Definitely appears to have more space along the bottom. The fan, shroud, and radiator are from the same truck (the truck that is being reassembled). The only thing that’s not native to this vehicle is the engine block. So I’m not sure how either of the parts could be wrong. I’m thinking that I might have to slide the shroud up a little and drill new holes into it.

 

My experience over the years if things are not lining up correctly, either something is bent or misassembled. If you are working on something that has been damaged you want to do your best to get it straighten to the point that the original holes line up. Not sure what you have going on but most fans sit so the blades are about half way into a shroud. Your pictures look like the fan is to close to the engine. However pictures can sometimes lie due to angles taken. What is the fan clutch off of not that it will change up and down adjustment. It would only move the fan in or out. Did you change any sheet metal in the front of the truck?

 

May sound stupid, but are the lower rubber isolators under the radiator?

 

Yes, I noticed that the fan appears to be back away from the radiator and if hitting the shroud maybe the engine is tipped back on its perches. Did you change transmissions? Was the transmission support changed?

The radiator is connected to the supports and the shroud is connected to the radiator so there is no change there. Maybe you can wiggle up a 16th of an inch by bolting it in high...but I doubt it.

 

That might be it! I haven’t installed the transmission yet because it was raining the last time I was working on my truck and I didn’t want to lay in the mud. I have the rear of the engine supported by a jack stand and some wood blocks though. Definitely not perfectly aligned. I’ll put the transmission back in then try reinstalling the shroud.

 

you forgot to mention there was no trans in it.
once you bolt the trans on with crossmember holding it in place i am sure everything will align up

 

I wonder if my comment about misassembled could apply to not assembled?

 

After bleeding the lines a bunch and replacing the batteries this is what I’ve got happening. Small amount of smoke coming from the intake manifold. Fuel is coming out at the injectors, not very high pressure but more of a weeping. I checked the glow plugs today and they’re getting 12V. Cleaned the ground at the back of the engine (just in case) but I didn’t have a proper multimeter so I couldn’t measure the Ohms. They’re new plugs so I hope they work fine. I have a compression tester and adaptor but I haven’t checked yet.

Any thoughts on what’s stopping it from firing? My buddy said to get it running off starting fluid then it’ll fire on its own but I don’t exactly want to use starting fluid on a new engine. He said he’s used some form of spray grease in the past but couldn’t remember what it was. I’ve read about using WD-40 but it looks like that’s only with the old formula.

 

Could not get your file to open so will just ask a few questions. I have not looked back through all this post and I do not recall what all you have done. So if I repeat on some questions sorry. First question you followed the book and all the timeing marks on the gears align up correctly. If you changed any gears did you compare the marks old to new? Did you have the fuel system rebuilt?

When you say small amount of fuel coming out of injectors is that the tips or where the line screws on? How fast is the engine spinning over? 12 volts to the glow plugs is good but what are the glow plugs actually doing? Did you check before install has to how fast they heat up. What brand glow plug? They should draw about 20 amps apiece if working correctly. You can always make up a fuel can hang it higher than the engine and plumb it to the fuel filter. That way you can make sure the air is out of the system as gravity will be your friend.

Have you tried plugging in the block heater for a couple of hours? When cranking does it sound steady and even or does it speed up and slow down? Are you seeing any smoke out the exhaust or just intake? Did you pressure prelube the oiling system when you got it back together and are the lifters new or the ones out of the engine. That might have some effect on valve opening if the lifters are not full of oil.

Sorry so many questions at this point and no answers YET!

 

Used the original timing gears and aligned them, double checked, then triple checked. It has a new camshaft but the timing gear is the same.

New injection pump from R&D diesel and new reman motorcraft injectors. The body says they were rebuilt in 2002 so they’ve probably sat on a shelf since then. Also installed the R&D common rail injection lines, which was new to me but I pressure tested them and they are not leaking.

Fuel coming out of where the fuel lines connect. Can’t look at the tips of the injectors because they’re currently in the block.

Engine is turning over at a normal speed, until the batteries get discharged that is.

Glow plugs are new Motorcraft plugs. Did not test them before install. I pulled one, turned on the truck, measured voltage but I did watch it and didn’t see it start glowing. I was able to put my hand on it immediately after and it was cold. Does the body of the plug ground to the inside of the block? I.e. if it’s plugged in, but not threaded in, should it start glowing?

Haven't used the block heater because I forgot to swap the known good one over. I live in central California and it’s the Spring so I assume 70* weather wouldn’t affect it that much.

Didn’t notice any smoke out the exhaust. Lifters are new, soaked them in oil for a couple days before install. Put oil in the pickup tube and pump during install. Turned the engine over by hand after filling for the first time.

 

If the glow plug was not grounded it would not heat. 70 degree weather I doubt it will start without hot glow plugs or block heater working. You will not see alot of fuel cracking a high pressure line at cranking speeds, you only get one injection per crank rotation. When trying to start it do you have fuel pedal to the floor?

Go to an autostore and get a cheep 30-0-30 amp gauge. Make up 2 leads one long enough to go from the back glow plugs to one of the batteries the other about 6 inches long use 10 guage wire. Connect the long cable to positive of battery. With the other touch the terminal of the glow plug with original harness disconnected. You should see 20 to maybe 25 amp draw if plug is good. No need to pull plugs out of head doing this test. Be sure not to allow the studs on the meter to touch metal or you will get lots of sparks!

You have made sure you have good 12 volt power to the injection pump and you can hear a click when removing and installing the lead to the pump? Fuel return line not plugged coming off the injection pump? Take a blow gun and make sure you can hear air back at the fuel tanks, remove fuel caps first.

 

So the glow plugs use the ground at the rear of the engine? The same ground that connects to the controller. The body of the plug does not act as a ground when it’s installed in the block? Obviously if the circuit isn’t grounded then the plugs won’t function.

I’ll measure the amps tomorrow. Thanks for the tip!

Yes, measure voltage at the injection pump (12V) and I can hear the solenoid ticking when the plug is removed. The fuel hose shouldn’t be clogged because it was disconnected for maybe one day. But I’ll double check tomorrow as well.

 

The body frame and engine are one half of the electrical circuit on a low voltage dc system. The battery ground cables usually will connect to the engine block as the largest electrical demand is the starter. Then there will be ground cables coming off the engine as a rule going to the body. Often there is a lead coming off battery negative terminal that goes to the body. Those grounds are for the lights and other electrical systems on a truck or car. Quite often there is a ground cable that goes to the hood. That one helps to keep electrical noises contained in the engine compartment. That is why it is importanct to check grounds when testing for electrical issues.

Your glow plugs ground through the metal body of the glow plug. So when they are screwed into the head that completes that half of the circuit since the engine itself is at ground potential, the lead is the positive half of the circuit and then inside the body is the resistor that heats up. Hope this helps in the basics of auto electrical.

 

Tried testing the glow plugs with the ammeter and got no readings on. I was skeptical because it was very cheap. Removed a couple plugs from the block and ran wires directly from the battery to the plugs and they didn’t heat up. Did the same thing a couple other plugs I had lying around and they started glowing, thus I had bad plugs.

Replaced 6 of them today (broke my 1/4 swivel recently) and the engine was sounding better. Still didn’t fire though. A lot more smoke coming from the intake. Cracks fast then slows down. I’m going to replace the other 2 tomorrow. Might swap the starter with another known good one I have lying around based on the assumption that I’ve burnt out the starter.

 

If you get no amp draw then you have an open circuit in the glow plug. Sounds like the amp meter was telling you the truth. Test it on one of the new plugs before you install and see what you get for a reading. Putting in Motorcraft plugs?