Question about bending brach-tubes

Mekanik · August 1, 2008

We have a 2005 F350 in the shop with a blown apart STC fitting that cracked the rear engine cover. (I'm not the tech working on it). The question is would you bend the branch tube back into position and just replace the broken rear cover.

Now I know we have touched on bending branch tubes a while ago and I think some of the International guys said that International condones bending the tube. I personally have bent several branch tubes without any problems. I have had some that leave a mark on the rear cover, but I have never had one that broke the cover.

My personal opinion is to replace the branch-tube because your pretty close to it with the rear cover off and you are replacing the rear engone cover anyway. There are some techs here that suggest bending it. What does everyone think?

ktmlew · August 1, 2008

I would replace it...as you said you are 70% of the way there with the rear cover off right?

Shlep · August 1, 2008

If it's broke the cover I'd be changing it, I've only had one that bad and I didn't want to risk it so I replaced it and the cover.

mchan68 · August 2, 2008

I would be replacing it, if it were pushed out far enough to damage the rear cover.

DamageINC · August 2, 2008

I always feel iffy about bending them but I won't even consider it if the rear cover is trashed. Those little braze-sections are so finnicky, the odds of it coming back are pretty good I'd think.

Dave

GregKneupper · August 2, 2008

I have had 2 that had broken the rear cover. One of them I put a branch tube in. The other one I bent back and it has never been back. Customer still brings his truck in for maintenance and it is still going. That was about 1 year ago that I had replaced it.

eastendpowerstroke · August 2, 2008

If you have the cover off to replace it you can bend the branch tube back and the test it with a rubber tipped air blow gun. it will be easy to see all around it since the cover is off.

I'm with Greg I've personally only replaced one branch tube I thought the job SUCKED so I took to the bend and air test method. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/hammer2.gif

so far I guess I'm up to 15-20 stc fittings and "adjusted branch tubes" no returns. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/shrug.gif

Tony302600 · August 2, 2008

We've done 4 so far that broke through the rear cover, bent em back and ok....come to find out that international says its ok to bend the branch tube back, but hotline says u better replace it.

Why would u want to change the branch tube /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/icon_crazy.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/puke.gif

GregKneupper · August 2, 2008

That's what I am saying. These branch tubes suck to replace. I cant even count how many stc fittings that I have done that bent the shit out of the tube. Almost everyone I do has witness marks on the rear engine cover. I have been doing almost 3 fittings a week for years and have only had to replace one branch tube. I always put air to them, and if they are not leaking they do not get replaced. I have never had one come back on me with a cracked branch tube.

Keith Browning · August 2, 2008

Isn't Ford's new credo "if it ain't broke we ain't paying to replace it?" I have always bent them back, also without further issues. I have also been fortunate that I have yet to see a branch tube failure in my shop. Ever! (knocks very hard on his desk) /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/whistle.gif

Brad Clayton · August 2, 2008

I don't see what the big deal is, those branch tubes are easy.....provided the engine is on a stand and your puttin heads on it. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cover.gif

Tony302600 · August 2, 2008

Isn't Ford's new credo "if it ain't broke we ain't paying to replace it?" I have always bent them back, also without further issues. I have also been fortunate that I have yet to see a branch tube failure in my shop. Ever! (knocks very hard on his desk) /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/whistle.gif

+1 thats a urban myth...along with e-series needing head gaskets /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/icon_crazy.gif

Jim Warman · August 3, 2008

From TSB 08-09-09 "NOTE: NOTICE BRANCH TUBE ADAPTER TO BRANCH TUBE HOLE MISALIGNMENT IN MOST CASES THERE IS ENOUGH CLEARANCE IN THE BRANCH TUBE ASSEMBLY AND HIGH-PRESSURE OIL PUMP ASSEMBLY FOR PROPER HOLE ALIGNMENT. IF UNABLE TO ALIGN HOLES THE BRANCH TUBE ASSEMBLY WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED. (FIGURE 11)"

The only leaking branch tubes I ever encountered weren't bent (not as I could notice, anyway)... I have encountered some that have rubbed into the back cover.... and bent them back.... with no after-effects.... (Insert sound of rolling dice here).

eastendpowerstroke · August 3, 2008

I don't see what the big deal is, those branch tubes are easy.....provided the engine is on a stand and your puttin heads on it. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cover.gif

IF IF IF ........ If the queen had balls she'd be the king

Jim Warman · August 3, 2008

The queen has balls.... and he has his own show on homo garden tv..

Mekanik · August 4, 2008

Thanks for all the replies. The tube actually got bent and leak tested on Friday. It seems to be ok. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/thumbup.gif

DamageINC · August 5, 2008

+1 thats a urban myth...along with e-series needing head gaskets /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/icon_crazy.gif

Actually Tony, I have a pretty heavily loaded 05 E-350 6.0 coming in that I looked at last week, degas bottle venting under load but doesn't loko ilke an EGR cooler concern... yikes. P0299 and EGR codes too, nasty compressor surge after accel.. looking like the turbo might have stuck full-tilt and corned the head gaskets.

Still waaaaay too early to determine for sure but this will certainly be the first time I've ever seen blown heads on a 6.0 E-series if that's actually what it turns out to be.

Not to hijack the thread...

I still don't wanna bend 'em back if they've busted the cover.

Dave

Tony302600 · August 5, 2008

Like i said...e-van headgaskets are a urban myth. They have less power then the f-series so that is proof that the bolts probably wont stretch.

Remember, hotline said headgaskets don't fail....the headbolts stretch causing the heads to lift.

A turbo overboosting will cause degas bottle overflow, thats in the tsb procedure.

I have had more bad degas bottle sealing surfaces and failed caps then actual head gasket failures. I've actually fixed 3 that just needed a degas bottle and cap.

International is the company that designed the truck, if they say it's ok to bend the branch tube, then F- ford. have you tried to bend a branch tube it's pretty fuckin hard....we bent one pretty badly and it still held