Matt Saunoras

Good luck! I've been out for 3 1/2 years and I can't say I regret it at all.

The grade stainless they use on fasteners almost isn't worth the trouble, definitely not made to be repeatedly taken apart and reassembled. We have a stainless bolt bin at work that we occasionally use but not for anything that needs to have strength. Hell it seems like more often than not the threads gall just tightening a nut to a bolt.

I haven’t been able to do anything with this truck. Short of having a wiring diagram or any kind of general diagnostics I’ve done what I can. Basically visually looked at as much wiring as I could while finding nothing. This brake system looks like what you would find on a super duty except there is an electric motor up under the master cylinder that runs when you key on. If I pull the relay for it I get a brake pressure light on the dash, separate from the ABS light that’s always on. The HCU is down on the frame rail and I checked the connector visually and it looks okay. It’s probably going to have to go to international in the spring if they want it fixed oh yeah and it’s developed and oil leak around the left side valve cover in the rear that looks like it’s gonna be a nightmare to find and fix. I’m thinking fuel rail seal

Hey guys, if anyone has access to international service info I’ve got a 14 terrastar here with an ABS light on. The DTC it has I can find almost no information out online. vin is 1HTKPSKK3EH754925 the source is 11, SPN is 1044 and FMI is 2. The only thing I have a is generic HD code reader and it tells me is Hydraulic pump motor data intermittent or erratic. I’m not sure if this means the booster pump or an ABS pump. The booster pump is running and the brakes work fine on the vehicle. I can not clear this code it seems like it’s an active fault. I just wanted to get an idea of what direction to look. This is a plow truck and so far it’s been a wiring nightmare with corrosion

The municipality I work for uses mostly old trucks. While we are slowly upgrading our fleet it’s many times necessary to put money into what we already have. A few thousand to fix a truck will get us by for a few years rather than buying new.

I resealed a 7.3 recently in an 01 F-350. The thing was leaking fuel from the valley, coolant from the front cover and oil from the bottom of the pan. It still had good power and no signs of being dusted so I made the call to pull it out. It got.... New oil pan and dipstick Front and rear main seals Front cover gaskets Fuel lines in the valley New seals for the HPOP and the longer ferry plug from international New up-pipes and reseal the pedestal New injector cups and o-rings New glow plugs and harnesses Reseal the oil cooler New ex manifold bolts and gaskets New block heater and cord Surprisingly it seems to run better. I’m happy with the way it turned out. I had to borrow the 2 post engine stand from my old dealer but they didn’t mind. It hasn’t been used since I left.

I worked for ford for 10 years and never experienced a death wobble in a truck like I did with my own earlier this year. It has been running fine for years, not a hint of wobble.....until I rotated the tires. They are factory Michelin 20s and they still have 6-7/32 on them but they are shot. I even installed a new track bar balljoint, bushing and the latest and greatest steering damper for the new trucks. Mind you my truck is only a 15 with 48k miles, there’s no earthly reason the suspension should be worn out.

It did but for some reason drop box loads really slow for me. I haven’t looked into it yet though. The proper service info is extremely valuable for a job like this. The inframe is back together and running good but I’m having an issue with the voltage meter on the instrument panel. Key on and it pegs way past 16v. Never changes. It’s charging just fine at14.2. I’m looking for a wire I left loose but I’m coming up empty. edit - found it. One positive wire to the body controller I left off

Working on an in-frame rebuild currently. Using new sleeves, pistons, rings and rod bearings. Obviously a new head also. The guy at international says the pistons and cooling jets are a new design for better cooling. Is there a bulletin for this?

Okay I’ve been looking at this thing all day scratching my head. I knew this freeze plug looked fine but I was insistent the leak was in that area. 5 minutes ago I just so happened to look at the head a little closer and found a crack all the way from the exhaust port, up through the bolt hole all the way to that freeze plug I thought was leaking. Hard to see in this pic but you can see it towards the edge

Okay so a little late to update but I finally got around to working on this thing. The head is off. The leak is originating from the right rear corner of the headgasket. In this area on the deck of the cylinder head is a stainless steel freeze plug. I think my leak is around this plug. Also in the block deck is some kind of round machined recess, I don’t know if it’s a plugged passage or what but you can see it in the cutaway picture Bruce posted. I was wondering what this is? Also I would like to mention that the rear 2 cylinder liners in this engine are wiped out. No crosshatching, rust staining, I’m assuming this is from when the coolers failed. I will get some more pics up later

I don't teach any younger guys but rather older guys now that I work with. I'm the young one but I still know way more about fixing stuff than they ever could have imagined.

I'll have to check the hours but it's got 30,000 miles on it total. Are the oil rail pucks by chance the same size as a 6.0? I have that tool.

I have been doing a whole lot of nothing. Put a rear cat in a 14 police explorer and a RR abs sensor in another. Starting to do a lot more inspections this time of year. Our 14 terrastar broke a rear leaf so that's on the schedule for next week. We also have a 91 international that blew the rear end up. There's plenty to do but nothing is a rush.

Bruce thanks so much. So it is possible this is a headgasket leak or a flaw in the block or deck. I won't be so reluctant to tear into this thing now. I've been over this engine multiple times looking for anything that resembles a coolant leak, it's definitely the rear of the engine. Next time I have the doghouse out I'll snap a pic. Anything you can think of to do preventative while this engine is apart? It only has 30k miles but not sure about hours. Oil rail seals anywhere prone to leakage?

First thing I saw when I posted the pic. Some things never change, I'm just as OCD as I always was.

This truck has had issues since I started. Last year it ruptured an EGR cooler and I replaced both of those. The truck is still losing coolant which it's entirely possible this has been the issue the whole time and the cooler rupture was effect and not cause. There is dried coolant crust all over the rear of the engine and bellhousing. It never drips a drop on the ground. The seepage starts near the rear of the engine between the head and block. Do any of you guys know if it's possible for a head gasket to leak coolant externally on a DT? I can't work on this truck until the snow stops but I would still like to get some info before I just tear into it.

Well you never know when you'll need a bit of knowledge from your past. I'm glad I tackled this project almost 4 years ago. Yesterday I rebuilt another front driveshaft, this one from an 03 F-550. The ones I had done from this thread were 05+. I had an extra dust boot seal stashed away in my toolbox and while they don't fit the 05+ driveshafts it does appear Spicer 2-86-418 does fit the 99-04 driveshafts, it fit the 03 perfectly. Also Neapco 7-0081NG fits too. This one will be thoroughly tested, these drivers almost never unlock the hubs

Thanks Keith, sorry I don't have much to add anymore

Well a whole year has gone by since I left the Ford dealer. Last August I went to work for my local municipality as one of 2 fleet mechanics. We have a bunch of medium duty dumps, a handful of pickups and five F-550s. I've been doing the whole police fleet myself which consists of about 10 explorers and 2 chargers. Nothing too hard or challenging, nearly all brakes, maintenance and A/C. I haven't touched a ford diesel yet this year. My old dealer still calls me all the time and I still visit there quite often because my fiancé works there in finance. The tech they hired to replace me just recently quit, I hate to say it but he was the textbook version of a paper senior master. I don't really think he knew what he was getting into when he went there and I feel like they tried to downplay how many trucks I actually worked on. They no longer have any certified techs but that is none of my concern. They keep talking about putting me on part time to keep me on the books but I can't do it. I'm in the teamsters union as a mechanic. I recently got my CDL which means I'll be able to state inspect our entire fleet. That raises me up to top mechanic and gives me a couple extra bucks an hour. I also purchased a retired police car from our fleet. It's a 2012 chevy caprice. When I started working there I thought this thing was an impala until opened the hood. It's a got a 6.0L and it's RWD. It's shocking how quick it is. Now that I'm not spending so much time at work I should have time for a project. It needs a little body work but it runs like a top. Oh well, that's all for now. I miss this place but it's hard to remember to stop by when you're not working on this stuff all day anymore.

I left and not only does my old dealer have pipe dreams of getting me back but other dealers have jumped on ship too. None of them have offered me what I already have now.

I have 2 spares on hand. You can probably still get a power supply from International

The throw out bearing went out in our 94 Super Duty and when I got in there I found it still had a dual mass flywheel. That's all getting tossed in the garbage and we're putting in the Luk single mass.

I talked to the guy rebuilding it and he made note that the housing the shaft rides in usually wears out and they will install a bushing to prevent further wear. I felt better knowing that it'll be fixed right.

We are pulling the pump and having it rebuilt. The leak is pretty substantial, more than a few drips and it's leaking while it sitting and losing prime. I would feel okay resealing it myself but I suppose it's just safer to have the whole thing gone over.