1st post. Advice on safely re-starting a 94 7.3

[8gitmusik1]

You may want to check/replace the CDR tube - where it goes into the valley pan at the back of the motor. This(I forgot) is a likely source of water into motor, especially if the drain hole next to it is plugged up with crud.

Since my rig is a van and not a truck, and since the "doghouse" is removed now, this should be pretty easy to get too? I dont know what it (CDR tube) looks like or stands for (duh, on my part), and never have removed or replaced one. I'll bet that may be, at least in part, one of the culprits. Thanks Macrobb for mentioning it.

Sent from my SM-T567V using Tapatalk

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Thanks DrCharles for reminding me about hydrolock and runaway. Pie plate will be nearby, JIC.

I won't say that it can't happen, but you shouldn't have any issues with either one. Your glow plugs will be out. You'll be turning the engine over by hand so you'll get most of what ever fliuds are in the cylinders out that way. Then you'll be turning it over several revolutions with the starter and this will remove enough of the rest of the fluids that you'll be able to run the engine with the glow plugs installed.

I dont know what it (CDR tube) looks like or stands for (duh, on my part), and never have removed or replaced one.

The CDR valve stands for crankcase depression relief valve. Basically, it does the same thing as a PCV valve on a gas engine. It takes excess crankcase gasses and routes them into the intake to be reburned by the engine. The CDR tube is the piece that connects the bottom of the CDR valve to the valley pan. The CDR valve mounts to the back side of thee intake on a N/A application, unless somebody modified it in the past for some reason. Since you have a van, remove the dog house and you'll see the CDR. It will look round from the back and will be mounted below the air cleaner. It's possible that you won't even have to remove the air cleaner to remove the CDR, but I won't swear to this one.

 

[DrCharles]

Obviously with the glow plugs out, there won't be a problem! But that wasn't part of the original plan, or at least was not stated explicitly. I would rather err on the side of giving conservative advice, than to assume everyone knows as much (or more) about engines as I do

 

[8gitmusik1]

Obviously with the glow plugs out, there won't be a problem! But that wasn't part of the original plan, or at least was not stated explicitly. I would rather err on the side of giving conservative advice, than to assume everyone knows as much (or more) about engines as I do

Dr.Charles/IDIBronco,
My rundown for the A.M.

So, I finish getting the gp's out of the front of the engine, get my largest breaker bar and 15/16" socket and ext. if needed and crawl up under the radiator area and get socket on crank bolt and turn until I make 2 or 3 revolutions of engine?

1) Where will water go if there is any? Wont it just just seep back into the GP hole or wash surrounding crud i can't get to, into the cylinder, just thinking out loud here.

2) Now since we assumed their "is" water in cylinders, Im moving forward with that assumption, but maybe there's not because the water may not have come from the intake or air filter housing but instead from the CSR tube, due to the drain hole possibly being plugged.

3) Do I or don't I spray PB in the GP holes if they have water or is it better not too or to at least spray some lubricant anyway, regardless?

Sent from my SM-T567V using Tapatalk

 

[WarNose]

3) Do I or don't I spray PB in the GP holes if they have water or is it better not too or to at least spray some lubricant anyway, regardless?

Sent from my SM-T567V using Tapatalk

If you spray oil into the glow plug holes it is going into the pre-combustion chamber first. It will leak into the cylinder from there and won't lube anything more than the parts of the rings closest to the exhaust ports. But that would probably be the rustiest part, since that is where the water would also sit.

I dont think you could put enough oil in there to make a difference before putting too much.

 

[8gitmusik1]

If you spray oil into the glow plug holes it is going into the pre-combustion chamber first. It will leak into the cylinder from there and won't lube anything more than the parts of the rings closest to the exhaust ports. But that would probably be the rustiest part, since that is where the water would also sit.

I dont think you could put enough oil in there to make a difference before putting too much.

Good to know WarNose, thanks for chiming in here.

So, if the PB blaster penetrant or just plain Rotella, is just going to reach only the per-combustion area, it wouldn't matter which? Is one gonna work better/safer over the other?

Also, is there any other way to pre-lube the cylinders before first start that would be additional or better ring saver/rusty ring/piston "releaser" that you would recommend from your experience?

Sent from my SM-T567V using Tapatalk

 

[WarNose]

If I was able to get oil to the rings I would think PB blaster would be better. But I think you would have to pull the heads to get it in yhere properly.

The 6.9 that I am building had a couple of quarts of rain water in the crankcase too. It seems like it went through the CDR hole on the valley pan. The lifter valley had standing water in it. No water in the cylinders it turned over just fine. The rings still seemed to be holding oil. I would try just turning it over by hand. It might turn smoothly.

 

[Exhumis]

I'm not sure the compression of our engines but it should turn pretty easy with your breaker bar on the crank. Not sure if it's necessary with our diesels since they require faster spinning to start but make sure you disconnect the batteries. Watched a buddy throw his breaker bar through the hood narrowly missing his head and almost ripping his arm off on a gasser after the engine turned over.
You'll know pretty quick if a piston/rings are seized up. Do you have a bore scope or small inspection camera that will fit in the gp hole? Take a quick peak. Alternatively to satisfy your fears rotate the engine putting each piston at TDC and check the crown. You won't be able to see much since the gp hole is so small but it's better than nothing.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

You won't be able to see much since the gp hole is so small but it's better than nothing.

Plus you'll be looking at the precombustion chamber, not the piston.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

If I was able to get oil to the rings I would think PB blaster would be better. But I think you would have to pull the heads to get it in yhere properly.

I agree with this one.

 

[snicklas]

Just to give you and idea, I was able to turn over a daily driven IDI with a socket and Craftsman 1/2 Drive "teardrop" ratchet without a huge struggle. I've had more trouble with lug nuts than baring over an IDI.

This IDI had been driven the day before, and parked. It rained, and I had opened the hood the next morning, and found rainwater sitting on the Air Cleaner. I cleared all the water from the lid, looked into the intake, and didn't see any water. To be safe, I wanted to bar it over. So I grabbed the socket and ratchet since it was what was handy. I made sure the IP was unplugged, and bared it over. I didn't take out any Glow Plugs, and it wasn't overly difficult to rotate the engine. If you have to "hang" on the breaker bar to get it to turn over, then there is something wrong. There will be some resistance, but lying on your back and just pulling on the bar, it should rotate. If you have to pick yourself up off the ground to get it to budge, then you will need to "free up" what is stuck.

Just for some prospective though, I'm 6'4" and 350+ pounds. So my "pull on the ratchet" is a bit different, than some.........

 

[Exhumis]

Plus you'll be looking at the precombustion chamber, not the piston.

Doh! That's true. Forgot about that. Guess if you had a really good bore scope you could snake it around.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Guess if you had a really good bore scope you could snake it around.

I suppose you could, but I don't have any experience with these so I have no real opinions here.

 

[8gitmusik1]

NEW-Update on my 94 E350-7.3L IDI Non-Turbo Diesel Truck/Van

Well Gentlemen,

It's true! Ford Trucks with 7.3L engines are the best DAMN trucks on the planet!

Here's what I got accomplished:

1) Old Oil with water (1 Gallon) drained from the oil pan

2) Flushed 1x with 1Gallon diesel fuel to get all remaining soot/water/gunk, let sit for 2 hours, drained again.

3) Put 1 more gallon fresh diesel thru filler neck, then I let that mixture sit overnight and in the morning, once it stopped raining cats and frogs, drained more soot/gunk/crud/ and a slight bit more water maybe a 1/4 cup. (Had vehicle completely covered with a large tarp overnight)

4) Removed serpentine belt in preparatioin of turning engine over manually.

5) Got starter off and cleaned terminals and visually inspected flywheel, all looks good no chips in teeth and pretty clean inside.

6) Got glow plug harness out, re-taped all frayed flex wrap and got all old glow plug harness ends cut off, wires stripped and ends fluxed and soldered and all (8) new barrel connectors heat shrunk with heat gun, harness renewed.

7) Tried to get fuel out of tank with a air diaphragm pump into 55 gallon drum but filler neck would not allow me access no matter what sized hose I tried to wrangle in the neck, so, tomorrow or Saturday I will take the fuel inlet of the manual fuel pump and try to get the diesel out thru that method. My plan is to pull as much fuel out of the tank and then let sit and see if there is any water that condensated over the time it sat. It had 25 gallon in it and I put 10 more in recently till I could see the fuel in the fller neck in order to see if there was algae or microbial growth but from what I could tell, the fuel looked good. Once I get the fuel out and let it sit overnight in the clear 55 gallon barrel, I will see if there is any water as it will be visually separated, I praying there isn't any.

8) I did put some PB Blaster down the glow plug holes and let that sit overnight.

9) I put a 15/16" socket on a 1/2" breaker bar and was able to successfully turn the engine over manually with little effort and it seems like there isn't water in the cylinders but the real test will be when I try and turn it over with glow plugs removed with new gear reduction starter installed and new batteries. I have the van covered with a large tarp because we have rain tomorrow and I dont want to get ANY water into glow plug holes before I reinstall them Saturday and get going with my actual 1st start after its LONG nap.

10) Thats the update, Thrursday evening 8:10pm. Wish me luck guys inn the next couple days ahead, I'll need it! Well thats the good news so far. Hope all ya'll are getting along well with your own projects. Thanks to all of you who have supported me with advice and your knowledge shared, it really has been a real blessing and, for all your help and support so far! Have a GREAT friday

Sent from my SM-T567V using Tapatalk

 

[IDIBRONCO]

. I have the van covered with a large tarp because we have rain tomorrow and I dont want to get ANY water into glow plug holes before I reinstall them Saturday

That's a good idea. I'm betting that after you put it all back together and try to start it, it will run just fine.