6.9 IDI E350 Van died while running, and no longer cranks

[verg_05]

My diesel van died a few months ago while running and haven't been able to get it to start. All it does is clicks when trying to start, and I can't use a breaker bar on the crank, was wondering if my fuel pump could be locked up? Also before it died it had what sounded like popping, and it was rolling coal while driving, and it normally doesn't.

 

[Clb]

Start @ the battery , check the wiring.
If it won't bar over it's probably in trouble.

 

[franklin2]

It should crank over, even if the fuel pump was bad. Clicking sounds like dead batteries or a bad connection at the battery terminals.

 

[verg_05]

well its not constant clicking, it just clicks once and i cant move the crank at all with a breaker bar. and it had new batteries, cables, etc... I did an overhaul on the starting/ignition system. but why would it have heavy black smoke coming out of the exhaust? it did that after running all day?

 

[Jesus Freak]

You've got a condition referred to by professionals as "severe internal damage". You won't know what's up until the heads come off.

At very best, you can pull glow plugs and see if one is smashed, but since it's indirect injection the glow plugs are protected in the chamber. Or if you have a "hydrolock" situation, removing the glow plugs will allow the fluid to come out. But even with a hydrolock, you should be able to slowly move the crank around, I used to when my first engine cavitated.

 

[Jesus Freak]

Start @ the battery , check the wiring.
If it won't bar over it's probably in trouble.

Definitely in trouble.......call an IDI ambulance owner, we gotta van down.

 

[BeastMaster]

Before disassembling the engine, try removing the belts.

A bearing on some driven shaft may have seized.

I note my IDI will issue heavy black smoke if it's heavily loaded at low RPM, and here's hoping that your IDI load was something like an alternator, A/C compressor, or similar whatnot bearing frictionally overheating to failure.

Here's also hoping you did not have an oil or coolant leak dispense your fluids down the road... Check 'em!

 

[IDIBOBS]

well its not constant clicking, it just clicks once and i cant move the crank at all with a breaker bar. and it had new batteries, cables, etc... I did an overhaul on the starting/ignition system. but why would it have heavy black smoke coming out of the exhaust? it did that after running all day?

Ignition system? Might be part of the problem. Diesel’s don’t have ignition.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Diesel’s don’t have ignition.

This is probably talking about the key switch on the steering column.

 

[verg_05]

I was talking about the starting system more or less and all of the glow plug system

 

[BeastMaster]

I'd still check the fluids first...the coolant and oil was the last things that passed through that engine, and their condition may give clues to what happened...and loosen the belts and retry moving the crankshaft. Maybe another quick starter try with the IP fuel solenoid wire pulled.. seems like there was something that thwarted my last try to bar mine when I was troubleshooting a "lazy" starter.

My comment is based on my belief the starter motor may not have enough torque to overpower a frozen belt-driven shaft, so try again with all belt-driven loads removed, and knowing my IDI will smoke a lot of I ask a lot of torque from it. A dying shaft bearing is very apt to do that before locking up.

I don't think your fuel pump would fail in such a manner to physically freeze the engine - comments invited if anyone has seen this happen!

I'm sure hoping it's something like a frozen alternator or A/C compressor bearing.

 

[franklin2]

I was talking about the starting system more or less and all of the glow plug system

It's rare, but sometimes the starter will get hung up in the flywheel and lock the engine up. Make sure the starter is not stuck in the flywheel.

If it's a manual transmission, make sure the transmission is in neutral

Take all the belts off like already suggested and try it.

If you do all the above and the engine will not turn either way, you have serious problems. You might want to pull all the glowplugs out and try to turn it, but you would think if you had coolant or fuel hydro locking the engine, that you could at least turn it backwards some.

 

[IDIBOBS]

I was talking about the starting system more or less and all of the glow plug system

Oh ok. When your talking ignition system in a car “ignition” always references the spark system, plugs, wires, coil/coils, distributor if it has one. Ignition system does not reference the starter, or glow plug system.