Hey folks, first post on this forum. I'm working on my 86 f350 with a 6.9 idi and 4 spd manual tranny. It had been sitting for about 4 years, ran before parked but like any ford, always had issues with the ignition and had to routinely bridge the solenoid to start.

Came back to it because I need to move properties, and to no surprise the batteries were shot. And couldn't turn the crank by hand with a breaker bar so I was concerned that the engine is seized. (I'm no mechanic but this economy left me no choice)

• Reconditioned them with Epsom salt water and a solar trickle charger, they're showing 12.7v now, but haven't load tested them yet.
• Replaced the glow plug relay, starter relay, ignition switch and key switch. All were necessary.
• Removed the starter and tested with jumpers and it extends/spins
• Pulled out the glow plugs and injectors and poured a mix of marvel oil, pb blaster and a little engine treatment. Let it soak for a fuel days.
• Hooked up the winch on my diesel hilux and stuck the ford in 4th gear and rocked the engine back and forth. The wheels are spinning and was able to pull the rig back a good 6ft so I am hoping it's freed up now.
• Then just drained the oil, a good half liter of crystal clear water came out first followed by sludgy oil. (It's not coolant, my coolant is blue). No signs of rust in the water. This was most likely from water pooling on top of the air filter housing and leaking into the engine.
• Next step is to flush the engine with cheap oil, and install the starter.
• Gonna leave the injectors and glow plugs off when I crank it so it doesn't hydrolock, just to see if it'll crank now, then suck out the marvel mix. If it cranks, I'll put it all back together.

If anyone has suggestions before I get into the final steps, I'm all ears. Hopefully the piston rings are still good and there's compression.

 

i would bar it over by hand at least 2 revolutions before using the starter. this will not force the fluid on top of pistons to pressurize against the head while trying to force it out.
other than that, it sounds like you have a good plan of action.

 

Nothing happens when I turn the key. I replaced the key switch, ignition switch, relays but it still won't do anything unless I bridge the starter relay. And then it just whirs but doesn't engage the engine. No idea what I'm missing here. Prob need a new starter at the least but I also can't turn it by hand even with a breaker bar.

 

21.5:1 compression, so it will be very hard to turn with glow plugs and injectors in the engine.
Neutral safety switch may be bad.

 

I removed the glow plugs and injectors. I'll check on the safety switch. That was my next guess but I don't get any lights on the dash either. The original owner hodge podged all the wiring so it's a big cluster F. Hard to get good leverage with the breaker bar on the crank since it's inaccessible from the top of the engine. Have to go from under, not leaving much room to work with. Really hope I can get it going, I have to move ASAP and need this to haul my tractor and other heavy equipment.

 

If the starter is going whir, but not engaging the flywheel, the solenoid isn't working right, or its not installed correctly, or the teeth on the starter gear, or flywheel are shot. It should either spin the engine over, or go clunk and not spin at all. As the solenoid on the starter pulls in to connect the battery to the starter motor, it extends the gear out to contact the flywheel.
If nothing on the dash is lighting up, don't bother looking at the safety switch yet, well unless the dash lights never worked.... You probably need to go through at least some of the wiring to figure out if any power is getting to anything. After sitting for a few years rodents may have destroyed anything the original owner didn't already screw up.

 

I hear the glow plug relay engaging when the key is turned, but there's no lights or ignition cranking. The original owner bypassed a fuse and ran a wire from the fusebox to the starter relay.

All that wont matter much if I can't get the crank to turn though.

 

I think it's time to call it over with. The crank won't budge, seems beyond repair without a rebuild.