New engine but low power. 7.3 IDI

[John Lahore]

From reading this post from the beginning my guess is timing of lack of fuel. Lack of fuel can be anywhere from the tanks to the filter or weak lift pump. Even a crushed fuel hard line somewhere or that short rubber hose from the frame to the lift pump. Timing is the best way to know for sure you are getting the best hp and mileage from you engine. Doing it by ear is at best just a wild guess. Right now on ebay is a kent moore J33300 meter for less than 100 bucks.This is the meter I rent out for less than 100 bucks too.

I replaced the short hose to the frame with a loop, since I couldn't get it on without kinking.
Could be the lift pump, it got a bit bent when the engine was pulled at the wrecking yard.

I am already looking at the kent moore, I sent him a message to see if he has the 1/4" clamp, I can't see it in the photos.
If I get it, can use it on my CAT? I think it has 6mm fuel lines. Have to get the other clamp.

 

[John Lahore]

Double post

 

[nelstomlinson]

The setup seems to be around $400 for the adapter and digital timing light.

John, what is the setup today? I gather that the original tools are pretty much unavailable, and we have to make do with modern substitutes.

 

[John Lahore]

That's just the prices I was seeing on Ebay for used Timing light adapters ($300) and used digital timing lights ($100)
I am waiting to hear back from someone local on a J33300A for $90.
If it works, I will snag it for that price.

 

[nelstomlinson]

That's just the prices I was seeing on Ebay for used Timing light adapters ($300) and used digital timing lights ($100)
I am waiting to hear back from someone local on a J33300A for $90.
If it works, I will snag it for that price.

So the Kent Moore J33300A is the way to go?

 

[John Lahore]

So the Kent Moore J33300A is the way to go?

I have no idea, from a couple hours research, it seems like it will do what I need and I can use it on the CAT (TH63 telehandler) as well with a timing light and maybe a different pickup.
icanfixall said that's what he rents out and no one has chimed in that it won't work.
The J33300A seems to be just a newer version of the J33300

 

[Thewespaul]

It will work, it’s really a matter of opinion which brand you want, just get what is in the best condition for the best price.

 

[chris142]

When I got my truck it was very gutless. I bought the tools and found the timing to be @ -2. It seems to run best @ +6. Adjusting the timing made a difference like. Went from being in the way to being able to merge on the hwy at fwy speeds.

 

[icanfixall]

Both the j33300 and the j33300-A meters work great on our engines. I prefer the "A" model because its in a smaller case and its all digital solid state. Ask if the display is red. If it is than that is a no longer repairable meter because the parts are no longer made for the display. It has a vacuum tube like display for the reading. I can help you operate the meter too if you have questions.

 

[John Lahore]

It sounds like there is hope.
I verified there is a pressure sending unit on the filter output and that the dash light works.
It's a small light, It might have been on and I might not have seen it, The way it's wired it will only come on when you have low pressure/vacuum.
I found a fram PS6554A filter on Ebay for $15 with free shipping, it will be here May 2.
I found two local j33300-A meters, but no one has gotten back to me yet.
Hurry up and wait.

 

[Macrobb]

Timing is timing. Doesn't matter how worn it is. It's still going to fire. That's what you're timing off of, not the pump or injectors by themselves. The system as a whole.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

Uh... Not really. The problem is that our DB2 pumps have a pressure-advance piston in them, along with a light-load "advance" lever. These two factors, combined with internal pump pressure(input pressure gets multiplied by the vane-style input pump, RPM dependant until it hits a limiter) set your advance at any given time(obviously the entire curve is shifted one way or another by the injector pop pressure and physical pump rotation/IP gear-to-cam positioning).
This means you have a 3-dimension curve: RPM, Throttle position, and fuel pressure/fuel used).
Now, you are only checking timing at a single spot - 2000 RPM, unloaded(neutral).
With a 'good' pump, that spot is a good reference - set it to a given number, and everything else will be good relative to it.
With a 'worn' pump, maby the pressure advance piston is leaking, and only advancing half as far as it should under higher RPM. This would mean that it might be OK at 2000 RPM(unloaded), but smoking gray/blue from retarded timing at 3000.

I've seen multiple pumps with screwed-up advance curves(can be adjusted to be 'right' at 2k unloaded, but is obviously wrong under load). I had one that I could not get enough light-load advance out of, so I could either have a snappy idle-1800 RPM and a clattery 2k+, or a mushy and under-performing low-end but good high end performance.

The difference between one of these screwed up pumps and a properly rebuilt pump is night and day... but we don't all have the luxury of going out and dropping $7-800 on a good pump.
So... when making do with crummy pumps that should have been marked 'scrap' already(which is honestly a lot of them out there, at least at the cheap end of the IDI spectrum), you can usually make them work... but not by-the-numbers.

 

[John Lahore]

If I can get the Kent Moore J33300 and the wires are long enough, I will try driving with it connected and check that my advance works.
Is there anywhere I can find a graph of the advance curve it should have?
Is there a difference between an automatic and manual transmission curve?

There seems to be a wide range of pumps available on RockAuto.com, they range from $440 to $840, https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/ford,1990,f+super+duty,7.3l+445cid+v8+diesel,1367142,fuel+&+air,diesel+fuel+injector+pump,6013

 

[icanfixall]

Please do not buy from any auto parts stores. Way too many reasons to AVOID these cut rate places.
Now about driving with the meter connected to check advance.. Nope... You can run the meter as if you are timing the engine and watch the timing change from idle to 2000 rpm. We have to rev these engines to 2000 rpm to remove the timing ... Its the nature of the beast. As I posted before.. I will help you time this by using the kent moore meters.

 

[John Lahore]

I took the truck out today with the fuel pressure gauge on it. At idle I have 4psi.
The filter definitely needs to be changed.
When I first when up a hill. The pressure dropped to 0.5 psi. But I didn't lose power.
This was our first hot day here, 80 degrees. As the fuel in the tank warmed up, the pressure under load came up.
After an hour of driving the pressure was up to 2.5 psi under load. WITH NO POWER LOSS.
Got it to go up a 7% grade at 70mph no problem.
Not even full thottle!
I never took the old engine above 60mph. It always sounded like it would self destruct.
I also had put the cool air duct back on since the last time, that helps too I am sure.
New filter will be here Tuesday.
I am declaring this fixed.
Thanks all.

 

[Duke57]

I took the truck out today with the fuel pressure gauge on it. At idle I have 4psi.
The filter definitely needs to be changed.
When I first when up a hill. The pressure dropped to 0.5 psi. But I didn't lose power.
This was our first hot day here, 80 degrees. As the fuel in the tank warmed up, the pressure under load came up.
After an hour of driving the pressure was up to 2.5 psi under load. WITH NO POWER LOSS.
Got it to go up a 7% grade at 70mph no problem.
Not even full thottle!
I never took the old engine above 60mph. It always sounded like it would self destruct.
I also had put the cool air duct back on since the last time, that helps too I am sure.
New filter will be here Tuesday.
I am declaring this fixed.
Thanks all.

What exactly was the problem?