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Old May 6, 2007 | 06:49 PM
  #1  
rbegga's Avatar
rbegga
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not starting

alrite guys ive got a 1987 f350 with a 6.9L and zf 5speed when i bought the truck last year as a driver, it ran fine, started right up and everything. anyways, last year after i took it for a ride down the road i noticed it was loosing power coming into the driveway, i parked it and just as i did it stalled and wouldnt restartwith out turning it over again and again then it maybe would fire a little then stall, i left it alone since and just started playing with it again today, still wont start. now for my only idea on why...the truck is a utility body with dual tanks...im thinking that one tank is dry, and that was the one i was sucking from so i may have gotten air in the lines (the lines themselves are fine as far as i can see). also the is a wire that seems to be burning quite a bit and a clicking noise coming from the rear of the engine that only comes on and keeps going after the WTS light goes off, i expect its probably a solenoid for the glow system but im not sure. any ideas?

thanks in advance
 
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Old May 6, 2007 | 08:41 PM
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Are you sure it is a 6.9 the later part of the year they were 7.3..... the clicking noise has me thinking it is 7.3 as the GP controller unless the 6.9 was updated to Solid state controller that does that clicking.

What size head bolts are on there, 7/16 or 1/2........ look at the gp controller at the rear of the engine, is it a square item with a black plastic cover.
 
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Old May 6, 2007 | 09:32 PM
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You could have run out of fuel. The pickup tubes in the fuel tanks are known to break off leaving you out of fuel with 1/4 to 1/2 tank. Once you're sure you have enough fuel, try pushing in the schrader valve by the fuel filter while someone cranks it over. Once you get a steady stream of fuel (no air), it should start. You *may* also have glow plug problems, but that's likely different than why it died.

Be careful not to crank more than 20 seconds without waiting at least two minutes before trying again, or you'll risk overheating and ruining your starter.

If your batteries are at all down, I'd unhook one of them and charge them individually. It's really hard to start a diesel with dead batteries.

Good luck.
 
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Old May 7, 2007 | 07:28 AM
  #4  
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i have the same truck and it did the same thing I bypassed the water seperator and my problems went away It starts fine now
. I am looking for a new style of seperator now
look under the drivers side by the frame and see if fuel leaking there
 
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Old May 7, 2007 | 10:13 PM
  #5  
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Dave Sponaugle
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From: Nutter Fort, WV
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rbegga,
Welcome to FTE and the IDI diesel forum.

The 87 6.9 had the new style glow plug controller, first year for it.
The clicking is the glow plug relay, that is normal operation.
The wait to start light should light for about 9 or 10 seconds the first time you turn the key on.
Shorter times indicate burnt out glow plugs.l

After you get fuel to the filter, carefully loosen two injector lines at the injector.
Be careful the the nut turns on the line, if the line turns with the nut you can crimp it.
5/8" wrench to fit the nut.

As soon as you have fuel at the injector, tighten the line nut back up.

Then it should start.
 
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Old May 8, 2007 | 09:11 AM
  #6  
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rbegga
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Fixed

All,

Thanks for your help! I held open the schrader valve while my brother cranked the truck, and after about 3 tries and some sputtering she fired up! I still want to check out the fuel lines going into both fuel tanks to see if in fact the line to the back tank has broken off inside (currently running on the front tank, switching to rear seemed to cause this issue).

Thanks again,

-TJ
 
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Old May 8, 2007 | 09:13 PM
  #7  
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Dave Sponaugle
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From: Nutter Fort, WV
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You have to drop the tank or pull the bed to get the sending unit out of the tank.

If you want to check both of them, it may be easier to pull the bed.
 
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