Two steps forward, one step back...

[Sycostang67]

I did some work on my 86 tonight, I had to replace the three rear injector lines on the driver side. The back one had been crossthreaded and overtightened so there was a crooked groove in the seating surface. I had to replace the two lines next to it since my spares came from a 94 IDI and were bent differently. Using all three was the only way I was able to put the line clamps back on. I also changed the glow plugs, removed 8 autolites, most of which were swollen but only one put up a fight coming out. I installed 8 new ZD-1's, now it starts without ether. Here is were it took a turn, as I am proudly watching the truck idle, it starts to become erattic. I look down and it appears the vacumn pump is leaking some kind of fluid. I guess there is a weep hole on the fuel pump and it's blowing fuel all over the vacumn pump. I checked the oil and the level is correct and has no fuel smell to it. I was so excited, I had planned on driving it to work tomorrow. Guess I can wait a bit longer.

 

[GenLightening]

Either the vac pump is leaking it's oil (not the engines oil) or the fuel pump is leaking/spraying fuel.

 

[icanfixall]

That will happen when they start leaking. Usually when the lift pumps fail they leak to the outside so you don't flood the oil pan with fuel and ruin a motor. This is an easy and cheap repair too. Probably 1 hour and $25.00....

 

[Rot Box]

I was under the impression that the 7.3 had longer hard lines than the 6.9 If that's the case I could see an erratic idle... Hmmm not sure but good luck

 

[icanfixall]

You wont have any issues using a shorter hard line. If you were building a streamliner project then yes... Use the lines that match up to your motor but... AS I recall all hard lines are now the same length except the van motors for the number one line and number four line. Running lines that are 60 thousands shorter on a 6.9 wont change anything but you trying to make them fit. The lenght is very small and I know they will fit. No way could any of us measure the length of a line even if it was a new line from ford. You have to believe in something when you buy new items and mismarked items do exist out there... The 7.3 lines were shortened for better emmissions early on. I machined my injectors 60 thousands deeper into the heads so they were back in the right place. I did this from the precup chambers. They were machined deeper and wider into the heads. They were a ruff set of offshore heads so I "c;eaned" them up. Then I CC'd them all the same size. I wanted that so every cylinder had the same power pulse going on for a smoother power pulse.

 

[Sycostang67]

The lines appear to be about the same length, I think they just take a different route. I picked up a new lift pump today and a new alternator belt. The belt was loose enough that it was flapping and rubbing the vac. pump pulley so it was a bit chewed up and it was really old. The other belts look pretty good still. I'll get the pump swapped this weekend and hopefully be driving it next week so I can take it to get aligned.

 

[Sycostang67]

I got the new lift pump installed today, so no more fuel leaks for now. I also noticed the long bolt for my alternator was missing and the blades had made some contact with the bracket. I removed the bracket and had to tap the hole and used another bolt I had laying around. The alt. belt no longer hits the vac. pump pulley, but the belt still flops around like it's loose. I really dont think I can get it much tighter though.

 

[zpd307]

there is a shorter belt for this problem. i need to remember this..... i think the new belt bypasses the vacuum pump, so it just goes from the crank to the alt. i never had a problem only running the one small belt from the alt to the vacuum pump. there should be a thread on what part number the belt is. i know i had the same problem with my 90 when i got it.

 

[icanfixall]

The shorter alt belts just reach the water pump pulley and do not reach the crank pulley. Then the flopping is almost completely gone.... Running the serpentine belt setup will be better... No belt flop and you can replace all the belts at once. I always needed to replace the alt belt on the Vbelts setup I originally had. Thats the first belt on and the last belt off. Adjusting all the other belts was way too much work for me...

 

[Sycostang67]

I guess I can always measure the distance and just get a belt that fits.