Ok, could the recent hard starts and now no response to turning the ignition switch be H2O in the fuel pump or cylinder? At first I assumed this was a battery/electrical problem, I am starting to think this may not be the problem now. The water in fuel light stays on now. I drained the fuel filter for a long time, it seemed to be pouring just diesel. If it is water in a cylinder, what do I do? Basically it used to start super easy, first crank, under 5 seconds. Then one day it needed 3 cranks, the first two sounded slow like a bad battery, and then it would turn over on the 3rd crank every time. Then one day, nothing, no slow crank, nothing. This is how it sits today, even after 2 new batteries, new voltage regulator, new solonoid, and a removed/tested/replaced starter. I go to crank it today, and let the coils heat, wait to start light turns off, water in fuel light stays on, and nothing upon attempted ignition. I turn the key back, wait 20-30 seconds, and nothing again. This truck ran super-fine prior to this. I drove it over 850 miles the day I bought it over a year ago. It started easy in winter when plugged in. Even the day before no ignition it only blew a tiny puff of smoke when started. I need some superior advice on this. Someone out there must have delt with this symptom before. Where the recent slow starts a product of water in the fuel filter? Will it not even attempt to start now because of water in the engine or a cylinder? If so, what do I do? Thanks in advance. I sincerely appreciate all the suggestions, and usually do what you guys tell me to do.

 

I would pull the glow plugs and see if any water comes out when and if it turns over. If it does pull that head to determine if it is the gasket or cylinder wall pin hole. Moe

 

Pull all the glow plugs out, have someone stand out in front of the engine and watch for water coming out of one of the glow plug holes.
They need to be in front of the grill, not by either fender and should have safety glasses on.
If it does shoot water out of one of the holes you have found your problem which will be one of the following; cracked block, cracked head, blown head gasket or cavitated cylinder wall.

If it has water in a cylinder it will not crank because you can not compress water.

Generally if you have water in a cylinder, it starts to crank till that piston gets to the compression stroke. Then it stops as soon as the piston is on the way up and the valves are closed. If it has turned over enough to be up to cranking speed, you can bend a connecting rod from the sudden stop when the piston hits the water against the head.

The water in fuel light has nothing to do with the no crank problem. I was reading a post about corosion causing the light to stay on a while back.

I still think your problem is something else. But you might as well be thorough in your checks.

If it does not turn over by the starter when you have the glow plugs out, get a breaker bar and a socket (15/16 ths as I remember) and try to turn the engine by hand. Put the socket on the crankshaft bolt in the bottom pulley. It should not turn over to hard with the glow plugs out.

 

Are you sure the starter is even trying to engage? How was the starter tested; just for operation without a load? Which solenoid was replaced? I am asking this because it sounds like the starter was just getting progressively worse, and finally quit. With water in a cylinder, it should have turned over at least until the piston compressed the air over the water. Going on the symptoms as you described them, I would guess bad starter. Before pulling it though, I would check the cables going to it for tightness/corrosion, etc.

 

There is no sensor on the filter as I am aware, look between the brake booster and the fender, there is a collector there that has wires going into the top, and a pull ring to release the water. The water in fuel sensor is in there, not the filter.

 

The 89 had the water sensor in the fuel filter housing lower cup. You may have a bad starter, water in a cylinder - either by head gasket failure, cracked head, cracked block or cavitation erosion. Remove the radiator cap and take a peek in there and see if there is water to the top. Also, r;emove the oil filler cap and see if there is moisture mixing with the oil - looks slimy. You could also remove the injectors from each cylinder, instead of the glow plugs and that will allow more volume of water to escape if there is water in the cylinder. Just be careful when you crank it, the water will come out in a hurry (if that is the problem). Get back with your findings.