I recently purchased an 87 F-250, 6.9idi, 4x4, ZF5 speed, 3.55 gears. However it is hard to start, in part to a couple bad glow plugs but its also about 60 degrees. I installed a manual glow plug solenoid so I control them completely. On startup it puts out quite a bit of white smoke. Once started it has trouble staying running until warmed up and if revved and let off the throttle completely it dies then starts right back up. After warmed up I have to give it throttle and let the clutch out slow to get it moving even in 1st.

Will diesel kleen or other product clear this up or do I need a new pump and injectors?

 

Well diesel kleen will definitely help, white smoke while trying to start it cold would most definitely be a glow plug issue. Get them replaced with some Motorcraft plugs, don't try to save a few bucks by going cheap on those.. With it wanting to die I would check to see if you have any few leaks and also get them fixed

 

dying on letting up on throttle is stuck or sticking metering valve, how many miles on ip? could also be the power problem. or ip is tu. make certain lift pump is working, and fuel filter is not clogged

 

It has 187k miles on it, I'll be getting all new filters, oil, coolant, etc. soon so we'll see. I was just posting to see if people thought it could be cleared by a tune-up or I needed a new pump.

 

I put a new fuel filter and filled it with lucas injector cleaner and let it sit, seemed to help my warm starts. But to get it to start I still have to give it a shot of ether, on startup it smokes less white than before filter change but still smokes a lot especially when cranking.
The truck seems low on power too, could timing be the reason for the hard starts and low power? I don't have funds for a new pump and injectors so some input would be helpful.

 

I'm a new diesel owner and newish member here who's experiencing some of your same problems. After lots of reading and questions to members I jumped into the ATF solution.
First I took out the Autolite GP's (one broke off its tip in the cylinder) and replaced them with ZD's from Ford.
I then dropped he old fuel filter and installed a new one, but filled it with ATF first. I started the rig and once it started running rough (within 5-10 seconds) I shut it down and walked away for two days.
When I attempted to restart, it wouldn't without a very quick shot of lubricated starting fluid. When it fired it ran like absolute crap and I had to feather the throttle continuously while my poor baby belched more white smoke than Castro on a binge! Once all the ATF had cleared and it started running semi normal I took it out for a half hour run, fluctuating my speeds and rpm's. What a difference! She runs smoother, for a diesel, and the annoying "bogging down" upon stepping on the throttle is now gone.
I put in diesel clean with my fill up and that too seems to be helping. I still have delayed starting issues but I believe my fuel return is getting air, so a kit is on the way.
I've been told a bit of white smoke is normal for these IDI's on start up, which I still have when cold, but excessive might mean new injectors in the future?
I'm still very new to this diesel thing, so hopefully some of the fine folks here can get you on your way.
Good luck!
Mick.

 

thanks for the reply, sounds exactly like mine! I know there's hundreds of these hard to start threads but I've got a working (motorcraft) glow plug system, new filter and even when it's running it's a dog. It's worse than our worn out original motor 77 400m pickups that burn oil and overheat, the famous idi torque is non existent I shouldn't have to give it throttle to take off in first with a 4.14 gear ratio!!

 

Bumped the timing a little, seems to have a little more zip. However it still didn't want to start today, cranked and cranked acted like it wanted to start, would rev up just a little but not catch. finally gave up, let the plugs cool, checked for fuel at the Schrader valve, good, then gave it a little shot of ether, started up but very smokey, and had a lot more black smoke than it used to.
Any advice is welcome, I need this vehicle running reliably

 

Plug in the block heater over night, or for three hours, if it fires right up it is a glow plug problem.

 

Clean your Check valve here"s a video hope this helps .

 

I plugged the block heater in for a while, let it get warmed up, and it fired up in the first few revolutions. checked my plugs and all but one of my motorcrafts were burned out. changed my manual set up after talking to a mechanic who owned some 6.9s said they were 6 volt so running it off the battery will burn them up quickly.
Anyway, I changed my setup to ground the relay to the battery, still no glow plugs but the relay clicks like its turning on. I think I'll check the local IH dealer for a glow plug relay next.

 

finally got the plugs figured out. I finally gave up on using the glow plug controller, and the relay I got from O'reileys had the I and S on it which is supposed to be different. So I did some thinking and decided a relay is a relay and gets turned on when power is put to one side and the other is grounded so I removed all wires from the glow plug controller and did this.


blue wire is powered from the switch, white wire goes to the controller mounting plate and is the ground. Ignore the yellow wire, I took it off after I took the photo.


note the I and S which is supposed to be a totally different relay, I don't know how and it appears it's not.


This is how the switch is powered, off of the power window and other key on accessories, of which I have none.



the switch, it lights up so wont be easily left on

 

The (I) terminal may be seperately connected to the (B) terminal; The idea is that if you've got your alternator connected to the other side of the relay along with your ignition(or FSS relay in our case), you turn off the relay and the engine stays running, straight off the alternator. With this sort of relay, you can hook it up between the battery(big terminal), charger/accs(other big terminal) and Ignition(third small terminal), and when you shut it off, the engine dies.

 

What you needed to change out was the glow plug controller on the back side of the block. Even if the relay clicks it doesn't mean its working. I had the same problem and this cured it. You still mitt need a IP and injectors to get all the power back but this would of got you going.

 

I thought maybe the controller was to blame but it is also 80 bucks, not as easy on the budget as a switch and wire.




Anyway here's my question now, I have done quite a bit of research on when the pump is worn out because my performance is still poor. There seems to be no difference from quarter or third throttle to WOT. But this pump doesn't act like its wore out, no excessive white smoke, at WOT I get a little bit of black/gray smoke, however I have a rough idle once in awhile when I start it up after shutting down for a few minutes. I like the torque but F250xlt says it should feel like a 300 I-6 on steroids, compared to my F150 (I know, 1200 pounds lighter but 280K miles and slipping trans) the 300 is on 'roids. Also I was wheeling around in our pastures and had multiple instances of stalling while crawling up hills, rather embarrassing.