Ford 4000 engine rebuild

[Jbrandon]

I have a 1970 ford 4000 3cyl diesel. I am in the process of rebuilding the engine. It had a broken crankshaft. I put everything new in but the rods and the piston height above the block was .028 to .038. I figured rods could be stretched because of the broken crankshaft so I installed new rods. Now piston height is .022 to .028 above the block. Is this okay for a .056 head gasket?

 

[Destroked 450]

My old manual calls for .011 but that’s probably for the older thin head gasket
My early 10 series manual calls for a max of .024

 

[Jbrandon]

Thanks for the reply Destroked 450. I saw a technical bulletin from A&I products that said with the thicker gasket new piston height is .014 to .026 if i am reading it correctly. If you think .028 on the one cyclinder is too much what should i do?

 

[Welding man]

We rebuilt a 6600 some time back that had been rebuilt before. The block had been decked. We had the block bored and sleeved back to standard and it had to be decked again. We put it back together and the protrusion was .035. I searched and searched and found a thicker head gasket. put it back together and it ran, but the pistons hit the head. Tore it back down and cut .015 off the pistons and put it back together again. It is one of the easiest starting, best running Fords I have ever rebuilt.

 

[Bern]

I have a 1970 ford 4000 3cyl diesel. I am in the process of rebuilding the engine. It had a broken crankshaft. I put everything new in but the rods and the piston height above the block was .028 to .038. I figured rods could be stretched because of the broken crankshaft so I installed new rods. Now piston height is .022 to .028 above the block. Is this okay for a .056 head gasket?

.011-.023" is the spec from Ford for the thick head gasket. I'd say you're flirting with a tap tap tap in your engine unless you shave your pistons .010" or so.

 

[Jbrandon]

Thanks Welding Man, This engine had been rebuilt some time in the past before I got it. Don't know if it was decked then or not. We didn't deck it this time. Did bore it .020. Guess i will just have to install head and see if pistons hit. Beginning to wish i had never started this rebuild. It's my first engine rebuild. Always wanted to rebuild one

 

[Jbrandon]

.011-.023" is the spec from Ford for the thick head gasket. I'd say you're flirting with a tap tap tap in your engine unless you shave your pistons .005" or so.

Thanks Bern, That's my fear too

 

[Destroked 450]

Thanks for the reply Destroked 450. I saw a technical bulletin from A&I products that said with the thicker gasket new piston height is .014 to .026 if i am reading it correctly. If you think .028 on the one cyclinder is too much what should i do?

Have you tried swapping the pistons and rods around and moving them to different cylinders
Measure the pistons from pin hole to top of the crown to see if they are all the same, measure the rods also
You may find a piston that’s a thousands or two taller or a rod that’s a bit longer or shorter than the others
You may be able to mix and match to get everything in spec

 

[Bern]

Thanks Welding Man, This engine had been rebuilt some time in the past before I got it. Don't know if it was decked then or not. We didn't deck it this time. Did bore it .020. Guess i will just have to install head and see if pistons hit. Beginning to wish i had never started this rebuild. It's my first engine rebuild. Always wanted to rebuild one

If this truly is your first engine rebuild, I'm very impressed. Not only would most people never give piston protrusion a second thought, the factory repair manuals don't speak much to the subject either.

 

[Jbrandon]

If this truly is your first engine rebuild, I'm very impressed. Not only would most people never give piston protrusion a second thought, the factory repair manuals don't speak much to the subject either.

It is my first and maybe my last. I have 2 different manuals and mine don't have much info either

 

[Jbrandon]

Have you tried swapping the pistons and rods around and moving them to different cylinders
Measure the pistons from pin hole to top of the crown to see if they are all the same, measure the rods also
You may find a piston that’s a thousands or two taller or a rod that’s a bit longer or shorter than the others
You may be able to mix and match to get everything in spec

I will try swapping #1 and #3 pistons and see if that helps since #1 is .022 and #3 is .028.

 

[Welding man]

At least you are doing the research to try to do the job right. Most shade tree mechanics don't know what piston protrusion is or liner protrusion is. Never heard of Plasti-gauge, never checks ring gap or the proper torque sequence for the head. Never installs a new set of cam bearings etc. Just put everything together and hope it runs. Don't get discouraged. I have lost count a long time ago of how many engines I have rebuilt. I have an Iveco and a Shibaura in the shop now. Have an International gas coming in next week. We built an Oliver 880 puller last month. Mand W Dome Pistons, big valves, tweaked the governor and we pulled 1st place in 3 classes. That is the fun of engine building. I don't turn a wrench on any engine without a service manual. It is the little things like piston protrusion that can really get you in trouble if you don't do the research. We try very hard to not have a comeback and we don't have very many. We break everything in on the Dyno and when it leaves we don't want of see it back. Hang in there, if this one works out you may want to try another one.

 

[Jbrandon]

At least you are doing the research to try to do the job right. Most shade tree mechanics don't know what piston protrusion is or liner protrusion is. Never heard of Plasti-gauge, never checks ring gap or the proper torque sequence for the head. Never installs a new set of cam bearings etc. Just put everything together and hope it runs. Don't get discouraged. I have lost count a long time ago of how many engines I have rebuilt. I have an Iveco and a Shibaura in the shop now. Have an International gas coming in next week. We built an Oliver 880 puller last month. Mand W Dome Pistons, big valves, tweaked the governor and we pulled 1st place in 3 classes. That is the fun of engine building. I don't turn a wrench on any engine without a service manual. It is the little things like piston protrusion that can really get you in trouble if you don't do the research. We try very hard to not have a comeback and we don't have very many. We break everything in on the Dyno and when it leaves we don't want of see it back. Hang in there, if this one works out you may want to try another one.

Thanks Sir, If i can get through this one I have a 1963 MF35 diesel my dad bought new in 1964. I started farming with it in the early 70"s. I would like to restore it. I"m with you on manuals, whenever i bought any equipment I told dealer I had to have an owners manual