Just to satisfy my never ending curiosity and facination with diesels, I have heard that many of the Ford 3.3l diesel engines have undergone an in frame overhaul, including new liners. Now I have many questions but have been unable to locate information or videos on an in frame overhaul. I have overhauled many 350 Chevy and 300 Ford engines by pulling the motor and overhauling using an engine stand, so I am very familiar with overhauling motors. Dad had to replace the 350's in his 26 ft tool truck every year and it was my job to have a rebuilt motor ready for install when needed. My questions for the in frame are how to replace the liners without a press to remove and install, machining crank if rod bearings are worn, crank removal, and how to replace the front and rear seals. I am having trouble seeing how this can be done without removing crank, and how to remove the crank without splitting the tractor. Has anyone done this and can enlighten me as to the procedure and possibility videos. I am really interested as I can see an overhaul in my future.
Ed Williams
Joined
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1,627 Posts
A bunch of random thoughts here.
I hope I don't ruffle any feathers.
First,
I'm more familiar with calling your engine a 201 - as in 201 cubic inches. They made those 3 bangers in 5 sizes. 158, 175, 183, 192 and 201.
Not sure why all the warnings abiut overhauling a diesel - especially a Ford 3 cyl.
They are really no different than a gasser. In fact, depending on the year they were manufactured
both engines used identical blocks, crankshaft, cam, complete valve train, flywheels and peripherals.
The only difference was the pistons, head and fuel delivery system.
These engines are parent bore, meaning they were not sleeved from the factory. To completely manufacture one requires boring and sleeving back to standard.
Two types of sleeves are commonly used. One that is stepped at the bottom of the bore and one that us flanged at the top. Both types of sleeves are dry meaning no seals top or bottom.
On the 3 cyl diesels it is NOT recommended that you over bore and repiston. Because of cavitation problems they had where the water jacket eroded into the cylinder wall.
This is not the case with gas engines as they did not have the erosion problems.
I think, depending on the amount of wear in the bores and condition of the crank an inframe overhaul is an acceptable way to get a few thousand more hours out of a tired engine at relatively low cost.
The cranks are extremely rugged with 4 mains on a 3 cyl and massive journal/bearing surface area. I have known of several of these engines with upwards of 10K hours that the crank journals were still within recommended specs and did not need to be ground. They were usually remanned because of the above mentioned cavitation/porosity problems and had to be sleeved.
If you can overhaul a gasser you can just as easily overhaul one of these diesels and aside from working on the injectors and pump NO special tools or skills are required.
The photo below shows my own 201 D on my makeshift bench after putting the head on yesterday.
It had been sleeved before so I just replaced them then had the deck touched and the bores checked with a hone for wrinkles after I pushed them in - Dry ice and a block of oak and 3 lb hammer. I pulled new cam bearings in with a puller I made.
The crank I used was fine but all new bearings, gaskets and seals.
The pump and injectors are relatively new from an engine that sucked something into #2 cyl.
This block was a 192 ci gasser.
It is the block and valve train from one engine and the crank, head and diesel fuel system from a couple of others.
![Image]()
I hope I don't ruffle any feathers.
First,
I'm more familiar with calling your engine a 201 - as in 201 cubic inches. They made those 3 bangers in 5 sizes. 158, 175, 183, 192 and 201.
Not sure why all the warnings abiut overhauling a diesel - especially a Ford 3 cyl.
They are really no different than a gasser. In fact, depending on the year they were manufactured
both engines used identical blocks, crankshaft, cam, complete valve train, flywheels and peripherals.
The only difference was the pistons, head and fuel delivery system.
These engines are parent bore, meaning they were not sleeved from the factory. To completely manufacture one requires boring and sleeving back to standard.
Two types of sleeves are commonly used. One that is stepped at the bottom of the bore and one that us flanged at the top. Both types of sleeves are dry meaning no seals top or bottom.
On the 3 cyl diesels it is NOT recommended that you over bore and repiston. Because of cavitation problems they had where the water jacket eroded into the cylinder wall.
This is not the case with gas engines as they did not have the erosion problems.
I think, depending on the amount of wear in the bores and condition of the crank an inframe overhaul is an acceptable way to get a few thousand more hours out of a tired engine at relatively low cost.
The cranks are extremely rugged with 4 mains on a 3 cyl and massive journal/bearing surface area. I have known of several of these engines with upwards of 10K hours that the crank journals were still within recommended specs and did not need to be ground. They were usually remanned because of the above mentioned cavitation/porosity problems and had to be sleeved.
If you can overhaul a gasser you can just as easily overhaul one of these diesels and aside from working on the injectors and pump NO special tools or skills are required.
The photo below shows my own 201 D on my makeshift bench after putting the head on yesterday.
It had been sleeved before so I just replaced them then had the deck touched and the bores checked with a hone for wrinkles after I pushed them in - Dry ice and a block of oak and 3 lb hammer. I pulled new cam bearings in with a puller I made.
The crank I used was fine but all new bearings, gaskets and seals.
The pump and injectors are relatively new from an engine that sucked something into #2 cyl.
This block was a 192 ci gasser.
It is the block and valve train from one engine and the crank, head and diesel fuel system from a couple of others.
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