????? RE: 1992 Int'l 4600

[redcheetah]

I looked at an 1992 International 4600 today with about 135k on a 7.3. It has the 5 speed with the 2 speed rear. Are these engines reliable in the long run?

I am pretty sure this is the NA version. Does anyone have torque rating for this application? Is it feasible to get more power for this truck easily?

I will just be pulling a small Jeep trailer so I do not need a real powerhouse but has anyone towed with one of these trucks? How do they pull? I know they are a bit underpowered but does the gearing make up for it?

One other thing I noticed is a bit of white smoke for the first few minutes after the initial start up. The smoke then vanished even after subsequent starts. Is this something I should be concerned with? The injectors were just replaced BTW.

I was in a hurry today when I saw it so I didn't have a real chance to crawl all over it but I wanted to get some background info to see if it is worth going back to see the guy.

Thanks for any input.

[Ford LT-9000]

I would stay away from it if you want a International truck try find one with the DT466 a reliable engine and cheap to fix.

[T Red]

I agree with LT-9000.

IMO that is not enough engine for that size truck. You might get some more power, but it will shorten the life of the engine.

The DT466 is a much better choice. Very though and reliable. Probably my favorite engine under 275hp. Although I believe 275hp is pushing the limits of that engine.


Tim

[Steve Frazier]

That engine is good for 200 to 250k, then it's junk. It will do the job but you'll have to work harder to haul a load. Unless the price is too good to walk away from, I'd look for the 466 too.

[Orchard Ex]

I recently sold a '96 4700 with the T444E and a 4 speed auto. It was factory set to 175 HP. It was really slow off the line, even empty. I bumped up the HP with an Edge EZ that I bought on Ebay. It made a big difference in living with the truck. Empty it was fairly livable and loaded it was slow, but not embarrassing. I pulled a 5 ton trailer with it and again it was slow, but not I wasn't getting flipped off or anything. A 5+2 spd would have been a lot better at holding speed on hills etc. The 444 isn't a popular "truck" motor but International put thousands of them in school buses. If you don't flog them to death they seem to hold up OK. I never had motor trouble but I did have computer problems. They did have a rep for eating water pumps as I recall, but I didn't have that problem either.

[Ford LT-9000]

The same engine is used in the old Ford P/U trucks its no turbo naturally aspirated diesel probably rated at 170hp maybe 160 the light truck version was 185hp.

The 7.3 IDI and 444E were popular in Schoolbusses as a option to gasoline power. With the newer schoolbusses that have 33,000lb gvws those engines are too light. The new Bluebird visions are running C-7 Cat power.

The 466 mechanical has been around for years usually have a hp rating of 210 they smoke like a SOB but never die. I would also avoid the 5+2 look for a 6 or 7spd or if you are getting a truck on air a 9spd fuller.

[Jeff D.]

Weren't some of the early NA 7.3 also prone too cavitation erosion problems with the cylinders/waterjackets?

My father had one, and at about 180K this erosion ate through the cylinder wall and water started entering the cylinder. It started out as "white smoke" on start-up, but became worse very quickly.

Without removable liners on this engine, this problem is extra expensive. It either requires a different block, or having a sleeve installed in the bad cylinder(and hope the rest are ok). I thought I was told this problem was common on the early models, but could be wrong. If SCA's were added as required this wouldn't be a concern for the "white smoke", although white smoke usually means antifreeze in the combustion chamber. Not good, no matter how it got there, if so.

[Ford LT-9000]

Yes the IDIs were prone to cavitation if your engine gets it your sleeving the engine. The 7.3 IDIs are pretty well a throw away engine.

For schoolbusses a 7.3 IDI prolly did fine unless the busses run in areas with steep hills and fat kids.

I'am pretty sure the medium duty trucks the 7.3 was governed so it wouldn't over rev so that really cuts back on the speed.