I'mmm baaaaack! :D

[zacky6661]

Well hello all, been a long time since I've been on. Just re-introducing myself, I was a frequent visitor here, I used to have an '84 single cab, 6.9 non turbo w/ c6 auto (my display pic), ran beautifully for the most part. Unfortunately a rather stupid lapse of judgement made me decide to trade it for a cool Jeep cherokee, but to my misfortune I came to learn that the thing had NO piston rings left.... quart of oil almost every other day, and only got 9 (count them, NINE) miles to the gallon after a fresh full tune-up. (and the tranny blew shortly after I rid myself of this burden :S )

After that I owned a Honda prelude, just to recover my finances from feeding that Jeep so D**N much. Ran like a champ, and sold it the other day with almost 300k miles on the clock and still ran like a champ.

The same day after selling said Honda, I came across a seemingly steal of a deal, and I jumped on it. Now I again am a proud owner of a 1986 Extended cab, 6.9 (again, non turbo) with another c6. 4x4, and only 166k miles. Supposedly it was originally a turbo diesel, but one of the previous owners swapped a non turbo in when it blew or something, idk. All I know is now its a gutless ol' 6.9 N/A, which I'm fine with.

I'll have pics up soon, but I only paid 900 dollars for this truck, which seems like a great deal for me.

So far, these are the issues I've come across:

-Fuel guage does not work
-Temp guage does not move past C
-Aftermarket tach does not work (probably not hooked up? have not had time to investigate.
-Slop in the steering, a little sketchy on the freeway (especially with Oregon columbia gorge wind), but manageable in town.

-Not sure if major issue, but the tranny shifts DAMN (pardon me) hard, but its a VERY quick shift. It's harder when its cold, after awhile it eases up.

Biggest issue so far:

I bought the truck, I was on a very stiff time crunch, only had 10 minutes to check it out then had to take off for work, bought it already warmed up and running, runs very good, but if I let it sit for about 30 minutes to an hour, It really does not like to start. Like really doesnt like to.

It's on the factory GP setup, but I plan to convert it to full manual like my 84 had, but the GP system only activates if its been sitting for 5 plus hours.
I just went to drive it a bit ago to taco bell (havent eaten all day with all of the auto buying/selling going on!) But I went to start it and it literally took about 5 ten second cranks before it staggered to life. Before she awakened I tried to bleed any air out of the fuel filter, and alas no air from there. The GP system does not activate if its only been sitting an hour or so I've noticed.

When I went to start it after work, the WTS light came on, but I heard no click. Stayed on for about 8 seconds, went off solid, so I gave it a go, and it stumbled to life, but then the WTS light started flashing on and off again for a few seconds after it started? (sh*t) only did it about 3 times very shortly each time (half second or so?).

Later, (said time where I went to t-bell), went to start, no WTS light, so I gave it a go, nothing. Cranked 4 more times, 10 sec each, and FINALLY, life.

I'm really praying this is'nt an IP pump dying, I wont be depending on this as a daily driver, but I cant really afford it right now anyway, so I dont want to have a truck I just bought just sitting already while I scrub some cash together...

I'm going to have a look at my return lines tomorrow, but for now, can I get some advice from you IDI veterans? Also input on earlier mentioned issues would be just as greatly appreciated.

Thanks all, and I'm glad to be back

 

[fuzzy1626]

Sounds like heat soak on a worn pump to me.

 

[sassyrel]

zacky,,after the truck is warmed up, take a qt jar of tepid water,,pour over the ip,,wait i minute..see if it starts right then.. if so,worn pump..

 

[92F350CC]

It wouldn't have originally been a turbo unless somebody put the turbo on it.

 

[icanfixall]

It does sound like a worn injection pump or just maybe a problem with the glow plug controller system. Maybe shot glow plugs. If the cool water makes it start then you know the pump is shot. To get you by for a little while add about 2 quarts of oil or atf to the fuel. this will thicken up the fuel so the worn out pump can pump it better. A heat soak problem is a pump thats worn out and as it heats up the clearances open up more. So it can'y make enough pumping pressure to pop open the injectors. Higher viscosity fuel solves this problem but not for very long. Its just a band aid like the cool water trick is.

 

[zacky6661]

Well I have done a bit of investigating today before I have to get ready for work, the truck starts up just fine cold, takes about a 3-4 second crank (about 80 degrees out today) after the glowplug cycle. I do notice however just messing around, the GPs will only cycle once. Once, and one time only. After that they dont even try to come on, so I think its a controller issue. Gonna put it on manual controls and see if that helps. The PO said he put new ones in, and from the looks of them Id say hes honest.

Upon my first start this morning, I did notice it was a little..... clankier than usual. He said it was in need of an oil change bad, so I'm guessing the old oil has just thinned out from prolonged use. Went away after warmed up.

After it warmed up and after some driving around, I stopped at a fuel station to check my blow-by. I didn't like what I saw. There's blow-by from the oil fill tube, and the dipstick tube. Grey-ish smoke. It's only there at an idle, rev the engine and it 98% goes away. Again, wondering if thinned oil is keeping the piston rings from completely sealing. While driving I asked my fiancee to check the exhaust and see if it smokes, just driving and when I get on it, and she said she didnt see any. So I dont think I'm burning oil.

Up to this point, I have yet to turn off the truck. It runs and drives just fine, pretty lethargic on the get up and go, but my 84 was too so I'm not bothered by that.

After running some more errands I returned home and parked out back and turned it off. About an hour later, I come back out to start it, no GP cycle at all, so I go for it, nothing. I couldnt get it to start at all. I did'nt want to drain my batteries or kill my starter, so I gave up. My fiancee said she saw some white/clear smoke coming from the exhaust.

My first effort in diagnosing this is going to be to replace the fuel filter (clogged maybe?) and see if that helps, then set the GPs on a full manual switch. If not, my next diagnosis is either going to be the lift pump or IP.... Either way I hope it doesnt come to that, cause both sound like a PITA project....

EDIT: poking around some more, found numerous oil leaks, valve covers mainly (explains why I found some brand new gaskets in the back seat last night ), the flywheel inspection plate is missing and in fact the flywheel looks new, trans fluid is full and ok, lot of leakage at the base of the intake manifold valley, dont see any fresh leakage on the injector return lines, but they look pretty nasty, checked oil, deff needs a change, but no milk in there, checked coolant reservoir, no oil in it. Fuel filter looks pretty old.

This is my prayer of my warm start problem only is, and it kind of makes sense to me. Let me know what you think, my theory (and hope) is that when the fuel is cold and more dense, it has enough pressure to push past either a collapse or clog in the filter, so it can start when its cold. After its warm however, the warm, and thus thinner fuel, doesnt have the pressure to do so, which may also indicate a weak lift pump.

Sigh, my excitement about this truck is dwindling...

What do you guys think?