6.9 Diesel starts and will only runs for a seconds, billows white smoke.

[86 Ford F-250 4X4]

I have a ’86 Ford F-250 6.9 diesel that has less than 18,000 miles that I bought new. I had not started it in several years and when I turned the key the fuel gage showed empty on both tanks. I tried starting it and it would not run. I thought either the gage was broken and the fuel was bad or it was empty. I added fuel and had the same result. I thought that the tank was loaded with crud. I pumped both tanks out and was going to drop them but when I blew them out with compressed air they seemed clean. I added fuel to the rear tank only and the gage started working (about 5 gal.)


When I started the truck it would start and run for only a few seconds billowing white smoke. At that time (not understanding how IDI injectors worked) and thinking that they were blocked, I added 5 more gallons of fuel and the appropriate amount of Hot Shot’s Diesel Extreme to clean the blocked injectors. Same result. I replaced the fuel filter and filled it with Sea Foam as it shows on YouTube this didn’t help either. I decided to replace the injectors with new Standard Motor Products brand ones. I bled out the air by not tightening down the lines until fuel was coming out and it’s still the same.



I removed the factory water separator reading that these can be problematic and replaced it with a short piece of tubing until I get it running. I’ve checked to see if the lift pump was working and it pumps out 1/3 pint in 10 seconds as described online.


I would hate to buy an injection pump since the truck only has 18,000 miles. It can’t be worn out. Is it possible that it is blocked?


The oil level is at the full line on the dipstick and there does not appear to be any water in it so I don’t think that it’s a head gasket.


Here’s what it looks like:

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I would appreciate any suggestions to solve this problem.

 

[Thewespaul]

Wow beautiful truck. I would start by running the truck off a jerry can and see if it still acts up. Pull the soft line off the lift pump and plug the metal line on the frame, and run the soft line into a container with diesel. If it still acts the same, you know the issue is between the lift pump and the injectors. You’ve replaced the injectors so I’d say there’s likely an issue with the injection pump if issues continue. If so I can walk you through some steps to remove some parts from the ip to try and clean up the metering valve which may be stuck from sitting.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

I would hate to buy an injection pump since the truck only has 18,000 miles. It can’t be worn out. Is it possible that it is blocked?

Since you bled the injector lines until fuel came out, you know that the pump isn't completely blocked.

 

[david85]

18k miles!? WOW! Welcome to the forum!

Are you able to feather the throttle to keep it running? Seems to me that not all the air is purged yet.

My truck sat for 2 years and I can tell you it was not happy with me when I started driving it again. It took a little to get it going but once running, I just drove it. Got it up to temperature and gradually worked it harder and harder until the power was back to normal.

Filling the fuel filter with additive is a good idea. I've had good results with automatic transmission fluid, since it has more lubricity than diesel (or any diesel additive) and is dosed with detergents that can break up deposits in the injection system.

I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say we'd love to see some more videos and photos of that truck after you get this all sorted out.

 

[Black dawg]

I have seen a couple act identical to that...on one the return was blocked by a crappy tank valve. The other had a piece of stuff in the injection pump that would block the vent wire.....also return restriction

 

[genscripter]

I have seen a couple act identical to that...on one the return was blocked by a crappy tank valve. The other had a piece of stuff in the injection pump that would block the vent wire.....also return restriction

I would expect blacker smoke if there was a return restriction, but anything can happen with these beasts.

 

[86 Ford F-250 4X4]

Wow beautiful truck. I would start by running the truck off a jerry can and see if it still acts up. Pull the soft line off the lift pump and plug the metal line on the frame, and run the soft line into a container with diesel. If it still acts the same, you know the issue is between the lift pump and the injectors. You’ve replaced the injectors so I’d say there’s likely an issue with the injection pump if issues continue. If so I can walk you through some steps to remove some parts from the ip to try and clean up the metering valve which may be stuck from sitting.

 

[86 Ford F-250 4X4]

Thank you and thank you for your help. I did as you said, the engine still quits after a few seconds but it seems like there is a lot less white smoke. I connected the fuel can to the “out” hose for the water separator and plugged the “in” hose. This hose into a metal hose that goes under the engine and into the lift pump.


I don’t know if the lift pump is working as it should. When I checked the volume output it pumped 1/3 pint in 10 seconds of cranking with the core out of the Schrader valve on the fuel filter head. I’m going to try it again. I don’t have any way to test the fuel pressure. (https://www.oilburners.net/threads/bad-lift-pump.47821/ #5)

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If you look at the fuel going through the clear plastic tubing it seem that it never fills up. It seems that there is very little fuel pressure if any. Maybe I need a new lift pump.

 

[86 Ford F-250 4X4]

Since you bled the injector lines until fuel came out, you know that the pump isn't completely blocked.

 

[86 Ford F-250 4X4]

I wish that I knew the way to clean it out.

 

[86 Ford F-250 4X4]

18k miles!? WOW! Welcome to the forum!

Are you able to feather the throttle to keep it running? Seems to me that not all the air is purged yet.

My truck sat for 2 years and I can tell you it was not happy with me when I started driving it again. It took a little to get it going but once running, I just drove it. Got it up to temperature and gradually worked it harder and harder until the power was back to normal.

Filling the fuel filter with additive is a good idea. I've had good results with automatic transmission fluid, since it has more lubricity than diesel (or any diesel additive) and is dosed with detergents that can break up deposits in the injection system.

I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say we'd love to see some more videos and photos of that truck after you get this all sorted out.

 

[86 Ford F-250 4X4]

If you look at the video you can see how quickly it dies. It seems to run longer if I floor it. It's been about 2 years for this one too. How much did you use and did you mix it with anything like fuel? Thanks, I'll post more once it gets out of the garage.

 

[david85]

I connected the fuel can to the “out” hose for the water separator and plugged the “in” hose. This hose into a metal hose that goes under the engine and into the lift pump.


I don’t know if the lift pump is working as it should. When I checked the volume output it pumped 1/3 pint in 10 seconds of cranking with the core out of the Schrader valve on the fuel filter head. I’m going to try it again. I don’t have any way to test the fuel pressure. (https://www.oilburners.net/threads/bad-lift-pump.47821/ #5)

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If you look at the fuel going through the clear plastic tubing it seem that it never fills up. It seems that there is very little fuel pressure if any. Maybe I need a new lift pump.

Honestly, all I did with mine was crank with the pedal to the floor long enough to bleed the lines, feather the throttle to keep it going, and drove it from there on. A few months later, I ended up replacing the filter and lift pump because the truck started lugging and trying to stall at stop lights. To this day I feel a little silly for replacing them both at the same time, becuase now I'll never know for sure if it was a blocked filter or weak lift pump. It sounds like you can't keep the engine going no matter how much throttle you give, so you may have something else going on in there.

Have you tried loosening the filter to see if it's still full of fuel?

You have now eliminated the supply line from the tank as a possible problem, but what about the return line at the top of the injector pump? Are you able to see fuel discharging there as black dawg mentioned?

 

[subway]

Honestly, all I did with mine was crank with the pedal to the floor long enough to bleed the lines, feather the throttle to keep it going, and drove it from there on.

once you get it going i have run into this also with major fuel system work. it probably took me 20 or more miles of driving to get all of the air out of the system. it would run just roughly but kept smoothing out over time.

 

[86 Ford F-250 4X4]

Honestly, all I did with mine was crank with the pedal to the floor long enough to bleed the lines, feather the throttle to keep it going, and drove it from there on. A few months later, I ended up replacing the filter and lift pump because the truck started lugging and trying to stall at stop lights. To this day I feel a little silly for replacing them both at the same time, becuase now I'll never know for sure if it was a blocked filter or weak lift pump. It sounds like you can't keep the engine going no matter how much throttle you give, so you may have something else going on in there.

Have you tried loosening the filter to see if it's still full of fuel?

You have now eliminated the supply line from the tank as a possible problem, but what about the return line at the top of the injector pump? Are you able to see fuel discharging there as black dawg mentioned?

If I knew that it would solve my problem I would gladly replace the filter and the lift pump.

I'll see if the fuel filter is full today after trying to start. I'll see if there is some way to connect a clear hose to the return line.