What is this plug on 7.3L?

[ridgefire]

I got up to the river today and when I parked my truck I had s little smoke coming from the hood. I found a plug in the valley that had popped out and was blowing oil out onto the turbo and whatnot. It looks like a freeze plug or something similiar. I was able to put the plug in with finger pressure which didnt seem right. I drove it again tonight and checked when I got home and it had popped out again. It has a marking of 885 on it. Any ideas? Thanks.

[ridgefire]

Its not from the turbo. In the picture you can see there is a hole in the valley. The plug fit in the hole but was pretty loose and popped back out after one drive.

[jackelope]

What year is the truck?

[jackelope]

Assuming it’s newer than 1995 it’s the plug where the old school mechanical fuel pump used to be. It popped out for a reason. Really high crankcase pressure maybe. Possible internal engine issue. They don’t just pop out.

[LDennis24]

Yeah I would agree with Jackelope. It's a pressure issue although I'm not sure what that plug is meant for.

[ridgefire]

The plug was really easy to put back in. I figured I should have had to tap it back in with a hammer or something but I was able to basically drop it in. Not sure why it would have gone back in so easy. Maybe I should have tapped on it a little bit but the top of plug was flush with the valley surface as it was.

[syoungs]

Your inbox is full after my last message. Here is my reply to your pm!

Oh I saw your pics.
That's basically a dust seal plugging where a mechanical fuel pump would go with the earlier fuel system. It's basically a stainless freeze plug from Napa.
It's odd that it popped out. You may have some blow by developing, or it could have just vibrated up and out.
A new freeze plug will tap in with a hammer and probably stay sealed up for years, or a little red/black rtv on the plug and push it back it will fix you up good as new.

Feel free to call or text if you have more questions or want me to walk you through an easy check for excessive blowby.

[syoungs]

Assuming it’s newer than 1995 it’s the plug where the old school mechanical fuel pump used to be. It popped out for a reason. Really high crankcase pressure maybe. Possible internal engine issue. They don’t just pop out.

Engine is a 1996 international t444e that has been outfitted with the 99 turbo/intake etc.
The more I think about it, the more a serious case of crankcase pressure may be at fault here. It was a tight fit putting it together 5 years ago. I can't remember how the 7.3's regulated crankcase pressure to start to tell how to diagnose.

[ridgefire]

Thanks for the replies.

[syoungs]

Thanks for the replies.

Google "ccv filter 7.3", give ya a jumping off point to start fixing I bet.

[dyhardhuntr]

I would put the plug back in and do a simple blow by test. Take the oil fill cap off and flip it upside down. If it blows off or can hover above the fill you have excessive blow by( which could be a broken piston ring allowing compression into the crankcase). Diesel engines will produce a little anyway. Any white smoke issues or oil consumption? I would assume the 885 on the plug could be the diameter of it(.885”). Good luck. Hopefully it just rattled loose. You can buy loctite sleeve retainer for the plug after you’ve figured out what’s going on. It’ll never come back out. Lol


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[ridgefire]

No smoke and very minimal oil consumtion. I will have to try the oil cap trick once I get a replacement plug. Thanks.

[LDennis24]

Seems like I recall this freeze plug being removed for adding a T4 Turbo upgrade of some sort. I can't remember what it did to the turbo setup but remember hearing talk of removing it for something. For an oil return of some sort maybe?

[ridgefire]

I found the plug and put it back in and then took the oil cap off like recommended and very minimal to no hovering. I think I'm gonna just epoxy it in place and see if that works. I found a 3/4" marking on the plug as well.

[follow maggie]

I’d suggest a loctite type product instead. Most epoxies don’t like high heat, especially for long sustained times.