I bought this 7.3 idi truck a while back and it had tons of problems. The last big one(I hope) is the glow plug system. The man who owned it before snapped off a glow plug flush with the head on cylinder 3 and as badly as I wanted to leave it in there the “ do things right” part of me decided to go ahead and dig it out while I had the fuel lines off and all. I was able to get the threads and glow plug body out but the heating element is still in the bottom. I’m able to blow the other end up thru the injector hole and grab onto it with pliers but it won’t pull out. I think it’s bent in a U shape and I just can’t get it I’m trying whatever I can to not pull the motor to pull the heads but I don’t want to tear it up. I’m able to get new glow plug and injector in so I can run it but if I do will it fall into the cylinder and tear up the wall or piston or would it chew it up and spit it out the exhaust? Also my oil pan gasket is leaking but not bad enough for me to wanna fix it. But if I pull the motor I could kill two birds with one stone.
Can my idi run safely with a glow plug heating element in the precup.
- Thread starter Cheesy
- Start date
Big Bart
Tow&Slow
Two thoughts -
Likely he did not use Motorcraft glow plugs and they ballooned. (More may have too.)
1) The safe way or “do it right way” is to pull the head. Prevents damaging the cylinder, injector, and néw glow plug.
2) The unsafe way is to run it and hope it bounces around, breaks into pieces and shoots out the exhaust. Downside is if it damages your cylinder or takes out your new glow plug or injector.
The upside of #1 is perhaps you pull both heads, repair those if needed, get the glow plug out safely, put on new head gaskets, and be good to go for a while. Also you may have other glow plugs that could be stuck. So you now have an easy fix on those.
Likely he did not use Motorcraft glow plugs and they ballooned. (More may have too.)
1) The safe way or “do it right way” is to pull the head. Prevents damaging the cylinder, injector, and néw glow plug.
2) The unsafe way is to run it and hope it bounces around, breaks into pieces and shoots out the exhaust. Downside is if it damages your cylinder or takes out your new glow plug or injector.
The upside of #1 is perhaps you pull both heads, repair those if needed, get the glow plug out safely, put on new head gaskets, and be good to go for a while. Also you may have other glow plugs that could be stuck. So you now have an easy fix on those.
Last edited:
CharlesG
Registered User
Just an FYI, these engines do not use an oil pan gasket. Ford used a silicone sealant (TA-31) instead.
IDIBRONCO
IDIBRONCO
I think that you'll be glad in the long run. That way you will know that your engine will be fine instead of hoping, praying, and then probably cursing yourself if (when) your engine needs a rebuild because the tip of the glow plug ruined a piston/cylinder.
asmith
Full Access Member
If I am reading it correctly, you can grab the broken tip but cant get it out. if you can get the tip to wedge itself in the hole so that it doesn't fall down into the precup, one thing you could try is put that injector back in, leave the other ones out, put a towel over that broken glow plug and crank the motor over with the starter. hopefully the compression will blow the tip out. the towel is to catch the piece as it comes rocketing out so it wont do any damage. if the tip is just rattling around in the precup though I think you run the risk of it damaging a piston.
I’m only able to grab it through the injector. The only way I’ve been able to keep it up through that hole is to run an air compressor nozzle through the glow plug hole so I can grab it with pliers. The reason I asume it’s in a U shape is because when I grab it through the injector hole I can see the other end of it through the glow plug hole. But I have no way of getting it started back up the glow plug hole to try that regretfully
asmith
Full Access Member
gotcha. yeah my idea wont work then. that's a pretty big piece stuck in there to be able to see it like that. I don't see a way to get it out safely with out taking the head off.
Farmboyco
Registered User
Here is the way that worked for me being over 80 years old....cannot always get bent over to do the real strenuous stuff.
Bored out the hole .010" to let the balloon part out.
Rotate motor so cylinder with problem is on compression stroke and piston all the way up.
Apply air on injector hole with stuffing around air nozzle.
Broken end comes out through bored out heater hole.
Retap the whole with correct size for helix.
Insert new helix and screw in the new heater..
There is sufficient seat left at bottom of heater threads to contain the compression.
Have a 91 flatbed dually, 2 WD, 7.3 IDI where 3 of the heaters broke off during replacement. Took 2 weeks to come up with the plan above. Tried magnets, super glue, and few other things with nothing working. Naturally this one was up against the fire wall where an old geaser has difficulty getting to, let alone doing any work.
Not suggest this as a solution for you, but is my solution that worked due to not wanting to take engine out nor removing the heads as everyone suggested. My truck has 284,000 on it and has been running over a year since this fix was installed by yours truly, Farmboyco.
Would not suggest driving with broken part inside. Seen some come out side of cylinder wall and through the top of the piston....making things really bad.
Bored out the hole .010" to let the balloon part out.
Rotate motor so cylinder with problem is on compression stroke and piston all the way up.
Apply air on injector hole with stuffing around air nozzle.
Broken end comes out through bored out heater hole.
Retap the whole with correct size for helix.
Insert new helix and screw in the new heater..
There is sufficient seat left at bottom of heater threads to contain the compression.
Have a 91 flatbed dually, 2 WD, 7.3 IDI where 3 of the heaters broke off during replacement. Took 2 weeks to come up with the plan above. Tried magnets, super glue, and few other things with nothing working. Naturally this one was up against the fire wall where an old geaser has difficulty getting to, let alone doing any work.
Not suggest this as a solution for you, but is my solution that worked due to not wanting to take engine out nor removing the heads as everyone suggested. My truck has 284,000 on it and has been running over a year since this fix was installed by yours truly, Farmboyco.
Would not suggest driving with broken part inside. Seen some come out side of cylinder wall and through the top of the piston....making things really bad.
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