Okay... So I've got a 1989 F350 7.3 IDI that won't start.
It's been sitting about two years.

So far, I've replaced:
-The fuel filter (Filled it with Diesel before spinning the new one on.)
-The glow plugs (All eight were shot... No wonder the glow plug controller was clicking all the time.)
-All eight injectors (With return line caps, o-rings, etc.)
-The injection pump

I've got fuel out the schrader valve on the filter when I crank.
I've got fuel to the input of the injection pump.
I've got fuel out the return line on top of the injection pump.

I've tried soaking a rag in Diesel and laying it on top of the screen. Nothing there. Interestingly, it'll suck down through most of the cranking, but sometimes there'll be a "POP" noise and it'll jump up as if it's backfiring.

I've tried disconnecting the glow plugs and giving it a shot of ether.
It sometimes tries to start.



I've been following the 20 sec crank, 5 minutes cool down rule. I can do this a few times before it won't even crank for 20 sec. They're good Interstate batteries, only a few years old.

Truck's sitting in the middle of a parking lot in an industrial area. I don't have access to a battery charger, but I have been jumping it off the pair of Group 31's in my Cummins.



I'm gonna get a buddy and a chain and see if I can tow the thing to start. Other than that, I'm not sure what to do.

 

Well it might be turning over too slow especially if the batteries are dead but bad connections don't help either

 

Using ether it should start, it would have to be barely turning over period and below freezing.

After mine set for a few years it was a real bearcat to get going agian. In the end we resorted to dumping gas/diesel down the intake to see if the thing would even run. I wouldnt really suggest this lol.

Try loosening injector lines 1 at a time until you have fuel at all of em. disconnect GPs and get liberal with the ether.

 

Does sound like cranking too slow. After all this work why not install a inexpensive 12v fuel pump in line and crack all 8 inj. lines? top off batteries and crank. I have one on the '89 and used it like that when I changed the IP.

 

Did you crack open the fuel lines at the injectors? if you did'nt then do all 8 until you see fuel there then close them and you should be running, NO ON THE ETHER

 

mine hadnt started for 10 years, we had everything right except had a small pop through the inlet. Turned out the lifters had bled down and werent opening the valves enough. we had to prime the oll pump. we did this by feeding oil through the oil pressure sender orifice( hehe "orifice") had a small hand pump and pumped oil down there, and when we found we could suck it back up with the pump, we knew we were primed. Started first go after doing this. Previousley we had been cranking for half a day with no result.
Hope this helps.

 

Did you check the fuel solenoid ?if its bad or unhooked you get no fuel from ip to injectors it is to the left of ip wire runs from ip to it to power source

 

New ground cables. Positive battery cable looks to be good.

Which one is it?

Yes or no on ether?

Excellent. This covers new territory. I'll try this.

Solenoid is getting power and it is moving. I can hear it click when I apply power.

If I am standing in front of the truck, facing the engine, there are two terminals on the driver's side of the Injection pump.
There is also one solenoid on the passenger side of the pump that kicks the throttle lever back about half an inch.

All three are getting power when I have the key on. Otherwise, when I was testing, I applied +12 volts to the two terminals to the driver's side.

 

I unhooked mine by accident and spent all day yesterday cranking on the truck thinking i had air in the line but had somehow unhooked it while changing a injector line now just have to find where it went lol

 

Did you take the top cover off with the gear when you changed the IP?

 

What is the voltage at the batteries prior to starting? I had hard cranking when my voltage regulator went out, and my alternator was either not charging the batteries or over charging the batteries. I thought I had a fuel starvation/flow problem, because the engine would slowly turn over, but not fire up. Eventually, I'd crank the engine so long, the batteries would die. My voltage at the batteries prior to start was something like 11.7V. It'd turn over the engine, but not fire up at that voltage. Also, I had a bunch of weird electrical symptoms around the time my regulator died, that I only figured out in hindsight (like your controller clicking all the time, some gauges acting weird, etc.)

 

No. I took the little cover off the front. There's three bolts that hold the Injection Pump to its timing gear.

Pulled the old one and put in the new one by lining up the keyway and not moving the gear. That way I didn't mess up the timing.

It's just a bit above 12 while cranking.
During cranking I didn't take a measurement, but I did test the batteries before I put them in the truck.

I'm also using the pair of Group 31 (Commercial) batteries in my Cummins to crank. I've got TWO PAIRS of jumper cables hooked up for maximum amps.

 

Stubborn ones I've used two trucks, with cables to each of the batteries. The passenger side battery is the one you want the best 'boost' hooked to, as the driver's side battery feeds through it anyway enroute to the starter.

Sounds to me like you still aren't getting enough boost/juice. 'Few year old' batteries are usually what I toss out of my trucks. 3-4 years is about the best I get for lifespan.

 

The other day I was looking at and eventually picking up a 7.3 that has sat for at least 8 months... Batteries were dead it took my 6.9 and a commercial grade jump box that has the 24 volt option to be able to crank it fast enough to start in my opinion take the batteries out take them to your local auto parts store tell them you want them deep charged (which means they will put them on trickle charge) have them test them! Then go from there if the batteries in the idi are junk they will pull a lot of the jump juice away from the jumper cables, and if you are using a cummins to jump start (24 volt system) if your not carefully it will fry your starter! Also the starter can be partially bad from sitting.. Being bad it might still turn but not fast enough to start it but I would try batteries and the oil tip first!

 

The Cummins is a 12 volt system, just like the Ford.

If the starter is bad, then I'm definitely going to try pulling the truck to start it.