First Startup Troubles

[Snowgap]

Hello, looking to see if y'all can help me get my 7.3 IDI running. It's been a budget build but has put me in a corner.
I bought a 1994.5 F350 with a Powerstroke for $1500 in December and got it running, but it was only running on 5 cylinders. I did the injector solenoid shims, but then an injector stuck open and cracked a piston. So I pulled out the powerstroke (good riddance lol) and put in a supposedly running 91 7.3 IDI with a Banks turbo from a donor truck I also bought. I never heard it run, but the guy had a video of it running recently
I couldn't ever get it running, but it had good even compression and would run on a gas rag. So after fooling with the injection pump and never being able to get any fuel out, I figured it was junk. And it was. Whatever fuel they were running in it put a grimy coating inside the pump and everything was sticking - no fuel output either.
I bought another pump on Facebook marketplace for $200 and the guy said it was running fine but leaking from the body of the injection pump. It's a reman pump from diesel care and performance, but it was rebuilt December of 2020 so I figured it was worth the risk. Turns out his hardline from the filter must have been leaking because the pump is staying dry. I set it a hair advanced since I don't have the cold advance and high idle hooked up yet.
At the same time as all this, while replacing the return lines and copper washers, an injector came in half due to carbon. I got the bottom out, but the injector didn't seem worth trying to reuse. I bought the cheapest set of new injectors on rockauto with the hopes of upgrading one day to a good set, but I'm just trying to get it running for now.
The truck would fire off for a few rotations while being pushed by the tractor, but wouldn't stay running. I figured what the heck, by this point let's put a new fuel pump on. So it's got a new Carter lift pump.
So new injectors, return lines, lift pump, and an injection pump that seems to be alright. Good compression on all cylinders because the truck cranks with an even sound. The lift pump has great pressure, no more air intrusion, and the filter housing actually holds fuel pressure.

Sorry for the long story but here's where I am now. The truck pours white smoke with the fuel pedal all the way down while turning over so it's getting fuel initially, but it's not firing. It's 90 degrees outside so I don't have the glow plugs hooked up, only the FSS. After a few minutes of cranking 10 sec, resting, cranking 10 sec, resting, etc. the injection pump stops putting out fuel. No more white smoke and no more fuel to injectors. I have the #2 injector line cracked open to see this. The injection pump is hot (135 degrees) but the exhaust manifolds are barely higher than outside temps.

Anyone have any ideas what to do next? Any input would be much appreciated.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

You won't like the answer. Take the injector pump and injectors off. Next dig a hole as deep as you can and bury them all in it. You could use them for cores, but I understand wanting to bury them too. No name (AKA cheap/inexpensive) fuel parts either don't work (as in your case) or they won't last for very long. You just have to bite the bullet and buy quality ones in the first place.
Before you do that, you will need to make sure that your starter is turning the engine over fast enough. That's also very important. I lean toward the fuel parts since it sounds like you only get white smoke out of the exhaust when you hold the throttle down all the way.

 

[Noiseydiesel]

Your initial problem of slime might be called biodiesel.
You go cheap, you get cheap.
White smoke tells me you have something going on.
I know you want to go cheap and burn up a starter or two along the way, that's your call.
Me? On a budget, never mind the 90 degrees ambient temp, get the glow plugs going. There you go cheap with Autolites, the ends are notorious for swelling burning out and removal breaks off the heads of the glow plugs into the cylinders.
Motorcraft from Rockauto is worth a look.
Hook up a toggle switch and lite them up about 10 seconds, no more has been my experience, before cranking.
You better have the hood open and another set of eyes on the engine when it starts.
Keep your hand on the key.

 

[Snowgap]

Thanks guys for the advice. I figured that's what would eventually be needed. But if that's the route I go I'll have to wait because we are closing on a mortgage and our 3rd child is due in only a few more weeks. So it would be wise if I wait a few months to spend much more.
I only cranked with the starter a few minutes yesterday, but ran it around the yard with the tractor for a few hours last weekend. It would immediately fire off with a cloud of black smoke and then just kind of die off. If I just let the tractor push it while it stayed in gear the smoke would completely clear out like it gets fuel from the injection pump for only a few seconds after letting out the clutch and then stops delivering. The engine oil cooler was at 150 degrees by the time we we quit so glow plugs shouldn't be needed at that point I wouldn't think.
What would cause it to fire off but stumble and die? If I could figure out how to attach a video that would help explain I think

 

[Snowgap]

Here's a quick video. Fueling starts great then just fades out real quick

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

 

[Snowgap]

Just an update if anyone else has these same issues. I could start the engine, but it would only go a few rotations before killing fuel. Didn't matter if it was full fuel (lots of smoke) or starting up at idle. Seemed to me that the upper governor spring was somehow cutting fuel as soon as the engine got rpm.
I swapped the injector housing (see picture) from a spare parts injection pump and it fired right up and idled great. I had a very audible click from the solenoid on the other housing, so I don't think it was the solenoid.
Now on to the rest of the swap!

 

[Team Dirt]

My 6.9 was kind of doing the same thing. Dropped the injection pump off at Thompson valley diesel in scotch creek BC. They fixed it up for 900$ Canadian. Put it back in and truck runs flawless now. They pop tested my injectors at the same time.