A buddy of mine has a 90ish f250 with the non turbo 7.3 in it. It is extremely difficult to get it fired up. Once started it runs great and doesn't smoke a bit. We changed the plugs and checked voltage to them, they all have 12 volts to them. He replaced the lift pump also. It still won't start. He's not very mechanical and I've never been around these engines so I don't know any of the common problems with them. I think it has around 175k miles, and I assume original pump and injectors. I need some ideas. Thanks.

 

First things first... easy to hard:

1. Injector return line kit. Get a good one with viton o-rings, and the little black "olive" o-rings for the fuel filter head and rear of the injection pump
2. Check fuel tank switching valve for movement and in proper working order
3. New injectors and injection pump SHOULD be changed out. Not HAVE to, but should. Their general life expectancy is somewhere in the range of 100k-120k miles.

There may be other fixes, but the return line is definitely where I would start first.

On a side note, what glow plugs are in it? Should only be using Motorcraft/Beru ZD-9 plugs. Any others are not trusted by the IDI community.

 

Ok thanks, I'll tell him to get the return line kit and o rings. I think he used autolite plugs, he's kind of a tight wad ha.

 

Tell him to change those things out, immediately. They're some of the worst offenders when it comes to burning out; when they burn out, they swell up and get stuck in the head. Then the only way to get them out is break them off and hope for the best (obviously not recommended), or pull the head off. There are other ways, but extremely time consuming. Motorcraft plugs will run you $80 or so.

And don't get an eBay return line kit and expect it to work right. If you can get a hold of user TypeFour, he can hook you up with the right stuff.

 

Awesome, it's wonderful how the cheap junk always comes back and bites you hard ha.

 

That's what the cheap crap is good for. Crap in = crap out. Quality in = quality out. You get what you pay for.

 

the newer type gp controller requires the zd9 gp's as the controller see's the temp of the gp's buy reading the ohm's of resistance of collective gp's hard starting could be that the controller has failed or is not getting power. investigate the gp controller

 

Something silly you could check, clean the battery terminals, and starter wiring terminals. It may sound like it's cranking fine, but isn't cranking fast enough to actually start fine.

 

Hey guys, I have a 7.3 idi non turbo, and i was wondering about the fuel return line that goes behind the engine. Where does it go? Does it just connect back around to the other side, or does it go somewhere else as well? Thanks guys!

 

The one from the right side crosses over and tees into the left hand rail right before the tank return hose

 

You mean the hard line? Or a soft line? If it's a soft line, it goes back into the return system. If it's the hard line, that's the actual return line back to the tank.

 

Ok thanks guys, I appreciate the help!