So I got the truck home, put a new lift pump in it, and unfortunately it still wont start. Wouldn't that have been nice though! So I am going to put new lines and injectors in it next. I am also going to drop and clean the tanks.

What type of cleaning solution I should use in the gas tank to clear out the veggie oil residue?

Also, for the sake of saving money, could I just clean the lines out with cleaning solution? Or would you recommend just getting new lines?

If the lines and the injectors don't fix the problem, is my next move to replace the IP?

 

"won't start"

That is pretty ambiguous.
Does it:
1. Not crank at all.
2. Cranks, but slowly.
3. Cranks quickly, but does not have any fuel coming from the bleed schraeder valve on the filter head when pressed after/during cranking.
4. Cranks quickly, but has no fuel/bubbles from the IP with an injector line cracked.
5. Has fuel coming to the injectors, but no smoke from the tailpipe
6. Smokes white from the tailpipe, but will not start.
7. Sounds like it is "trying" to start, but never catches.
8. Cranks more quickly/tries to start using Ether(glow plugs disabled), but won't actually fire off.

 

As I know nothing about the effects, good or bad, of running WVO, I am pleased to be able to read helpful suggestions from those who have experience with it. Thanks.

 

before replacing injectors and lines, i would draw clean diesel from a jug connected directly to the lift pump.
remove fuel filter and dump it out. fill with clean fuel and put it back on. crack loose at least 2 injector lines at the injectors 1/2 to 1 turn. then try to start.
crank for 30 seconds and then let sit for at least 2 minutes to let starter cool off.
refill fuel filter while letting the starter cool off.
when you see fuel come out of the lines at the injectors, tighten them up.
this should get you at the minimum white smoke out of the exhaust when cranking.
if it has a block heater, you can also plug it in for at least 2 hours before trying to start. this will help greatly if the glow plugs are not working.

 

+1 for TJC's suggestion.

If all cheap options fail, before buying injectors and an IP, I would price a motor. Around here, running IDI motors are super cheap. I recently had a good-running 7.3 with 140k on it...I started trying to sell it for $500, and six months later sold it for $250.

 

To dodonne2: I aggree with Tom's recommendation. Except that if the fuel currently in the ip is mostly veggy oil, glow plugs alone may not start it. Get a sample at the Shraeder/tire valve, or drain the fuel filter. If the viscosity looks closer to honey than water, you'll need WD40 or ether to start it.



I have been running biodiesel and wvo in my F-250 since 2003.
And reading posts from dozens of other IDI F-250 owners doing the same.

Good quality fuel must be used.

For biodiesel, the only real hazard is the injection pump solenoid can get stuck once the rubber in it degrades. Same with the fuel and returns, but this may not happen. I still have most of my original fuel lines on my 24 yo truck.

For veggy oil, the biggest inherent problem is the Stanadyne IP. It has a design flaw when used with veggy oil. One German veggy company explicitly excludes the Lucas/CAV/Stanadyne derivatives. ["Avoid Lucas." - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_Elsbett] [One veggy oil guy in Europe took out his Lucas and put in a Bosch].
There are about 10 reports of IP's seizing at switch-over to veggy, usually in cold climates. Standard veggy systems designs need to be re-designed for the Stanadyne. The ip must be pre-heated before switchover. I just heat both diesel and wvo by simply running both of them through the same flat plate heat exchanger. piece of cake.

 

yup!!
having a good friend that runs a junkyard, whenever i need an injector pump i will call him first, and usually buy a complete engine for less than a pump and injectors cost.
an added benefit is i can go down there and hear the engine run before they pull it.
pay 3-400 for the complete engine, remove what i need, and sell the rest for 3-400
or just swap the junkyard engine in and sell the one i pulled.
part of the reason we get so much return business, our customers get their trucks back for next to no money out of pocket after all the leftovers are sold.

 

An update on the truck.

After talking more with the previous owner it became clear that he tried to mix a combo of biodeisel and petro diesel in the front tank, and pure biodiesel in the rear tank. He said he washed it (whatever the hell that means) and removed all water before using the biodiesel. Again, before buying the truck it cranked fine but wouldn't start.

Currently the truck i not running. I dropped both tanks and found terrible amounts of algae and sediment build up. The second tank, which ran pure bioediesl, was like a sludge of bio-gelly... Not good. After cleaning the tanks with power washer and multiple diesel slosh rinses and spins i purged all fuel lines with a vacuum brake bleeder using diesel fuel system additive mixed with diesel. The amount of gunk nd garbage that came out was a little startling.
After reconnecting all fuel lines and doing one last vacuum purge, I replaced the front gas tank.
Next I replaced all injectors and supply lines.

So as it sits the truck cranks but still will not start. I have loosened the lies from the caps and cranked the truck to see if any fuel is spraying and there is no fuel coming through the lines. I have plenty of pressure coming out of the Shraeder valve at the fuel filter assembly, but no fuel making it to the injectors.

My obvious next move must be an injection pump right? If so, can I try to clean and rebuild the one in the truck? Is this possible? I live in Colorado, any good junkyard suggestions or online IP rebuilds I can look into?

I also replaced the lift pump and i am hoping I installed it correctly with the cam at low position. Fingers crossed, but it seemed pretty obvious when the machined 1" surface was showing.

Is fuel coming out of the Shraeder valve a sign that the lift pump was installed correctly?

Thanks all.

 

Sorta.

I'm sure the lift pump is fine. But how much fuel are you getting. When I push on my schrador valve, I could fill a half-cup of diesel in a dozen seconds. if you are getting a dribble, then your pump could be weak, but more than likely, your fuel lines have the same goo from your tank restricting your flow to the lift pump. Run a separate rubber fuel hose from the tank to the lift pump, then test the lift pump.

If you are gettting decent flow from the stock fuel lines and lift pump, then check to make sure you are getting fuel after the diesel filter. Crack the main metal fuel line to the IP, and see if fuel is flowing.

If yes, then you know the IP is not working properly. Could be a stuck metering valve in the IP, due to all the gunk, but more than likely, the gunk is all over the inside of the IP. might be totally destroyed. Pull one of the injector lines and try to blow air compressed air thru it. The IP should be putting out hundreds of PSI, so if an air compressor cannot flow, then you got gunk all inside there too. My bet is on the IP though.

 

Even if it does, biodiesel may have deteriorated the solenoid valve rubber seals, making it stick.

Have you cranked it , as is, with fuel pressure at the Shraeder, and all 8 lines cracked 1/2 to 1 turn, for at least one minute?

I can't recall, is there a wire mesh screen on the inlet to the IP?

 

^^^^ +1, at the very least, check the FSS.

It being a 5-speed, and esp. if it's a 4x4, and frame and structural elements of the cab and bed are good, that's still a steal, even with the work you may need to do.

 

with as much crud that you said you got out of the tanks and lines, i would not be surprised at all if the injector pump is plugged up solid also.

 

^^^^^I'm thinking the same thing.

The FSS is a good point. Quick thing to check.

 

After changing:

lift pump
injectors
return lines & caps (didnt cut lines with razorblade, used bandsaw, frayed the material)
injector lines
glow plugs (not pop tested by me upon delivery, remanufactured)

....the truck is running..
However, there is a tremendous amount of white smoke billowing out, it has a very rough idle sometimes dies, and will not accelerate above 2200 rmp without cutting out upn getting into higher rpm. It also has a knock noise coming from cylinder 3 or 5 upon mild acceleration. I just started it this morning and for a little while it stopped smoking and the knock wasnt as audible.

From what I have read this is caused by unburnt fuel which can either be a loose/bad injector or worse the rings are shot and the engine might as well be scrapped. I want to start a new thread for this discussion so any moderators please forward me in the correct direction if one already exists. If not any comments on this are greatly appreciated here.

Did the worst case scenario really just happen and the rings are corroded and bad due to the poor WVO/petrodiesel mixing over the past 5,000 miles? Keep in mind the truck only has 102,000 miles on it and has been sitting, gunked up for 2 years, after the previous owner tried to mix his own WVO/petro blend.

I didn't have the new remanufactured injectors pop tested before putting them on the truck? Is this completely necessary? I'm assuming this will be my next move is to have the injectors tested.

Any suggestions, especially from people versed in WVO, are greatly appreciated here. Can 5,000 miles of WVO mixed with petrodiesel 50/50 corrode rings that quickly??

 

"Any suggestions, especially from people versed in WVO, are greatly appreciated here. Can 5,000 miles of WVO mixed with petrodiesel 50/50 corrode rings that quickly??"

No. That concentration, unheated, would be ok for 5,000 miles.

Does it start 'normally'? ie after a little cranking and with good battery and glow plugs? That would tend to confirm the compression.

At idle is the white smoke intermittent, like 1 or 2 cylinders, or continuous?

You could try a 2 cans of Diesel Purge in the fuel filter and a soak overnight to clean the injection pump. Or ATF.

Have you re-bled it at the Shrader valve? Air in the morning might indicate an air leak, and that would throw off timing enough to cause smoke.
I use a bottle of transmission or power steering seal sweller in the fuel tank to help swell the fuel system seals to keep air out. Or biodiesel if it's available.

How did the original fuel filter look like? Any brown or black solids?
If you still have it, cut it open.