Just thought I'd give an update.....
Van had gotten where it was missing worse all the time and smoking most of the time...except every once in a while at idle it would smooth out and stop missing and smoking......checked all the usual suspects(glow plugs and injectors) and was figuring it to be IP related...took it to a new shop specializing in injection and the owner checked it over for me.....seems there was a air sound coming from one of the cylinders....decided to let him pull the heads(glad I did cause it is a MAJOR job in a van)....sure enough, that cyl had valves that you could rock back and forth a lot and crude on top indicating compression was getting past the guides so I'm sure it wasn't seating good....few others showed guide wear as well so both heads are now at the machine shop being rebuilt....can't wait to get my ride back!


Mike

 

My F-250 w/7.3 was doing the exact same thing, did not do anything about it until I had a valve come loose. Luckily it did not do any damage. Runs fine now

 

Hey is there a way to tell if there is this problem on mine? I have a 84 Ford 6.9 Diesel that started smoking today, and acting like it was missing. I thought it was just because it was cold. But I took it out on the road to mix the fuel additive up in the tanks, and the damn thing died on me 3 times. No power, and it's smoking like the dickens now (blue smoke) then some black smoke) but when it has no power or it's acting like it's going to die the smoke is (blue). I would like to be able to test this before taking it in. I haven't had a job since May, so I really don't have the money to spend on it right now.

Jon

 

Don't sound like the same problems I had...have you checked your fuel filter? My rig never failed to start or run, just got to where it smoked and missed...I believe it would have run till a valve dropped...speaking of...this van only had 127,000 miles on it...what would make the guides wear that much that quick?

 

The machinist I used indicated this was a problem, albeit I had 337,000 when mine quit. Don't think yours should have been that bad that soon, but I have seen some stranger things happen in a shorter time. When they did my guides, they bored them oversize and install bronze inserts. Kind of a guide within a guide. The bronze is supposed to wear much longer. Might ask your machinist or mechanic if they have heard of it.

 

Do you still have your van? How did things turn out? My van with 120,000 miles is doing the same thing.

 

the last post from eldomike was in 2007. I suspect he's abandoned the van eons ago.