First start of the morning on rebuild

[ferrellmedia]

I just finished replacing my engine with a rebuild which I know NOTHING about.

I took a chance and bought the engine from a guys daughter who passed away and this was a rebuild he had sitting in his shop. So I know nothing about the specifics.

In the mornings the truck just spins and spins, (brand new batteries) and puffs what smells like rich diesel smoke, color is mix of blue and white. Eventually the truck will roar to life with a LOT of black smoke and missing somewhat like it's flooded.

New tanks, new fuel pump (from NAPA) and new injector pump, injectors have 140k miles and have not been tested.

I live in south florida and the temps never get too cold, however, I allow the glow plugs to cycle prior to starting.

Cold compression test with US GENERAL harb frieght test kit thru the injector hole returned 250/275 on all 8 cylinders.

Could this be the fuel prime leaking down after sitting all night?
Could this be new rings not seating properly and not having enough compression to start until they get hot?
Could this be worn out rings and the rebuild is really only pulling 250 compression and this is causing the hard morning start?
Could this be timing related? I have the IP mark set approx 2/16" what I think is advanced to the passenger side of the trucks engine relative to the mark on the gear cover.

The truck runs REALLY well once started and pulls nicely and only smokes when floored.

And I've let it set for 1.5 hours after running and it starts fine, really fast, just a couple of cranks and it starts right up.

It's only that first morning start where I have this issue.

Any steps to rule anything out or just take it to the "stealership"?

I'm also wondering why my "wait to start" light is no longer working and wondering if I've got a wire missing or cross wired, but took pictures and there really isn't that many to mess up.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[NJKen]

It kinda sounds like your glow plugs are not working rite. Maybe there are just a few of them burned out. Check the GP system out and you might fix your problems. The bluiesh white cloud of smoke tell me you are definatly getting fuel.
Ken

 

[spencergt66]

sounds like its sucking air or is leaking air into the fuel system over night make sure all your fuel line are tight and none of the hoses are cracked also check the return lines

 

[jcarr]

also those compression numbers are low low low. IIRC the IDI motor should have compression over 400 psi. my engine has over 200k on it and compression results on it ranged from 400 to 475. someone else on the OBN posted results of a compression test with the US General guage and stated low numbers too. they also stated a bleed down of the pressure within a min or two. i have never used a USG compression tester but i think that the injector test adaptor may not be sealing. i have a comp tester built by star industries, i think i know its star something, that comes with the proper GP hole test adapter.

 

[fx4wannabe]

Yea I tried testing compression on mine with that General gauge and I couldn't get it to work well either.

 

[icanfixall]

My motor was hard starting first time in the mornings too.. Turned out to be the glow plug main power wire was not soldiered properly by me... Yet my wait to start lit was on for the usual amount too... Repaired my crappy soldier joint and it roars to life everytime after about 1/4 turn of the motor... My feelings are you have a glow plug issue before a fuel leak down issue... I thought I had a fuel leak down issue too... Till I removed the injection pump and saw way back at #7 injector the feed wire loose from the controller... But... Too late... The pump was out and replaced..... Nothing was wrong with the pump on the motor either... It was just me and my bad soldier work... That wont happen again either....

 

[ferrellmedia]

Found the issue and you guys are right, it was bad glow plugs.

Prior to replacing them;

Turn on the ignition, (no wait to start light was lit), there was an electrical sounding 'click', 'click', 'click', like 10-12 times and it was hard starting in the morning.

After replacing the glow plugs;

Turn on the ignition, wait to start light is lit, THEN after the WTS light goes out, that same 'click', 'click', 'click'

Now, with the new glow plugs, new batteries, new pump, new inj pump, the damn thing barely gets to turn before it roars to life without smoke...

Thanks again to everyone for assisting, I've learned a lot with this rebuild, hopefully I can answer some other posts in the future.

Also, about the low compression readings, I really doubt they are accurate based on the amount of POWER this truck has. It's either the Harbor Frieght POS compression tester or the lack of seal with the cold engine NEW rings, (IF this engine actually had new rings)...

I really wished I knew EXACTLY what was done to this bottom end and pistons, but it's running like a new truck now.

I've put 4 new shocks, new door posts to stop the classic FORD truck door rattle, new light switch, new this, new that.....

I still LOVE this truck, originally purchased by my uncle, then owned by my dad, now by me, eventually, IF I can manage, this will be turned over to my oldest if he will have it, who is 5 now, so 11 more years.....

 

[RLDSL]

If it was rebuilt, new rings can take a bit to seat. Now you're not exactly going to find a good long hill around there, but I bet you could find a nice heavy trailer to borrow and hook it up and drag it around for a day and don't be kind to it, load it up, stand on it when you shift gears and make that sucker WORK! just plan on spending a day, driving it around good and hard and that will seat your rings. If you baby it, they will not seat well These things are built like tanks. After , give it an oil change of your favourite flavour and drive on . You should notice a slight power increase

 

[typ4]

load that sucker down and get it good and hot and sweaty, these engines need to work hard to break in.

Checking compression with a harbor freight tester is a total waste of time.

It wouldnt start easy if the compression was that low. Without glow plugs it wouldnt start at all if it was 250..

now!!! what kind of glow plugs did you install.???

Gary, no i in solder.

 

[ferrellmedia]

I installed Autolight's from Bennet Auto @ 8.99 each.

I went by the stealership and they wanted 20.00 each, so I went to Bennet.

Why are there some glow plugs which suck?

Also, I put the same "anti-seieze" on the glowplug threads I used on the injectors in hopes that if I ever have to take them out it will be easier.

 

[typ4]

Autolites are the ones that suck, they have been known to swell and break off and fall into the engine.


get these http://www.ryderfleetproducts.com/cgi-bin/ryderfp/products/srm/oid/55488/erm/product_detail.jsp

And then use the autolites for emergencies only

 

[icanfixall]

Russ... You are correct sir..... I have no idea why I put the "I" in there... Must me an old fart thing.... Thanks.... My spelling sometimes embarrass's me...

 

[Andylad13]

Ferrellmedia, just for future reference. Short glow times are typically burned out glow plugs. The controller senses resistance through the wires to know when they are hot enough to start, and when plugs are "bad" they have a higher resistance. Higher resistance = less glow time, the controller thinks they are hotter than they actually are. The clicking is the afterglow cycle.

 

[seawalkersee]

Autolites are the ones that suck, they have been known to swell and break off and fall into the engine.


get these http://www.ryderfleetproducts.com/cgi-bin/ryderfp/products/srm/oid/55488/erm/product_detail.jsp

And then use the autolites for emergencies only

100%. After two other different brands thinking, "Hey...how bad could they be", I went to the ryder setup and have had them in since.

SWS

 

[typ4]

Russ... You are correct sir..... I have no idea why I put the "I" in there... Must me an old fart thing.... Thanks.... My spelling sometimes embarrass's me...

Well, I do know you are to old to be a soldier. I was just being ****, probably because I was just soldering some stuff and found out my expensive electronic solder roll was ruined by some leaking silver solder flux