Starting issues..
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Freshman User
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 26
Likes: 1
From: Port Salerno
Starting issues..
Hey ya'll I'm new to this forum and my 1986 F-250 6.9L Diesel. I just picked it up 2 days and it ran and drove it home. It sat yesterday, and today I decided to see if I could figgure out why the blinkers weren't working as well as a few other small stuff. So first thing I did was check all of the fuses. Now I'm going to back track here, I did try starting it before and the starter engaged and it turned over.
Back to the fuses, I checked them all and from the cover it seems the PO kinda put in 30s or 20s where some 15s need to be. (not sure how much it matters). But now it won't start. When I turn the key to the ignition turn the oil gauge goes straight to "H" and the engine temperature sensor comes on.
Any help, Thoughts, Ideas??
I'm hoping to have her driving by the end of the week
Any help would be greatly appreciated
Sean
Back to the fuses, I checked them all and from the cover it seems the PO kinda put in 30s or 20s where some 15s need to be. (not sure how much it matters). But now it won't start. When I turn the key to the ignition turn the oil gauge goes straight to "H" and the engine temperature sensor comes on.
Any help, Thoughts, Ideas??
I'm hoping to have her driving by the end of the week
Any help would be greatly appreciated
Sean
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Freshman User
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 26
Likes: 1
From: Port Salerno
Okay so right now im going to call it.. an anomoly.. howwever that term may be spelled.. but either way. I got it to run.. I turned on the key let it sit for 30sec to a min a tried it and it turned over.. with a little bit of starting fluid it was a runnin.. But I dont want it to happen again and I really dont Like the idea of starter fluid.. I'm thinking oil change, filter, fuel filter, air filter, glow plugs, and maybe injectors.. what do you think?
Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,227
Likes: 149
From: Higginsville, MO
whats your wait to start light doing? these engines have glow plugs to preheat the cylinders to ignite the fuel since there are no spark plugs diesel fuel ignites on pressure alone. if the cylinders arn't warm enough the fuel won't ignite. the wait to start light should come on and stay on for about 10-15 seconds during the 1st start of the day.
also the rubber lines on top of the injectors that run between the injectors with little plastic caps. does it look like any of them are leaking? if any of them are leaking fuel you have what is known as air intrusion. air getting into the fuel system will cause all of the fuel in the lines to leak back to the tank. if it goes back to the tank it will crank and crank and not fire. the easiest way to tell this is to take off the fuel filter and see if its full to the top. if it is not you have air intrusion and need to do a return line kit. they run about 60 bucks through autozone but are of good quality (i have one from autozone i used) and about 20 bucks from pensecola diesel but their quality isn't the best with the orings and such i have been told
also the rubber lines on top of the injectors that run between the injectors with little plastic caps. does it look like any of them are leaking? if any of them are leaking fuel you have what is known as air intrusion. air getting into the fuel system will cause all of the fuel in the lines to leak back to the tank. if it goes back to the tank it will crank and crank and not fire. the easiest way to tell this is to take off the fuel filter and see if its full to the top. if it is not you have air intrusion and need to do a return line kit. they run about 60 bucks through autozone but are of good quality (i have one from autozone i used) and about 20 bucks from pensecola diesel but their quality isn't the best with the orings and such i have been told
Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,227
Likes: 149
From: Higginsville, MO
injectors and injector pumps from pensecola are quality though. many people here have bought from them.
from your starter fluid use im going to lean toward glow plugs. use only motorcraft glow plugs in these engines. use of other plugs can cause the plugs to swell in the heads resulting in you having to pull the heads to retireve a piece of metal the size of a pea. otherwise it will destroy your engine from the inside out.
here is a link to the motorcraft ZD1A glow plug you will need for a 6.9
Motorcraft ZD1A - Glow Plug | O'Reilly Auto Parts
there is a controller that regulates how long the glow plugs stay on and weather they come on at all but i don't know what it looks like so i don't want to give you a bad link to one. someone more familiar with the 6.9 glow plug system will have to point you in the right direction for the controller. im a 7.3 guy but i do have limited knowledge of the 6.9
from your starter fluid use im going to lean toward glow plugs. use only motorcraft glow plugs in these engines. use of other plugs can cause the plugs to swell in the heads resulting in you having to pull the heads to retireve a piece of metal the size of a pea. otherwise it will destroy your engine from the inside out.
here is a link to the motorcraft ZD1A glow plug you will need for a 6.9
Motorcraft ZD1A - Glow Plug | O'Reilly Auto Parts
there is a controller that regulates how long the glow plugs stay on and weather they come on at all but i don't know what it looks like so i don't want to give you a bad link to one. someone more familiar with the 6.9 glow plug system will have to point you in the right direction for the controller. im a 7.3 guy but i do have limited knowledge of the 6.9
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Freshman User
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 26
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From: Port Salerno
Well heck man limited or not its more then mine. I just finished a diesel class and IRSC. Which was a more "basic" and I do mean very basic knowledge of diesel and diesel in over the road trucks.. not smaller trucks like the Fseries. and I do appreciate it
Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,227
Likes: 149
From: Higginsville, MO
no problem man thats what im here for..... to learn and to help the new guys learn lol if you need any info on maintenance or anything of that sort this thread
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-7-3-f450.html
has a writeup in it i just did about my maintenance practices. the only thing thats really different between the 6.9 and the 7.3 is the glow plugs and the fuel filters. so if you do read it ignore glow plugs and fuel filters. everything else should be the same as far as maintenance
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-7-3-f450.html
has a writeup in it i just did about my maintenance practices. the only thing thats really different between the 6.9 and the 7.3 is the glow plugs and the fuel filters. so if you do read it ignore glow plugs and fuel filters. everything else should be the same as far as maintenance
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 373
Likes: 1
Check this thread it will tell you all you need to know about the glow plug system:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...old-style.html
If yours is stock it is the old style system they are both described in stickies at the top of the forum
ps welcome to FTE forum
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...old-style.html
If yours is stock it is the old style system they are both described in stickies at the top of the forum
ps welcome to FTE forum
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 4,411
Likes: 4
From: Victor, MT
well....the 6.9l and the 7.3 are not much different. But he is right about the Glow Plugs, the old style controller isnt all that great, I went to a manual push button system. The old style should flash the wait to start light for 10-15 seconds depending on the weather. And then the truck should start, you will hear clicking after you start the engine because the GPs and controller are doing an afterburn. I've learned pretty much all the maintenence on these 6.9ls if you got a question feel free to shoot me a PM(personal Message)
btw, welcome to FTE. All of us here in the "retired" IDI diesel motors are really friendly and dont bite lol.
btw, welcome to FTE. All of us here in the "retired" IDI diesel motors are really friendly and dont bite lol.
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Freshman User
Joined: Apr 2011
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From: Port Salerno
Yeah I'm on here and JF (Jeep Forum) for an '85 CJ7 I was trying to restore but with funds and all.. probably parting out soon. But what would be the advantage of a manual glow plug system would be the best word I come up with? And how would I go about converting? This is my first diesel rodeo and I don't wanna go messin stuff up. I have replaced the air filter so far, picked up a new oil, and fuel filter today. The truck sat a year and a half before I got it. I dont know where the fuel is new or old. I drove it around all day today and after trouble starting it the first time she fired right up everytime after that whether it saw for 15 min or 2 hours. I just am still trying to figgure out where to start and what to do
Logistics Pro
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 4,411
Likes: 4
From: Victor, MT
Well...the advantage of the manual GP system lol...is no automatic controller problems. It involves redoing the GP Solenoid and basically just having a pressure button that you push to activate the GP controller instead of the Ignition cylinder. The fuel is probably old haha. Either way, when you replace the Fuel Filter, fill the filter with Diesel Kleen and put it back on to let it run through the system to help clean out the fuel system.
Can you describe the trouble starting? Its probably air intrusion on the fuel return lines on the injectors. These rubber hoses crack over tiem allowing Air into the system, you gotta replace these with a return line kit. Diesel Rodeo eh? I liek that haha.
You are always welcome to hammer us with questions, just dont tell us your gonna buy a powerjoke or a duracrap. These old IDI diesels will do anything you ask it to....Duracraps and powerjokes run circles around them but they will get the job done.
Can you describe the trouble starting? Its probably air intrusion on the fuel return lines on the injectors. These rubber hoses crack over tiem allowing Air into the system, you gotta replace these with a return line kit. Diesel Rodeo eh? I liek that haha.
You are always welcome to hammer us with questions, just dont tell us your gonna buy a powerjoke or a duracrap. These old IDI diesels will do anything you ask it to....Duracraps and powerjokes run circles around them but they will get the job done.
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Freshman User
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 26
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From: Port Salerno
My plans are to clean it up a bit- paint, tint, tires (rightnow 35/12.5/16.5 bfg alt), bedliner Im considering military tires (37x12.5.16.5) but that means the truck would have to go up a bit so thats undecided. anyways.. Its gunna be a work truck, with a fishvat in the bed so I can haul fish from sebastion to the fishhouse in ft. pierce. haha
and yeah Diesel Rodeo! I like it to
The trouble starting- It cranks but at first needs a little bit of extra push(started fluid) but like I said I drove it around Salerno (very small town) but when I got out I let it idle, I went fishing for a few hours and turned it off and when I went to start it and it fired right up. Im going to look into the return like kit just because it seems like a good idea to do regardless, Im going to do an oil change and get some new glow plugs.
I was told by a couple guys replace the plugs, but I also want to see if the controller is working properly same with the solinoid. And am very interested in learning how to do the manual switch for the Glow Plugs
and yeah Diesel Rodeo! I like it to
The trouble starting- It cranks but at first needs a little bit of extra push(started fluid) but like I said I drove it around Salerno (very small town) but when I got out I let it idle, I went fishing for a few hours and turned it off and when I went to start it and it fired right up. Im going to look into the return like kit just because it seems like a good idea to do regardless, Im going to do an oil change and get some new glow plugs.
I was told by a couple guys replace the plugs, but I also want to see if the controller is working properly same with the solinoid. And am very interested in learning how to do the manual switch for the Glow Plugs
Thread Starter
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Freshman User
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 26
Likes: 1
From: Port Salerno
And which diesel kleen I noticed there is a few different styles of it. One of my friends said to use a product called AJax (if you say it outloud it makes sense haha) but I can't seem to find it and he said it wasnt cheap ($100 p/qt)
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,216
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From: Princeton MN
Welcome! Get the silver bottle. and if it starts a few hours later it's probably just glowplugs. And when you do glow plugs you will end up bumping the return lines and next week you will be doing return lines, so you have the right idea in doing both. And as was recomended go with the manual button, the old style system has nasty habit of stickung and burning all the plugs out. All you need is a momentary on button in the cab that controls the glow plug selonoid that lives behind the right side battery. First start of the day hit it for 10sec and you should be good to go. Oh and the only Ajax i know of is the bashroom cleanser, the chalky white powder? And as far as the oil pressure gauge check the sender it may have been replaced with wrong style (the kind for the light) and the temp light check the sender on the front of the left head, if it should look different then the one on the left front of the block by being bigger. (that may also have been replaced with the wrong one)
