What is this plug on 7.3L?

[jackelope]

It’s not supposed to need any sort of anything holding it in place, loctite or epoxy. It popped out for a reason.

[LDennis24]

It’s not supposed to need any sort of anything holding it in place, loctite or epoxy. It popped out for a reason.

 

I definitely would figure out what's going on with it and not just put it back, or glue it! The 7.3l deserves more than that! 

[Boss .300 winmag]

JB weld it in and trade it off for a Ram.👍

[syoungs]

Green loctite sleeve compound is what I would use, not sure why I didn't use it there in the first place honestly. Had a open tube of it on the bench when I did the injector cups 

[jackelope]

If you think of that plug as a fuse, and it popped out because something made it pop out(excessive crankcase pressure), why would you want to use anything to glue it in or epoxy it in place? What happens if there is a problem inside the engine causing that to push it's way out, and now it's loctite'd in place, what's going to break next when that plug won't push out?
 

[Timberstalker]

Fix Or Repair Daily

[ridgefire]

How much pressure is there? I was able to put the plug in with my finger. I have replaced freeze plugs before and I had to use a hammer and socket to get it to seat.

[jackelope]

How much pressure is there? I was able to put the plug in with my finger. I have replaced freeze plugs before and I had to use a hammer and socket to get it to seat.

I don't think there should be any pressure pushing out. If I was going to try something, I might get a new plug and put that in the way you're supposed to and see what happens. I definitely wouldn't use any kind of loctite or other adhesive just in case there is something wrong with the engine. If it does have excessive blow-by, it's probably too late anyway I guess.

[ridgefire]

Do you think there should be enough pressure to blow oil out of the hole? I will buy a new plug to see if it fits in a little more snug. Thanks for all the replies.

[Skillet]

How much pressure is there? I was able to put the plug in with my finger. I have replaced freeze plugs before and I had to use a hammer and socket to get it to seat.

I don't think there should be any pressure pushing out. If I was going to try something, I might get a new plug and put that in the way you're supposed to and see what happens. I definitely wouldn't use any kind of loctite or other adhesive just in case there is something wrong with the engine. If it does have excessive blow-by, it's probably too late anyway I guess.

Could be boost getting by the pressure-side bearing, through the drain-back tube and into the crankcase.  That would mean lots of oil in the intake tract under no-boost situations, though.  And a remaining turbo life measured in hours, not days.

Just a thought, but that could be a non-catastrophic reason why the plug popped out and isn't showing a lot of blowby at idle.  If that's the case, I'd not be cementing that plug in and getting a new turbo pronto.

 

[jackelope]

I asked my lead diesel tech what he thought. He’s been a Ford diesel tech for 20 years and works on anything from the old 7.3’s to the new 6.7’s.  Obviously tough to diagnose stuff over the internet.

[Dan-o]

No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[NRA4LIFE]

Just weld it back in and pray.

[deerlick]

It would blow out a valve cover gasket or crank seal before it would evee blow that plug if it was excessive crankcase pressure. Most likely plug has been removed and reinstalled at some point and no longer fits correctly. Get a new plug installed in that hole.

[syoungs]

It would blow out a valve cover gasket or crank seal before it would evee blow that plug if it was excessive crankcase pressure. Most likely plug has been removed and reinstalled at some point and no longer fits correctly. Get a new plug installed in that hole.

Plug has been removed and reinstalled years ago.
I dont think it's a burned piston, the engine that this one replaced burned a piston, and the blow by was atrocious at idle.