would pull over to make sure it was getting enough fuel.

[cphilip]

Originally posted by joez
Hey Cphilip, is your pyrometer mounted after your turbo? Banks themselves say that up to 1300*F is a safe inlet temp for the powerstroke. After that things get hairy. Above 1400* for a few minutes and your are roasting your turbo and melting the pistons. They dont recomend running over 1300* for very long, but under and up to they say its fine. And these are measured at the inlet.

Its before. In the manifold returning to the Turbo. And I set my alarm for 1250 so I know I am getting in that area. I agree with those temps and warning areas. Aluminum starts to melt near there is one of the things. Turbo fins and all. I have seen 1250 a few times. Towing a long grade but if I just back off the throttle it comes right back down. Its just a matter of a few degrees on that throttle. Its amazingly fast up and down and without a gauge thats digital you would have a hard time realizing it at all.


...If my diesel had an EGT of less than 300* at the manifold(read:no turbo) when working, i think i would pull over to make sure it was getting enough fuel.

No... at rest cool down EGT is what I am refering too. Note in those pictures the truck was off. The tranny was warm but not up to operating temp of 135-160. The truck was not running so note the EGT is cold. And no boost either. In this case the key was on just to boot up the guage pod rith after I installed it. The truck readings in this case are latent from when it was driven to the shop several hours before this point If it had started up it would have fairly quickly been reading in the mid 200's. Now I am not certain we are talking about the same thing...at rest EGT at its lowest but if yours is not dropping below 300 then you gots a real problem. Most diesels will run at about 180 to 265 eventualy at 675-700 rpm or so when at rest for a while or after start up. Another thing is that diesel does not like to burn at those lower range temps. So you do not want to let it sit below 280 for long or you will have a lot of unburned diesel in your oil. They call that wet stacking and it gets on the pistons and rings and eventualy down into the oil. And it won't evaporate from the oil like gas will. I can give mine aroung 1200 rpm and she will stay above 280 but it highly depends on outside air temp. Sometimes Its hard to get above 280 in cold weather and might take 1400 RPM or so to do it. Highly dependent on intake temps as to whats going to work. However you take off driving under load and she will be up in the 500-900 range real fast. I mean withing a minute or two! You can really see that with this digital read out. Amazing.

But to be sure we are on the same page, I talking cool down time here not under load running.

But:

280 and below for extended periods = Wet Stacking.

Shutting down above 300 = coking of turbo intercooler oil.

Those two things cannot be easily guessed at from my observations now with using this digital guage. Its amazing how they differ. I seen many a mild day the EGT's were cool enough to shut down as I pulled a stop. Others where it took five minutes. No way to know without guages. You can estimate but your gonna be wrong half the time.

I use another device when I am doing extended Idling to keep them above 280. This Idle Air Controller. But I have to mess with the setting depending on the outside air temp to do so. It also prevents discharge of my batteries to do that. Ford sets it idle speed real low. Like 675 RPM. Thats not high enough to maintain both sufficent EGT at idle nor out put of 13.5+ volts. Nor will it run the AC too good eventually. So if I do have to sit a while (ie 10 - 15 minutes or longer) I can kick this thing in and set it and the thing can idle all day long. Keeps everything where I want it and the truck cool and the batteries, both truck and camper, charged up good. I could sit all day long with no damage to anything if need be.

The IAC is the black box to the left of the CB and under the brake contoller.

[joez]

Now I am not certain we are talking about the same thing...at rest EGT at its lowest but if yours is not dropping below 300 then you gots a real problem. Most diesels will run at about 180 to 265 eventualy at 675-700 rpm or so when at rest for a while or after start up

Nope, we are not on the same page. I thought you were refering to opperating under load. I guess i was a little to tired and missunderstood you. Now that we are on the same, yes, i can agree with your temps. Sorry about the confusion.

[cphilip]

Yea... I thought thats what you were saying. Cool.