6.9 idi been sitting ten years

jimmaboy

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Just bought an 85 6.9 idi with a 4spd and 4wd been sitting for ten years we got it running had to prime the system to get it to run oddly there wasn't any leaks under the truck when we pulled it out of the weeds and now it starts everytime after you push the glowplug button for 20-30 seconds however.....it is pouring an off white smoke that reiks of raw unburned fuel doesn't idle rough once up to temp but still continues to pour smoke I've drive it 50 miles in the two days I've had it burns no oil leaks no oil at least onto the ground where does a guy start with the police evasion device I've seemed to acquire
 

IDIBRONCO

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There's a slight chance that it may be old fuel too. Fill your tank(s) to dilute the old fuel as much as possible. It also wouldn't hurt to put some Diesel Kleen in the tanks. It might be sticky inside the injector pump from sitting all those years. That may cause it to not idle.
 

Rdnck84_03

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I agree with the pump being sticky, when I bought my 84 a couple years ago it had been sitting for atleast 10 years. It smoked pretty bad, and anytime you snapped the throttle it would die at idle because the metering rod wouldn't move fast enough for the governor to recover it.

James
 

IDIBOBS

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Unfortunately diesels don’t do well sitting for very long. I’m just a few months pumps can varnish and have issues and the fuel goes bad. Returns lines rot and get eaten by field mice. Sounds like the motor is in good shape just needs a bunch of maintenance.
 

Black dawg

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Dose it heavily with power service diesel clean. Use it just a little bit every day for awhile. Since fuel drained back some, could be varnish in places. Diesels typically do very well sitting even for a very long time, as long as the fuel sytem is tight.
 

onetonjohn

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Congratulations on the new truck and welcome to the forum. How about some pics? Get your mind ready for steady stream of cash going into the truck for a bit as you work though the maintenance issues. I hope you enjoy yours as much as I enjoy mine. Read as much as you can about these trucks and common issues and upgrades. Pretty soon you'll be an expert on these things and have a good running truck for a fraction of a new(er) truck.
 

Black dawg

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Started two this last week that had been sitting for 10 plus years, both with open fuel lines, as engines were removed. Both had minor fuel system issues that cleared up with heavy dose of diesel clean and an hour running each day for a week.
 

jimmaboy

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Thank you guys I have a 93 factory turbo idi crew cab that was s similar situation except I just put it straight to work then had to put a motor in it cause it plugged two injectors I've almost always had mid 90's ford's these two trucks are my first diesels and I know very little besides they seem way simpler than the 5.8's either that being said.....I've had it for three days putted it around town the only thing that leaks is the power steering pump none of the rubber lines in between the injectors leak there's no drip in the inspection plate and so far I've let it idle for at least an hour and a half a day I just filled the front tank and dumped one quart of atf4 in it ( the fuel guage doesn't work but I grounded the sending unit on both thanks and they read 1/2 full) and besides the raw diesel smell it seems ok once it warms up I will definitely put a new fuel filter on it before I take it out of town anywhere and add some diesel kleen thank you very much I've always been a long time lurker in the three years I've had my 93 but I'm a first time poster and really don't want to put a motor in it as I need it as a wood truck I'll post pictures twords the am
 

jimmaboy

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This is it on the back of my old man's 96 5.8 250
 

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jimmaboy

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There's a slight chance that it may be old fuel too. Fill your tank(s) to dilute the old fuel as much as possible. It also wouldn't hurt to put some Diesel Kleen in the tanks. It might be sticky inside the injector pump from sitting all those years. That may cause it to not idle.
The fuel tanks seemed full after I went to fill them it only took $30 between the front and rear and the fuel guage only works ( I think) when you stab a test light into the wire with it grounded to the frame, it idles like it has a misfire in a hole or two until it hits one fifty then it smooths out to no vibration in the motor once it's warm however......it runs like a ***** ape has tons of power and the smoke seems to calm down just a c hair once warm honestly given the trouble I've had with my 93 7.3 I'm surprised the damned thing even runs let alone drives at town speed under its own power
 

jimmaboy

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Congratulations on the new truck and welcome to the forum. How about some pics? Get your mind ready for steady stream of cash going into the truck for a bit as you work though the maintenance issues. I hope you enjoy yours as much as I enjoy mine. Read as much as you can about these trucks and common issues and upgrades. Pretty soon you'll be an expert on these things and have a good running truck for a fraction of a new(er) truck.
I've had a ton (meaning 4 late 80's - 97 passers only my second diesel after I figured put hauling wood and broken down wood trucks requires more grunt than a 351 can reliably do with 2 cord on ot) are these 6.9's fairly similar to the 7.3's and 351's?
 

MadMac

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Just bought an 85 6.9 idi with a 4spd and 4wd been sitting for ten years we got it running had to prime the system to get it to run oddly there wasn't any leaks under the truck when we pulled it out of the weeds and now it starts everytime after you push the glowplug button for 20-30 seconds however.....it is pouring an off white smoke that reiks of raw unburned fuel doesn't idle rough once up to temp but still continues to pour smoke I've drive it 50 miles in the two days I've had it burns no oil leaks no oil at least onto the ground where does a guy start with the police evasion device I've seemed to acquire

Welcome and nice find. In terms of a list of things I'd look at... I'm not the best wrench... just some of my recommends after having done something similar.

Return Lines - these things cause so many vacuum leaks, if they are old I'd just replace them paying particular attention to the grommets. Manifests typically as cold starting problems due to drawing fuel so far.
Fuel / Water separator - another cold start vacuum problem, but typically much worse.
Fuel Switch - Make certain the fuel tank switch unit inside the drivers frame rail is passing fuel in both directions.
Vacuum Lines - There are not that many of them, so just pull them off individually and test them. Any doubt - replace one.
Water in Fuel - if the separator is good, but full of water... if the separator is bad - and the tanks have 10 years of vapor in them...
Old Fuel - As others have noted, treat the fuel, replace it - whatever you can to get rid of it.
Bad / clogged Fuel return line?
Compression problems - one or two cyls with bad rings, holes, etc. really Bad head gasket. If you're doing that - do the work of a leak down test.
Head gasket - this is more likely to cause white smoke, except for everything else...
Injector Pump - this is the one I think of with "grey smoke" - equivalent to running rich. The cheap test I know of - is to adjust the fuel delivery screw.
Instrument Voltage Regulator - this is a very small thumb size PITA which plugs onto the back of the instrument panel. On my '85, it was good for a delta of no change to reading F at full, and E at 1/3rd full.
Old Wiring. Will have nothing to do with grey smoke problems. But will have issues with starting and maintaining voltage from your fuel sending units.
Starter - nothing to do with smoke, but its really easy to get the wrong starter, which will not spin the motor fast enough, and really lacks power. You could inherit one of these...
Battery Cables - another infrequent but sometimes PITA intermittant / low starting power issue
Glow Plugs - get the right motorcraft plugs, and be aware there are fakes out there. You should *always* be on the hunt for a spare set... And be very, very careful when replacing them, the conterfit tips breakoff and mushroom.

Vacuum & fuel problems are the most vexing of the issues when these trucks get old. Remote issues will be electrical.

The list above is long, the reality is they decompose into a fairly straightforward decision tree based on your symptoms. Once the engine is running well - near indestructable and so simple, not much to go wrong. Last piece of advice:

Forum Search - this forum software isn't the easiest search to figure out, so spend some time learning what it does/does not do. There is so much information here - which will cover ALL the topics above in great detail thanks to the many really sharp and experienced wrenches here on this list.

The group loves photos. There are a couple of very long running posts, one is: "what did you do with your truck today" and another contemplating issues and other life affirming truck maintenance...

Members - did I miss anything major?
 

jimmaboy

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Welcome and nice find. In terms of a list of things I'd look at... I'm not the best wrench... just some of my recommends after having done something similar.

Return Lines - these things cause so many vacuum leaks, if they are old I'd just replace them paying particular attention to the grommets. Manifests typically as cold starting problems due to drawing fuel so far.
Fuel / Water separator - another cold start vacuum problem, but typically much worse.
Fuel Switch - Make certain the fuel tank switch unit inside the drivers frame rail is passing fuel in both directions.
Vacuum Lines - There are not that many of them, so just pull them off individually and test them. Any doubt - replace one.
Water in Fuel - if the separator is good, but full of water... if the separator is bad - and the tanks have 10 years of vapor in them...
Old Fuel - As others have noted, treat the fuel, replace it - whatever you can to get rid of it.
Bad / clogged Fuel return line?
Compression problems - one or two cyls with bad rings, holes, etc. really Bad head gasket. If you're doing that - do the work of a leak down test.
Head gasket - this is more likely to cause white smoke, except for everything else...
Injector Pump - this is the one I think of with "grey smoke" - equivalent to running rich. The cheap test I know of - is to adjust the fuel delivery screw.
Instrument Voltage Regulator - this is a very small thumb size PITA which plugs onto the back of the instrument panel. On my '85, it was good for a delta of no change to reading F at full, and E at 1/3rd full.
Old Wiring. Will have nothing to do with grey smoke problems. But will have issues with starting and maintaining voltage from your fuel sending units.
Starter - nothing to do with smoke, but its really easy to get the wrong starter, which will not spin the motor fast enough, and really lacks power. You could inherit one of these...
Battery Cables - another infrequent but sometimes PITA intermittant / low starting power issue
Glow Plugs - get the right motorcraft plugs, and be aware there are fakes out there. You should *always* be on the hunt for a spare set... And be very, very careful when replacing them, the conterfit tips breakoff and mushroom.

Vacuum & fuel problems are the most vexing of the issues when these trucks get old. Remote issues will be electrical.

The list above is long, the reality is they decompose into a fairly straightforward decision tree based on your symptoms. Once the engine is running well - near indestructable and so simple, not much to go wrong. Last piece of advice:

Forum Search - this forum software isn't the easiest search to figure out, so spend some time learning what it does/does not do. There is so much information here - which will cover ALL the topics above in great detail thanks to the many really sharp and experienced wrenches here on this list.

The group loves photos. There are a couple of very long running posts, one is: "what did you do with your truck today" and another contemplating issues and other life affirming truck maintenance...

Members - did I miss anything major?
Thank you very much I'm not much of a phone or computer guy I've been a long time lurker here I determined all of the glow plugs work so there's that I don't belive it has a headgasket issue as the oil is not milky nor is it using water I have changed the fuel filter I plan on doing it again next week until all of the old fuel is ran out of it I will be sure to post pics of both my 93 crewcab idi factory turbo and this 85 single cab thank you very much
 
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