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I hope someone can point me in the right direction. I have a new to me 1993 7.3 diesel 4X4 with 250K on it bought it from my sister...My wife picked it up and said it runs great with an occasional hesisitation but when she stops to get gas or just to shuts of the engine it has to sit for about 5 minutes before it will start again... but once it starts again its ok to go again...bless her she drove 1000 miles like that...What could be causing this problem?
I would check the battery condition and wiring for corrosion or grounds not making good connection.
I would also change the fuel filter, and fill the new one with Diesel Kleen before you reinstall it. Diesel Kleen can fix a lot of strange problems with the fuel system.
That could also be a starter that is getting weak, it has to cool a little extra time before it spins over good.
Could also be a sign the IP is getting weak.
As you get more info on the condition of things, post that info and we will help you through the problem.
thanks for the info..i appreciate the help...im out of town playing army till the 12th i just wanted a game plan for when i get home..i will definately change out the starter just for GP and the fuel filter also...i will let you know by the 15th how it works out for me...
Starters are high dollar items on the IDI diesel, I would not change it till you determine you need one. If you do need one, get a Mitsubishi gear reduction starter, they really spin the engine over.
One thing to remember, never crank the engine for over 15 seconds. After 15 seconds of cranking, let the starter cool off for about 2 minutes before cranking again. It is easy to burn the starter up by overheating it.
Batteries should be a miniumum of 850 CCA each and are often the culprits of starting issues.
Also the battery cables and connections must be in top notch shape. But once again the positive battery cable from Ford is about 150 dollars.
im back and have changed out the fuel filter it seem to be doing well...working on the ac now..can i pick some brains on the dual fuel tanks my rear tank is full but when i switch over after a few minutes the truck dies and wont start for a while the guage shows full...what could it be i did find a leak in the line and repaired it...
does it turn over fine? or does it kinda seem like its got dead battery signs....my 86 ford bronco had a problem that after driving for a lil bit when u stopped and shut it off.....u had to wait 5-10mins before it would turn fast enuff to start it...hot start...i had cut off exhaust so it was heating up the starter a bit and made it seem like it had a dead battery...sum1 told me they had the same problem and they poured water on the starter and cooled it down and it fired right up....he found out l8r that he had an exhaust leak heatin up his starter......
It might just be ther starter as Dave S said. From what I hear the factory starters on the early 90s diesels tend to go out after a few years. When I bought my 91' F250 7.3, it had a slow start. I went to the dealership, had everything tested and they only found 1 plug going bad on the engine. After replacing, it still wouldn't start easy, if at all. I went back to the dealership and they put in a new universal starter. Now it runs great and starts everytime you turn the key. The dealership picked up part of the price tag considering I had just bought it so that was nice
A friend of mine had the same problem on his 93 7.3 non turbo diesel with about 245K. In the morning it would start up great. After being driven and then turned off for just a couple minutes it would not turn over. Talked to my diesel guy and he said it could be the fuel injector pump, and that it would'nt start because the pump was still hot, once the pump cooled it start.
So on my guys advice we drove it to my buddies house shut it down and then hose down the pump with cool water. Truck started up fine. Ended up replacing the pump (not cheap) and truck was back in action.
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My Diesel (amoung other fords)
Old rugged 1986 f250 4x4 At C6 long bed Ext Cab
Last edited by bajadiesel; May 20, 2006 at 01:03 AM.
tjj102. ask your sister if she ever replaced the IP and injectors. With that mileage I would change both assuming they are factory installed unless she knows otherwise. You do not indicate if it's a turbo or not, different pumps and injectors for each.
The Ac will be a R12 system very expensive to get fixed. I tried to convert it and the system was shot so just disconneced as It needed a new compressor to get running.
Fuel tank - check to see if you have power to the switch on the frame.
Check your tank manualy to make sure you have fuel in the tank...also you might have bad fuel [lwater] in your tank...I had this in my 86, one tank was fine, the other had bad fuel. I put 3 to 4 diesel conditioner in it, took a couple of weeks before it was ok. lol
well the truck is working great on the front tank i changed out the fuel filter and it helped a ton..I will try to see if i can get the rear one working but for now the truck is functional..and by conditioner do you mean the cetane booster or something else? next is the A/C...thanks for the info
Sorry I just read the other posts...the batteries are new 3 mos old and the glow plugs same age the injector pump was supposed to be new when my sis bought it 18mos ago. she is running like a top for now. the A/C has been converted to 134a and tried charging it this weekend but no luck. it seems to be holding the refrigerant but not cooling off. the pump is kicking on and the dryer is cooling down some but not as cold as it should be and the truck is not getting cold at all. I am thinking about breaking down and taking it to a pro...arizona is no fun without A/C...