Attempting to help a friend

[BrianX128]

So a friend of mine is looking at buying an idi, but it has some starting issues and I believe the glow plug controller is dead. The wait to start light stays on for ten seconds and you can hear the relay click off audibly once about five seconds after the wts light goes out, but the volt meter never moves at all when doing any of this. The owner said the harder starts are due to it still having 15w40 rotella in winter and not 5w-40 but either way the relay should do something I'd imagine to the volt meter. Didn't have time to test the glow plugs or anything at the time. He's supposed to go look at it again this weekend.

I still have 15w40 rotella in mine and have two bad glow plugs and mine will still cough around if it's above 20 or fire up immediately if plugged in for two to three hours before I start it. I plan on fixing my glow plugs eventually but really don't have a need as I can always plug mine in so its not an immediate need. Him however not so much.

If the system was working properly wouldn't the voltmeter swing and respond to the draw of the plugs? Truck is in ok shape outside of this from what I had time to look at. Rode ok, nothing glared out outside of the really hard start even when it was supposedly drove two hours ago.

It was a 90 f350 single cab auto 4x4 FYI. 170k miles. Motor seemed clean and dry. Nothing stood out to me outside of the starting. Oil and water were good. Knew of cavitation and right fluids when I asked him. Don't think he's trying to pull one over on my friend, I just think he doesn't know his glow plugs don't work. I'm just also worried it might have a dying injector pump along with a bad glow plug system as it wasn't that cold today and to not want to start two hours after being drove until the third 7 second crank session just seemed off to me. Didn't smoke funny or anything one puff of black ish grey when started and then clear. Black when revved up quick. Nothing at all while driving.

Just don't want to suggest he go for the truck if the pump is dying and there's all sorts of things that need fixed and replaced right off of the bat and I know that 125-150k is ip lifetime usually so if it's original after 170 it's long over due. Just trying to make sure I help him with right questions.

 

[cpdenton]

I have 15/40 in men all year. True, it doesn't get cold in arkansas like it does in PA, but it does sound like a messed up glow plug system.

You are on the right track. Probably will need a pump. Seems like they all do.

 

[BrianX128]

So one question on that actually, is there a sure fire good way to tell outside of the petina of the pump weather it's been replaced or not? If imagine there's some sort of oem markings that's not on the remans. Only way I know mine got a new pump at 100k is the paperwork the previous owner provided me. All of it like he was giving me tax documents from 26 years from the ford dealership. This previous owner, while I do trust him I am trying to not let myself or my friend take any story at word value that we don't verify ourselves.

The one drawback to being the ford truck guy and now the ford truck guy who has a diesel is I definitely do not have all or even most of the answers for any of my friends scouring craigslist for a truck.. A few guesses at best. That's been the one nice part about owning two 300 straight sixes. Does it have a battery, at least some oil, and maybe some water in the radiator but if not just drive faster and get the wind going? Good enough. Lol. Not that I treat mine that way naturally, but not much to do with those engines outside of check your oil and listen to that whine of the power steering pump.

 

[Agnem]

15w-40 is the right oil for winter use. Never heard of that BS before. His cranking speed is too low, or the glow plugs are not getting power. Do the voltmeter test at the #2 glow plug. With the wire connected to the plug, measure the voltage during WTS. Should start out around 6 volts and climb to 11 volts before the relay starts cycling. If the voltage starts out higher, then it is likely there is one or more plugs burned out, and this will short cycle the relay. Any smoke when cranking? Lack of smoke indicates no fuel.

 

[riotwarrior]

I am all for quick and dirty test w test light connected to bat + then remove gp wire touch tip...should light if good...its quick its effective. That tells ya gp but not if controller functioning correctly.

 

[BrianX128]

I have a test light and a voltmeter I'll bring them both with me Saturday when we go to look at it again. This portion with starting is all stuff I'm at least familiar with from my own truck. It does smoke when cranking, a light grey same as mine with the two bad glow plugs.

I'm more concerned about the fact that it was hard to start when it still was warm from a perspective of him considering buying the truck. Would two hours be too long to have sat to rule out a heat soaked old injector pump in you guys opinions? I need to just flat out ask the guy if the engine has the original IP or not. An old tired engine with a bad glow plug system changes the truck from a good deal to a sure project and that's not exactly what my friend Tyler is looking for and if that's all what the truck turns out to be then I need to find out and just suggest he pass if so.

 

[riotwarrior]

Just how warm was warm for determining heat soak? Doesnt sound right but cooling IP head should answe that...

Not sure but bad air intrusion could cquse it but usually not w in 2 hrs...

 

[BrianX128]

He said he drove around a half hour to work then it sat for two hours and I would describe engine bay as just warm to the touch. Wasn't "hot" I could keep my hand on the radiator while leaning in to check for leaks around the return lines and injector system. Even when we went for a drive I shut it off when it was my turn to drive it and went to restart it and it still spun for three to four seconds before it caught hot.

 

[typ4]

Usually if the pump is painted ,it's original.

 

[rustygold]

Could be air in the lines that will make a hard start..my did that I could fire it right back up after 15 minutes or so but let it set for 2 to 3 hours hard start or start and die take a 3/8 clear line that will tell you.

I ran into the same problem when I bought mine hard start so I thought glow plug system nope.
Then I was told return line caps replaced them did a little better but no cigar. I know now to by extra 1/4 inch line to replace all return lines.


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