7.3 overheating opinions

[kcarpenter]

New to this forum, and fairly to diesel engines as well, i picked up a 2000 f250 in a trade, with the drivers side head removed. Story is it started overheating (not crazy hot and boiling, just hot) and would only do it while driving. He said it would idle at operating temp for an hour without any issues. He put a new water pump, thermostat, and radiator in it, didnt fix it so they assumed it had a blown head gasket (even tho it ran perfectly fine) and him and a "experienced" friend started pulling the heads. Pulled the drivers side one and apparently got in some big ass arguement and had a falling out, and the owner said he didnt have a clue how to do it his self so he gave up, now i have it.
They never checked the clutch fan, never did a leak down.
Now i have several friends who have been around these trucks alot telling me i should buy a gasket kit, but just put the head they removed back on and go from there, apparently the passenger side is a pain to remove?
But id like a few more opinions before i move foward with it.


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[WD40]

Welcome to SDD.com, glad to have you here. $80 bucks is a great steal, how many miles is on this truck? I know what I would do but others might not,
I would pull both heads and have them checked for cracks before I put them back on, might also do a valve job just to be sure everything is like it should
be. Overheating can cost lots of money and it might only cost $7.00 bucks for a new cooling tank cap. Good luck and let us know what you come up with.
Doug

 

[kcarpenter]

Thanks!
235,000 i believe, and yea i had $80 in parts/gas and a bunch of work for a family member in the car i traded it for, so i definately came out on top.
And pulling both was kind of what i was leaning toward but i wasnt sure. I just hope there isnt any problems with the rest that i cant see.


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[DaveBen]

I am going to say pull the passengers side head while you are at it. It is more difficult to get off with the AC lines and the heater box. Get a good set of u-joint sockets and you are good to go. Then have the heads rebuilt and you have it.

Dave

 

[kcarpenter]

Any ideas what it would cost to get them rebuilt

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[DaveBen]

No, I don't have any idea of the $$ to rebuild.

Dave

 

[snicklas]

Welcome to the forum, and I have to agree with above. Tear it the rest of the way apart and have a look.

Believe it or not, I actually know where Perrysvile is...... I grew up just over trhe border in Illinois (Jamaica) and when Mom and Dad were remodeling the house in the mid 70's we made many trips to Pauley lumber.......

 

[kcarpenter]

Ok, ile try to get that all apart this next weekend, and hopefully order a gasket and bolt kit if all looks well.
I have alot of experience with gas engines, and different or not i feel like it should have had other symtoms besides over heating under load before assuming it had a blown head gasket. (Maybe rough running, pressurized cooling system or water in exhaust).
The coolant that was left in the radiator looked clean and the oil looks good.


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[01yellerCobra]

I'm not sure about diesels, but I've been around gas engines that ran fine with blown head gaskets. Aside from the big white cloud of smoke behind the car. But no missing or anything.

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[kcarpenter]

Welcome to the forum, and I have to agree with above. Tear it the rest of the way apart and have a look.

Believe it or not, I actually know where Perrysvile is...... I grew up just over trhe border in Illinois (Jamaica) and when Mom and Dad were remodeling the house in the mid 70's we made many trips to Pauley lumber.......

Forgot to reply to the last part, i lived in indianola for quite a while, not much out that way haha

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