Trying to get my glorious IDI running again (finally)

[Brutis]

Hey,

My truck has been sitting sitting silently since last May 2010 after I lost of valves. For various reasons I havn't been able to touch it in over a year, but IDI fever is getting the best of me. Shortly before I lost the valves I had bought a '94 factory turboed f250 that had been wrecked (sideswiped a telephone pole) so could harvest the turbo & pump ect....A friend of mine says the truck ran great before the wreck and there is no reaon to belive any damage has been done to the motor. I has been sitting for about three years. I tried turning it over with a socket and it moves freely most of the way around then binds up. I'm thinking maybe a stuck valve? I was hoping to swap this motor into my '90 without doing a whole lot to it. Is there something I can do to free it up without tearing into it? Any chance it will run without major overhaul? Funds are limited and I am now driving truck over the road, so time at home is limited as well. Sorry for a long post, but any suggestions are appriciated. Can't wait to drive this truck again!

 

[icanfixall]

Remove the easy side valve cover... Thats the drivers side. Remove the rockers and see if any valves are stuck. Then remove the passenger side and do the same. Hopefully you find something on the easy side. If both sides are fine..... The heads need to come off so you can find whats in the cylinders.

 

[Brutis]

Thanks Gary. Ill have to wait 7 days till I get home to check. If I find a stuck valve (praying) whats the best way to free it up?

 

[icanfixall]

Tap it lightly with a plastic hammer. That usually frees them up. Or try prying up on it. If you can spray some Aerokroil down the guide it will free it up faster. Aerokroil... I put that **** on everything....

 

[lindstromjd]

Tap it lightly with a plastic hammer. That usually frees them up. Or try prying up on it. If you can spray some Aerokroil down the guide it will free it up faster. Aerokroil... I put that **** on everything....

MMO is pretty good for that stuff, too.

 

[towtruckdave]

Would a stuck valve stop it from turning? I would expect the valve to bend like nothing and the motor to keep spinning. You may want to remove the glow plugs or injectors, and then see if it turns freely. Watch to see if anything like antifreeze shoots out. It could even has a mouse in there. If you get it freed up, you should start it and watch the coolant level with the rad cap off.

Dont forget to check the oil. I see guys once in a while fire up a mystery motor without checking fluids and ruin it right there.

 

[Brutis]

Would a stuck valve stop it from turning? I would expect the valve to bend like nothing and the motor to keep spinning. You may want to remove the glow plugs or injectors, and then see if it turns freely. Watch to see if anything like antifreeze shoots out. It could even has a mouse in there. If you get it freed up, you should start it and watch the coolant level with the rad cap off.

Dont forget to check the oil. I see guys once in a while fire up a mystery motor without checking fluids and ruin it right there.

I'm just turning it by hand so far. I have most of the accesories removed along with IP , injectors, ect... I will replace all fluids before running it. It has oil, just 3 year (at least) old. Right now, I am just trying to determine if I need to tear it down or not. I will check it out when I get back from this trip out east. My wife & I are expecting our first child next weekend, so that will likely postpone my project. You know, priorities

 

[Fordman75]

Any chance that it's just the compression? I don't know, I've never tried to turn over an IDI by hand. But I know a high compression gasser can be hard to turn over by hand and that's a lot lower compression.

If it was me I think I'd pull the glow plugs and try again.

 

[Brutis]

Shouldnt be just the compression. Ive got a big socket & a breaker bar on the crank pulley. Also, all 8 injectors are out. Should be the same as removing gp's right?

 

[Fordman75]

Then I guess it's not the compression.

 

[Brutis]

I wish it could be that simple. Hopefully it will be 2nd best and I canfree up a valve and go.

 

[snicklas]

Aerokroil... I put that **** on everything....

Gary,

I thought that was Franks hot sauce. I wonder if you used Aerokroil instead of Franks, if it would give you the runs!!!!!