Arguably one of the most complex parts on a 7.3. Just about everything runs through the front timing cover or heavily relies on it doing its job correctly. The OE front cover has done its job amazingly well, but it’s been over 30 years since it was implemented, and the weak points are starting to emerge. Let’s look at those issues first, before we look into the scarcity of new front covers, which is a bigger issue. Long-term usage wear isn’t a problem until you can’t get ahold of a new part anymore.

Water Pump Cavitation
To explain why water pump cavitation is an issue, we first need to discuss what cavitation is. Something that’s very common (and problematic) on boats due to the high pressures the propellers create, is cavitation. Propellers create a ton of pressure on one side to move water, and therefore, negative pressure on the other side. Cavitation occurs due to that negative pressure. Large amounts of negative pressure creates bubbles, and when those bubbles collapse, it creates small craters in the metal near it. Get enough of those craters, and the metal becomes so weak it’ll leak and possibly crack. This happens in water pumps for just about any vehicle, and the negative pressure not only exists on the back of the impeller, it exists in other areas of the pump or what the pump is mounted to. On the 7.3, this cavitation eats away at the front cover and, over time, causes leaks and even cracks in the cover. At times they just send coolant down the front of the engine onto the floor of your garage, but can also send coolant into the crankcase, contaminating the oil and everything the oil touches.

Cover Cracks
Cavitation causes a bunch of holes that can turn into cracks, but they happen in other areas too. Using the wrong gasket style on the HPOP reservoir is extremely common and can cause cracking. There’s a different one for 1994-1999 vs the later engines. If the wrong gasket is used, when torquing down the reservoir bolts, the timing cover commonly cracks causing oil leaks. Plus, it’s just a dainty part when not treated correctly. HPOP mounting tabs can easily strip out when over torqued. Threads strip out often in just about all other areas too. Fouled bolt holes (with silicone usually) cause cracks. Improperly installed LPOPs cause irreparable damage to the front cover, and the list of possibilities is endless. Even using the wrong type of coolant will degrade the cover at a quicker rate.

Scarcity Of Good Replacements
Originally installed front covers are getting to the point where most have an average of over 400,000 miles on them. Buying one used is still possible, but used is always a gamble. Keep in mind that the engine needs to be pulled out of the frame to correctly replace the front cover. And more often than not, you won’t know if there's a problem with the new-to-you, used cover until the engine is reinstalled and started up. Quality parts here can save a day or more of labor.
New parts. Ford has just recently made the front cover obsolete and dropped them from production permanently. A few dealers have some left in stock, so acquisition is not unheard of, it's just getting difficult. Aftermarket solutions from companies like Dorman are an option, but they’re hit or miss at best. The quality isn’t always there. The only real fix for this issue in our minds, was to engineer a completely new part.

The Riffraff Diesel Billet Engine Front Cover
Outside looking AMAZING, our 6061-T6 billet aluminum front cover for the 1994-2003 Powerstroke is engineered stronger, has upgrades to the OE design, and features optimized oil and coolant flow passages.
100% made in the USA, we start with a solid block of high-quality 6061-T6 aluminum and machine it to the necessary dimensions. Utilizing one-piece billet aluminum construction increases overall strength and rigidity significantly, and the use of stainless steel recoil inserts for each bolt hole optimizes clamping and sealing strength while all but eliminating stripped bolt issues. The newer versions (2000-2003) of the OE front cover featured a new screen filter equipped gasket, while the older versions did not. We’ve made sure to include the provision for this upgraded filter-equipped gasket in all years of our covers. This allows the HPOP to see a supply of clean oil, reducing oil contamination-related failures to injectors, IPR valves, and more.
Each Riffraff Diesel Billet Engine Front Cover comes available in your choice of several different anodized colors. Reduced possibility of failure over a used or aftermarket cast cover, increased oil and coolant flow, increased strength, and increased filtration. All in a massive improvement over the OE design in both reliability and curb appeal, and it's available now.

Check It Out:

Riffraff Diesel Billet Engine Front Cover

***Disclaimer: The information provided on this blog is for informational purposes only. We share our knowledge and experience, but we are not liable for any damages, injuries, or losses that may occur as a result of using this information. Situations are rarely cut and dry in the automotive world. Your situation will likely be somewhat different than what we describe here.  Use your best judgment and always consult a qualified professional for automotive repairs and modifications. Your safety is your responsibility.