Glow plug Conundrum
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 1,347
Likes: 0
From: Eagle Mountian, Utah
Look for your build date in the top left cornor of the vin sticker in the drivers side door jam. My truck is a early 04 and says 8/03. My ICP is below the turbo on the drivers side and has the blue 03 sticker on the pass side valve cover. However it has been pretty reliable other then 1 injector and some hard use by the original owner. You have a early 04 imo.
Junior User
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 69
Likes: 0
He definitely must have an 04.
Don't let the ICP being under the turbo fool you.
04's
Have 2 different ICP part numbers
Have 2 different injector part numbers
Have 2 different glow plug part numbers.
The magic is all in the serial number of the 6.0 as to what parts it takes, hence my other thread asking where to find it. The engine build date of 9/22/03 is also the change over indicator.
Don't let the ICP being under the turbo fool you.
04's
Have 2 different ICP part numbers
Have 2 different injector part numbers
Have 2 different glow plug part numbers.
The magic is all in the serial number of the 6.0 as to what parts it takes, hence my other thread asking where to find it. The engine build date of 9/22/03 is also the change over indicator.
Junior User
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 69
Likes: 0
I can definitely see a dealer having issues with an 04.
I called a dealer today about an injector. Told him the model year 04, truck build date 8/03, & 2003 model engine.
He asked for the last 8 digits of vin.
Then he told me that he could not tell what injector my truck takes because I need to give him the engine serial number that the vin number was not telling him anything.
unrealo4,
our trucks must have came off the line back to back. mine has had only one injector & the icp replaced.
I called a dealer today about an injector. Told him the model year 04, truck build date 8/03, & 2003 model engine.
He asked for the last 8 digits of vin.
Then he told me that he could not tell what injector my truck takes because I need to give him the engine serial number that the vin number was not telling him anything.
unrealo4,
our trucks must have came off the line back to back. mine has had only one injector & the icp replaced.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 1,347
Likes: 0
From: Eagle Mountian, Utah
He definitely must have an 04.
Don't let the ICP being under the turbo fool you.
04's
Have 2 different ICP part numbers
Have 2 different injector part numbers
Have 2 different glow plug part numbers.
The magic is all in the serial number of the 6.0 as to what parts it takes, hence my other thread asking where to find it. The engine build date of 9/22/03 is also the change over indicator.
Don't let the ICP being under the turbo fool you.
04's
Have 2 different ICP part numbers
Have 2 different injector part numbers
Have 2 different glow plug part numbers.
The magic is all in the serial number of the 6.0 as to what parts it takes, hence my other thread asking where to find it. The engine build date of 9/22/03 is also the change over indicator.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 1,347
Likes: 0
From: Eagle Mountian, Utah
I actually think this is more like a updated part. Like the ICP sensors both work fine. Just one lasts longer and won't leak oil.
Bottom line is glow plugs don't cause HG failure period!
Bottom line is glow plugs don't cause HG failure period!
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 6,757
Likes: 5
From: Corvallis, OR
The glow plugs in question are two different lengths though. The piston bowl was changed, which required the use of shorter glow plugs to prevent interference problems. If the early longer glow plugs were installed in an engine with the later pistons, you would bend/break the glow plugs, which is what it sounds like happened.
Junior User
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 69
Likes: 0
So simple for us but yet the parts guy at the dealer I called today couldn't figure out what injector I needed. If it told him that my truck was an 04 model with a 8/03 build date how could I possibly need an injector that wasn't used till a design change on 9/22/03, a month later.
In my post above, I meant 04 model truck year, not engine 04.
In my post above, I meant 04 model truck year, not engine 04.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 5,241
Likes: 3
From: Other side of the sunrise
Who knows. The force of the piston pushing on the glow plug until it bent could have distorted the head, especially since it would occur during combustion. Also, the fact that they made that mistake makes me question the quality of their work, so I would definitely go after them for liability.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 400
Likes: 0
From: Canada
That's what I was thinking. Why else would the heads blow three times in three years. My turbo has never overboosted I watch it on my Insight. I would max out at 28 psi and only at WOT. My money is on the glow plugs causing it somehow, literally $$$$.
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,441
Likes: 5
Is this possible, for the collision of the piston to glow plugs, to cause the aluminum head to be distorted, or flex up enough to cause the gasket to blow? If so, Someone just might owe for a few head gasket replacements and whatever else domino'd over from the mistaken glow plug install... Big bucks.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 6,757
Likes: 5
From: Corvallis, OR
Is this possible, for the collision of the piston to glow plugs, to cause the aluminum head to be distorted, or flex up enough to cause the gasket to blow? If so, Someone just might owe for a few head gasket replacements and whatever else domino'd over from the mistaken glow plug install... Big bucks.
Postmaster
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,201
Likes: 4
From: waynesville, mo.
Did you have the heads milled after the first gasket job? After the second? Third? Milled heads lessened the distance from the deck to the seat of the glow plug. How much was removed in total? Might bring new meaning to ford saying "Do not resurface, scrap."
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,441
Likes: 5
Even if they were milled, most shops are going to take off a max of say .008". You'd have to mill the heads .008" a lot of times to make any difference and even at that you're still only looking at a broken GP not a head problem your real problem at that point would be valve clearance.