Hello I'm new to this form sorry for skipping the introductions page but it wouldn't let me post. Have an issue I'm hoping to get some input on I have a 2000 F350 with a 7.3 I have just set a brand new motor in this truck with everything in it new including the transmission injectors are 175/146 from Thoroughbred Diesel. The engine is Bored 40 over studded heads return regulator system as well as a pre pump filter and a javelin and Hutch mod on the tank. When we went to start this new motor the motor turned over and sounded like it was going to fire off pretty quick but instead I'm just getting white smoke and lots of it. I failed to mention that the injectors are single shot vs. Split shot and then I did have the programmer Tuned to these injectors through thoroughbred there is no fuel in the oil no water in the oil no oil in the water everything seems to be good all the pressures seem to be good and at this point I am lost no one that I have found in the area has any idea where to begin. Seems to me that this is a loading up issue and it seems to me that the only thing that could be causing this would be programming but I don't know. Thanks in advance for replies and any help that I can possibly get.

 

Have you had it running at all yet? It can take a lot of cranking cycles (10-15 seconds at a time, letting the starter cool off in between, have a battery charger handy!) to get all the air out of the high pressure oil system to get things running, even after it is running it will take a good trip 50-100 miles to get all the air out of the system and everything running smooth.

 

Welcome to FTE. A little more punctuation next time would be helpful.

When you say all pressures are good, do you have something to monitor live data, or are you referring to the gauges on the dash? If you have white smoke while cranking, that means you've got fuel being delivered, but either an injector issue or not enough oil pressure to start.

I doubt it's a tuning issue, but you can remove the chip (make sure the key is out of the ignition first) and start it up without the tuning. It will idle like an old gasser with a big race cam in it (horrible lope) without single shot tuning, but it will start and run.

Got any way to monitor ICP psi or IPR duty %? Have you checked the oil level in the HPOP reservoir? Have you called or emailed Thoroughbred?

 

Yes I have a computer to monitor everything and everything is running right where it's supposed to be. I did get in yesterday evening and pulled the valve covers and ever one of my exhaust push rods were bent and that is just from cranking not starting. I replaced them and put all stock injectors back in and done away with the tuning. As we cranked it over this time it bent the exhaust rod on number 3. The cylinder had been purged and had all the fuel and oil out of it. It seems to me that the shop that built the engine for me had to have it out 180° but that just my thought.

 

If there's no fluid in the cylinders, I'd crank the engine over by hand and see where you can find the resistance. But bending all of the push rods on a new motor means it's probably time to yank the motor and fix some things.

 

What he said.

So to be clear, were the cylinders chock full of fuel? But most likely I'd be bringing the motor back to the engine builder, it sounds like your valves picked a fight with the pistons.

 

Yes this evening I pulled the injectors glow plugs and pulled the engine out I put new push rods in and turned it by hand and it bent an exhaust push rod.

 

It sounds like the engine builder may have not got the cam set up properly if you bent a pushrod turning the engine over by hand. Sounds like you need to take it back unfortunately.

 

Yeah it's going back today. I'll let y'all know what I find out.

 

Going through all that due to someone elses mistake is a real pisser, that's why I prefer to do it all myself when I can. I'm far from perfect but if I built that engine I'd have spun it by hand before installation.

 

Crazy that you are completely new to the forum starting with such a huge project. I have heard of a lot of shops messing up on diesel builds that have no problem building gasoline engines every day.

 

Oh man, for your sake I was hoping I was wrong about your piston-valve fight club situation. Bare minimum I hope the builder handles this with dignity and grace and admits to the mistake. After all everyone is just a stupid human. But if they fight at all it would be very difficult to trust the rest of their work.

Good luck with the rest of this project, I'm sure I speak for us all when I say we've got our fingers crossed for you.

 

I've actually been working on 7.3 for a long time. Just have never run into this issue and was hoping for anything except it's out of time but looks like it was out of time. And I did let him machine shop build it so it's their calf they can lick it.

 

I would like to hear what they find if they're honest with you on it so please report back.

 

I will post what I find out. I did pull all injectors and turn it by hand and it still bends push rods so it almost has to be a timing issue there is no way around it that I can think of.