First off I just want to wish a Merry Christmas and New Years to everyone.

Secondly, I just want to extend my gratitude to everyone on this site. Especially the few that seem to post on nearly all questions on this forum. You all have helped me tremendously in this past year of ownership of my 97 250.

I bit the bug that has become a family tradition and owned my first Ford diesel. But, this year has not been without incident. After purchasing a clean 4x4 extended cab with 200K, that was reported as all highway. I still stand by this since it was licensed by the DOT, for only 5K. I could not resist the temptation for mods for very long. Soon, I had installed 3 pod A-pillar autometer gauges(pyro, boost, trans temp), K&N intake, 3 in. downpipe to 4 in. piping to the 6 in. stack.

Then July came. After one bearing emploded inside the front hub destroying nearly everything. I found the lifesaver of the site this is. Utilizing the guest account I scoured the forums gaining information and knowledge on how to repair this mishap. Needless to say the junkyards came in handy for the new hub and spindle. But, it was the parts suppliers that would handle my business for the bearing hardware on all four corners plus the switch to manual lockers up front. But, my baby was up and running again.

Or she was for a week. She started flashing the O/D light on the gear shifter at me. Once again, back to the site I came looking for answers. Long story short, she now has Kevlar clutches, steel planetary gears, larger torque converter, larger valve body, and new driveshaft joints. Now it was only the clutches that wore out. But, since she was already out, I decided that why not rebuild it again so I didnt have to deal with this. So she came back to me stronger than ever and ready to get back to towing the contractor trailer on the weekends for a side job.

And now its Christmas time and all I can think about is what I want to do her next. Especially after reading some of your guys' projects. Along the way I decided that the guest account wouldnt suit me anymore and needed to ask questions of my own. Yall have been nothing but great to me and other newbies with our questions that have to be nothing but reduntdant. So this is a big thank you for the past and future as I continue to ask question and gain knowledge from you guys.

Plans for the next year:
6637
trans cooler
ranch hand bumpers
headache rack
stage 1s
and trying to figure out what to do with the darn GPR.
Im sure others will pop up

Chad

 

Hey chad if it wasn't said before I'll say it now. Welcome to FTE! I know how you feel. I came here a few years ago and I've never been poorer! Seriously though, this is the greatest site around, in my book, with lots of great people willing to lend a helping hand.

 

x2^^ Everything todd said. I have done searches on google and came to different sites befor and they didnt even compare to this one. For the gpr there is a thread here with a couple different options. Edit. It is on the 4th page now

 

My truck went from this

To this

With a lot more power and goodies under the hood.

A big THANKS to all you guys for your advise, knowledge and know how. You guys are all TOP NOTCH in my book.

Wish u all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

 

I just checked out that GPR on page 4 Gabe, and that helps. My cousin also had a 97 before his new to him '12. And he told me that he went with a 200amp instead of the 100amp that our on our trucks. Just curious because I literally just bought this GPR last Thursday. And when I went to start her up this morning it took a quite a few cranks to get her going. I will take the meter to her tomorrow morning and make sure.

 

Cycle the key a couple of times on your next cold start so the glow plugs have a better chance to work. If you still have a hard start and the relay is working as it should its time for glow plugs and UVCH harnesses.

 

I cycle them atleast 3 times anytime it gets close to 40 or below. And how long should glow plugs last? Because when I bought her the guy said he just put new ones in about a month earlier. Of course he could have just blown smoke up my ***, but I tend to believe him because everything seems like it was taken care of.

 

If the relay is working as it should. Check the connectors to the UVCH harnesses for damage. Burns etc. You can meter the glow plugs from the harnesses on the valve covers. I don't know the values you should see off the top of my head. Someone will fill that gap soon enough.

 

Ill definitely take a look at it in the morning. I do not like having to crank it like this. I am just picturing all the damage its doing.

 

It's good to have you around Chad. For the glow plugs, they are the outside pins on the vc connections. They should ohm out at about 1 ohm each, give or take a little.

 

Depending on the brand of glow plugs used, Anything but Motorcraft/Beru ZD11s are junk. The aftermarket ones (Autolights, ect.) can burn up with one cycle of the plugs.

 

Without taking anything apart and judging by how the previous owner was cash strapped. Im fairly positive that the cheapos were used.