I'm sure this is an old topic but I'd like input. I have a 92 cc with a 7.3 idi. Bought it and was hard to start in the summer, but also new the head gaskets were bad. Fast forward to now head gasket are done but man it has only fired off once after being plugged in. I have swapped to a manual button for the gpr but would rather switch to a more constant duty relay if possible. It has new ford gp. New harness to the gp too. But just won't fire regardless of how many times I do 10second interval of the relay. I'm at a loss why it's so hard to start.

 

First off test the Glow Plugs

I see you have over a 100 posts so I assume you have knowledge of these engines...... so have you done a compression Check ?


AS far as relays I use the Stancor relay on my 93

 

If possible fixing your current system is probably your best bet.

Now when I bought my 89 the PO told me the controller wasn't working quite correctly, he had a shop try to fix it and he's almost certain they finished the controller off. It came with a brand new set of motor craft (only brand to buy on these) glowplugs that were installed and a set of 6.0 power stroke harnesses.

I used a white Rogers solenoid (just a good brand like stancor) I got off a school bus, and mounted it on the fender, clipped the oem power wires right before the engine connector, moved them to one pole, and ran two ten gauge wires (one for each bank) to the 6.0 harnesses. Works just like it should as I prefer manual glows anyways (each to their own)

One reason alot of people want to retain the oem setup is if they let other people drive the truck such as wife, gf, brother or whatever and don't want them burning them up.

I don't let anyone behind the wheel of my stuff so I set it up how I want it

I know lonewolf has had really good luck out of his set of auto lite glowplugs, but every set I pull looks like this or worse...




Pulled this today from a customers truck, got lucky we caught it in time before it was unremovable or worse caused piston damage like this



^ motor I bought from a junkyard, it had another set of auto lites in it that were also swelling.

I believe the main reason people go with the autolites if because most places stock those even though places like Oreilly can get motorcraft, but they're cheaper online.

Only other brand I would run is Bosch (what uhaul used)

Beru actually has their own way of manufacturing glowplugs that most manufacturers don't follow and it's pretty clear longevity wise when you change enough of them.

 

when I told the wife Hana o atatakaku tamotsu she thought I said something else, I'm still suffering from that............

Stancor was bought out by Rodgers who is basically Emmerson

it's the same thing ...... Stancor Products, White-Rodgers Division

I developed the Helitow missile system for them

BTW I have a set of Aurolites GP that have been in my 93 for over 10 years and I have no issues with them Autolite was a Ford Brand

Now I will say Champion sucks

 

The only way for sure your glow plugs are working is to pull them all out, lay them all out on a board, link them together and activate the GPR........

Hobo

 

I won't lie, the IDI is new to me, I have a PSD and a bunch of gassers. I just haven't been able to do a compression check since doing the heads and gaskets. Or before that for that matter, knew it had to come apart so I didn't bother.

I did have it running after I had it plugged in for about 4 hours.
Didn't sound like it was missing on any cylinders.
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It has new Bosch GP, but I haven't bench tested them. I will pull them and check.

​​​​​I did find a small fuel leak on cyl 1 on the return seal that has been addressed. So I'm assuming after it was sitting it leaked down again.

 

you can test then pretty reliably with a 12V test light.

I assume your temps are around 35F at this time or year too ...sure doesn't help matters.

you should hear a pretty solid clunk from the GP Relay when it kicks in .. sometimes the internal contacts get burned and just don't pass current but the Relay sounds like it is working just fine .... I've posted a Glow Plug Trouble shoot guide several times it might help you.

If ya can't find it with search forum let me know and I'll dig up a link for you.

 

Yeah it has been below 30 for awhile now. Ill look for it and give it a whirl when I get home

Yeah when I push the button I installed it's a good clunk and the voltage over the two large studs drops.

 

from the top 1357, 2468. This doesn't make me feel well... New Bosch plugs. None of them ohmed under 10k and half were OL. But two look like they broke.
Well S#-$T

 

Sometimes carbon builds up and it does not take much expansion for them to tighten up in the hole. I understand there is a glow plug reamer that will open up the carbon before you reinstall new glow plugs.

Hobo

 

I'll have to look into that. My main concern is that the tip of 7 is missing. These have about 15 seconds of run time.

 

15 seconds and they did that?

I would make sure your controller isn't sticking. Even the cheapest of glowplugs should last a week or two, definitely try to get a refund or replacement though.

I have a set of the Bosch plugs in the house that came from a uhaul with around 20k on it since the motor had been replaced. They were all good and still working and I kept them around for trial if I ever converted my 85 to zd9 instead of the ZD-1's.

All eight are obviously old but they're 100% intact and all get glowing hot.

I think either your controller is sticking or you got a dud set. Only real way to get the pieces out is pull the head, and that's if they're not already in the pistons.

 

I have a feeling the controller stuck. It was before I switched it to a button and that's probably why I was having some issues. Yeah, maybe 15-30 seconds. But if they found the piston looks like the truck will be getting the IDI ripped out and get a powerstroke sooner than I intended...

 

I wouldn't sweat it to be honest. My old motor when I got it most the glowplugs were broken on, a year later I had to do head gaskets and noticed several pistons had glow plugs imbedded in them, fast forward a couple years and I added a turbo and pushed quite a bit of boost on it vs a stock turbo one, eventually one did crack. But there's honestly no telling how long they were in there. The motor had 460,000 miles when I got it and the guy told me he used ether to get it going the whole time he owned it because they never worked.

If mine made it through that, id say you've got plenty of time to prepare for your motor swap.

Unless you're chasing big power, I think the idi is the superior platform. Mine with a turbo and maxed stock pump felt exactly like a 99-03 7.3 powerstroke, now that I'm studded and intercooled and can really put the pedal down without worry I think it's quicker on the bottom end.

Not to mention cost of maintenance is so much cheaper with an idi.

Either way it's your truck, just food for thought.

Also if it was sticking you might want to change that glow plugs relay just to be safe..incase it was that and not your wiring

 

Well that does make me feel better!
I have no qualms with the IDI platform and was hoping to no rush a swap. I bought a 350 that was in it's way to scrap with 70k on a PSD. Was planning on building it then swapping into a gasser, but this truck came along first and fell in love lol. So we will see then. I ordered a borsescope camera so I could avoid pulling the head (hopefully). That will come later this week, and I'll check then do a compression test, to be sure.

Who knows I may fall in love and build this one and not the psd.