6.9IDI Nightmare

[WTCJr13]

I am not an engine person so would appreciate the sarcasm and criticism to be kept at bay and someone serously help me here. I have a 1987 F-350 dually I love and do not want to get rid of. The 6.9 IDI motor is blowing oil out of every orifice including blowing the dip stick out. I've been given all the opinions of what it could be, definitely not the CDR but most state it's in the cylinder but that's not the problem bothering me. My problem is I can't find a shop that will touch the engine; even the best diesel shop an hour away says parts for this engine are hard to find and the engine itself is a nightmare to work on. I've even asked about rebuilds, "hell" I've even suggested buying a $20,000 crate engine but shops inform me the modifications are much to aggravating and don't want to be bothered. Is it time to throw in the towel?

 

[DrCharles]

Nope. It's not the easiest engine to work on that I've ever encountered, but I don't know why shops won't touch it.
First, get a diesel compression tester and see what you've got...
If it's really low, and the blow-by isn't just because your CDR is plugged up, you could then start looking around for a good 7.3 IDI turbo engine and swap it in.

 

[CDX825]

If it just started all the sudden I'm going to say the CDR is stuck shut.

 

[Big Bart]

As mentioned above you should clean or replace the CDR valve and see if things improve. (Oil no longer leaking out of the seals.)

You can remove the oil fill cap after and it will be pretty obvious if you have a major blow-by issue.

If so as stated above do a compression test to find the offending cylinders.

Once you know which cylinder/cylinders have low compression do a leak down test to confirm a piston or rings. (Send compressed air into the cylinder while keeping it at TDC of the compression stroke. Air will be coming out of the oil fill and cdr valve if a piston or rings. VS valves where the air will come out of the intake or exhaust pipe. (Careful as CDR dumps into the top of intake too.)

You may have to look at shops in PA, NJ, or DE if no one in Virginia wants to rebuild or swap it. But certain new parts are hard to find currently.

 

[Old Goat]

If you are going to wash out the CDR, do not use any solvent. It will destroy the rubber diaphram.

Shops today only want to work on the new stuff. Bring in one of these older Diesel Engines, and they look down their noses at you.

Here is a good thread about the CDR, forget what the title of the thread is. LMJD knows what he is talking about.
There really isn`t much to the CDR.

CDR Valve Vented to Exhaust?

www.thedieselstop.com

Goat

 

[WTCJr13]

The truck had been checked at a shop and definitely not the CDR. I was told it was probably a stuck ring or broken piston.

 

[Farmer Rock]

How many miles/hours are on the engine, and how long has this been going on?
I don't know how much oil loss we're talking about, but it wouldn't be a diesel if it didn't leak. Blowby comes naturally to these idis, so it may be possible all that crankcase pressure blew some seals and gaskets. It's pretty common after awhile....
Whoever quoted 20k is a complete nut job...
You can buy new crate motors for 5-6k last time I checked, but it would be way cheaper to rebuild yours either way.
If it came to that, and you weren't opposed to a used engine, I have a few here in PA, particularly a 168k miles 6.9 I pulled from a parts truck in Gettysburg if you are in need of one.



Rock

 

[Black dawg]

How well does the engine start, and how does it run?


Cracks me up that a shop that is used to working on modern diesels would say an idi motor is a nightmare to work on.

 

[Booyah45828]

If you love the truck, and don't want to get rid of it, then it's definitely not time to throw in the towel. It can be fixed. It's just going to take the right person, either you yourself or a shop to do it.

As others have said, most shops won't work on your truck because of age and unfamiliarity with it. Also, any engine rebuild/replacement will likely have you upside down on the truck, meaning you'll have more in fixing it then what it's worth. Most shops won't willingly do that, especially for a stranger, as those situations will only lead to headaches and hard feelings. I've been there and I've done that.

As others have said. If you're confident it's not the cdr, then it's time to do a compression check on it. Either do it yourself, or keep searching for a shop that's willing and capable. The latter might be the tougher and more expensive option.

 

[Big Bart]

Compression testers -

1) Harbor Frieght has one, uses the glow plug hole. Some have had to shorten the glow plug adaptor which is fine because it’s all about the top half that screws in.

2) OTC has one but you also have to buy a Ford glow plug adaptor. Both can be found on Amazon.

3) Perhaps look for a used Snap On one on CL, EBay, or Offer up.

4) You can use the glow plug adaptor to compress the cylinder for a leak down test and confirmation of what is causing the blow-by.

Lastly don’t assume the guy who worked on the truck knows what a CDR valve is or how to test it. Confirm yourself or via another mechanic. (You could just pull it and start the truck, watch how hard the air and smoke blow out the hole on the valley pan). You should not spend money to rebuild till you confirm your CDR is not clogged or stuck.

It may be you got a good confirmation on the CDR, but we see it frequently here, a bad diagnosis from a local shop. Many who worked on these in the 80’s and 90’s are now retired mechanics or moved on to be service writers or to the parts room for promotion or physical reasons. Folks who entered the industry in the last 23 years would not likely have work much or at all on these. (Guessing here but likely 1 out 50 F250’s/F350’s were even diesels. Power Strokes seemed to be when Diesels came into vogue.) Thus why shop owners and stealerships turn you away, their teams are not trained on IDI’s. But why a few shops do well, they have the corner on the old school diesel market.

 

[Noiseydiesel]

Buying a rebuilt engine might be an option.
If your capable of an R&R, then this might be a good option.
Promar in New Jersey does a good job and I can recommend them as a supplier for a rebuilt unit.
That would get your 6.9 back into it. The 7.3 turbo could make you happier with acceleration but it going to cost you a buck or "twenty" more. I don't believe there is not much to change going from the 6.9 to the 7.3 T. Other folks around here are much more knowledgeable than I.

 

[Robm45497]

S and j here in spokane wa. can do a engine.

 

[Dentside diesel]

Idi engines are everywhere in California. I love them. I have a ‘71 f250 with a 7.3 I bought the compression checker at harbor freight. It work great but the adapter to the glow plug hole has to be shortened with a grinder no big deal.

 

[Figor]

Personally I wouldn’t trust a shop diagnosis. It might be the cdr and they could be saying rings and pistons so they can get a rebuild price then just clean out the cdr. But I’m paranoid like that. I like to try and see what’s wrong myself then if I don’t want to fix it I know what a shop would need to do. This forum is the best tool in your toolbox.