3406B 7FB inframe overhaul average cost.

Update; Got the old 3406B purring yesterday finally, after waiting a week this time for the "next new head" to arrive. The first one came in 3 days, this one was a solid week.

While awaiting the head and gasket set, push rod and new valve bridge...I decided last Saturday to yank the rears out and drop 2 new ones in that I had for 3 months and never got the downtime to put them in. We swapped out the old DS 380's @ 4:33 ratio. Put newer Eaton DS 402's in @ 3:90 ratio. Of course the old rears were course spline shafts, so another grand for 3 new fine spline yokes. And that was another conundrum, the driveline specialists that boast of the biggest inventory around only had ONE yoke, and sent me to Fleetpride to get the other two.

They didn't have them either, so had them over-nighted to there, and drove down the next day an hour each way to get the new ones. The sales guy swore he looked at them already and they were right, being he's the "pro", I let that one slide by and never looked at them. Got home and put the rear rear yoke on no problem. Went to put the forward output one on...too big. Another day, another half a morning of phone calls and locating a yoke. Got that all buttoned up finally yesterday just before we fired the engine off. I called Fleetpride to inform them I ain't impressed and I will be getting my $200.00 back for that yoke in some way shape or form. They seemed to think I will, but not without a little fight. The sales guy said the yoke was "beat up" with a hammer. He's an idiot. It was sloppy on the output shaft to begin with, so no hammering was needed there. You can't get good help anymore I'm telling you.


All sounds good this time, went past the 5 minute mark and didn't start rapping, so I think I'm safe.

The new head proves something to me, that no two castings are the same. Certain things are different, such as the thermostat housing passage hole. This one is better finished than the one that was defective. That other one had a hole that looked like somebody cut it with a Sawzall. This one is more quality machined work. The aftercooler side, or intake, the ports are a little thicker casting, because the same bolts I took out are a little too short now, so I had to put 1/2" longer bolts in this one. Little details like that show up when you start investigating.

Tomorrow morning, I'll finish up all the details with some zip ties, etc. Should be good for a few years now hopefully.

 

Official first day back in action, Thursday 4-18-19. Moved a 25 ton caboose car from Hinsdale to Canterbury, NH. Hired Coady's Towing to do the lifting.

Engine is running and sounding delicious. Not one oil leak anywhere either which amazed me even though I tried hard to make it that way. Used aviation sealant on the steel gasket under the spacer plate to keep that from seeping.

Short clips of me working it Thursday.