ChristopherH

I have had several sets of heads "surfaced" and pressure checked by a local machine shop if there is any question on the surface or if they need valve work. He said that he has done hundreds of 6.0 liter heads with no problem. I have not checked to see exactly how much he removes, but he says that it is very minimal. I know what the WSM says about this, but I like the new flat clean surface. So far, I have not ran into any problems with valve train geometry. I have studded many 6.0s--works fine. I have also seen repeat failures on heavy loaded or modified trucks. I learned never to use black onyx gaskets--just redid a set that a customer had installed 12,000 miles ago. From what I hear, they are known to be good for about a year or so. Use ford gaskets and ARPs--and make sure everything else is working properly (turbo, VGT, EBP, etc. )

I'm sorry about that--I have been following along a little here and there, but I've been busy as hell working at the dealership, teaching night classes at our local tech college, and a seemingly endless stream of side jobs. The teaching job went away a few months ago due to lack of students that wanted night classes, and the other work has dropped off badly. We are just entering the good old November to March slump that we always get here I guess.

Just finished rebuilding the C6 in OUR plow truck--not much other work coming in. The hunger games have officially begun.

Sorry about that, I missed the topic on the water cooler.

The other day I was forwarded an Email from our FSE regarding a settlement agreement with EDGE and the US EPA regarding the DPF delete kits that they have sold. They have to pay a $500,000 fine, offer to buy back kits they have sold, and come up with some type of clean air "restitution program" to offset the estimated amount of particulate emissions that have been released since they sold the first kit. It also mentioned that EDGE is just the first company to settle with the EPA over this issue and that others are under investigation or in legal proceedings.

I had one leak after a High Psi fuel pump cover gasket repair--ever since then, I jump power to the pump and do the same thing. Very wise. I do this when doing 6.0 head gaskets with the cab off also--I loosen the fuel rail plugs at the rear of the heads and bleed the fuel rails in the heads--helps them start up and run better a little quicker.

I will see about posting some pics of the gear out of time and the collateral damage soon...

And here is a link to the Diesel Cam Timing stuff for a little light reading. PTS Diesel Cam Timing

Here is the promised Screen Capture of the Incorrect Timing:

I just replaced a 6.4 diesel Enhanced Short Block (ESB) at 192,000 miles on an 08 F250 under a Diesel Care ESP claim. I followed every instructions to the letter, torqued all the fasteners, put the body back on, all the aftermarket add-on bumper and camper shell crap, and filled all the fluids. I bled the low and high psi fuel systems--imagine my surprise when I had a cranks no start. I then spent a few hours sweating and checking and rechecking all my work with a no start still. I found DTC p0341 would set in the PCM after cranking the engine several times. Also, on pid monitor, the SYNC pid would not say YES. I beat up the supposedly new cam and crank sensors and wiring harness to no avail. At this point, I put 2 and 2 together because I had noticed a slight popping noise from the intake while cranking and I thought--maybe the cam to crank timing is wrong? No way that could happen...right? I followed the Diesel Cam Timing Procedure found under the Service Tips tab on PTS for this truck and found that between the falling edge of my CMP signal and the Missing 2 tooth area on the CKP signal I have 17 negative signal spikes--not 11 like is should be. I know a picture is worth a 1,000 words--I will post a screen shot of my oscilloscope capture and a link to the Cam Timing Document I mentioned when I get a minute. I tore down the engine and found that the pistons and valves have all hit each other, multiple broken/bent pushrods and rockers, and imagine my surprise the camshaft timing is off on the drive gear by 6 teeth!!!! The hotline was pretty quiet on this issue--they just wanted my screen capture and the serial number of the ESB. Now I get to do it all over under SPW--the first time was just practice right? My advice--if you are doing an ESB or an ELB--set #1 cylinder at TDC. Its a little tricky without a TDC mark but it can be done. Then look down the rear cover and make sure that the 2 holes for the cam timing fixture are lined up with the centerline of the engine and the centerline of the crankshaft. Also, 180 degrees from these 2 holes is a small dot that should face straight up and be aligned with the centerline of the engine and crankshaft when cylinder #1 is at TDC. Maybe you won't step into a bear trap like I did.

45 hours minimum--maybe up to 15 more if I am buried. We are closed on Saturdays, but I am still here catching up a lot.

The local power company here has went through 6 composite pans from "off-road" debris in their new 2011 F550 6.7 diesel bucket trucks. Last one, the driver ran it a little too long with no oil in it and seized the engine--so I got to do my first body-on 6.7 longblock. It was not a lot of fun, but at least is was customer pay. They were pissed when they found out the new longblock came with a steel pan instead of the plastic one. They have ordered all steel pans for their trucks and want to retrofit them and then add a skid plate as well. Evidently it only takes a small impact to shatter the bottom out of the composite pans, as opposed to a dent that might be survivable.

Check out the South Park episode "Smug" and it pretty much says it all.

Bravo, Mr Rowe, Bravo.

We put an engine in a Class A motorhome for a guy and he was camped out in our gravel parking lot for a week or so getting ready to continue on his trip and he died in his RV! Nobody saw him for a day or two and then the family called the sheriff worried that they hadn't heard from him and found him dead in the bathroom of an anuerysm. It was a sad deal to say the least.