Glow plugs half work

[legopnuematic]

An IDI should start without glow plugs, it might take some cranking and maybe some starting fluid, and it may not be happy at first, but it should go.

Watch on youtube some videos of the "Slave Lake" Ford with a 7.3 IDI from Zip Ties N Bias Plies, that thing has ate enough ether for everyone with various degrees of glow plug function.

Was the truck running in the past? Was it hard starting before or? Blowby while cranking?

If you sprayed too much solvent into its throat it can wash the cylinders enough to lose compression and make it a real bear to start. A little transmission fluid down its throat can help it build compression and get running and let the rings reseal and reseat.

 

[Subourbon]

@77Dmax
I thought it would. Old smoke n rattle and shake. And the good side only had 3 good ones. Sure i could've switched one out n all.
But I'd rather it work properly....ish.
Its been on average -10 maybe a bit colder with wind chill. -13 celsius so... 8 or 9 Fahrenheit.
I had a smart charger with regular charger, boost charge and engine start feature.
My first reply on this thread, I said it shook its syarter bolts loose, I'm not kidding. I was cranking, rest and cranking, rest... then grrrr this horrid grinding noise. Fuel is all good, electric lift pump makes short work of filling the spin on filter which I drained twice just in case

 

[Subourbon]

@legopnuematic

Lol zip ties n bias plies, get out of here. I am literally watching his channel as we speak.
That guy can keep his junk going. Then again he's got a lot of spare parts. And a lot of spare engine, trucks, etc.... I don't.
But yeah I watched that slave lake episode where he gets it going back on glow plugs.

No sje was fine starting in the past. Plugged in at home and after a shift at my side job, she'd be cold n unhappy. Buts it's my daily. There was one instance couple winters ago she wouldn't crank, even plugged in. But otherwise it's been loyal.

Yeah ok, om that topic. Since you brought up zip ties n bias plies, he adds oil (which I've done in hot summer months where oil doesn't turn into molasses) but in winter I don't dare, coz I brought this up in another forum. And an old timer said the DB2 stanadyne pumps don't have the strongest internals and any kind of alternate fuel is a gamble.

Now with old mechanical injection diesels, it'll burn whatever at the right viscosity, but when it gets cold I stick to diesel only, just to avoid playing with fire...

As far as blowby goes, no she's good. I'm not hard on stuff like ol' peg.

 

[ByrdDog]

Mine has a very tough time starting in any temperature close to freezing, even with all the glow plugs working. I think I may be down a few points on compression; maybe the same for you?

 

[Subourbon]

@ByrdDog ,
That's a common complaint with these old Detroit. 6.2 and 6.5 get all the hate. Truth be told mines loyal. Low power. Take forever to warm up. Bla bla bla. I love mine. Sure it's not fast, but I don't give a hoot.

As far as compression, I dunno. I dont have all the history on the vehicle. Bought n 2020 when it was already 38 yrs old lol.
But the heads were changed. Because it wasn't the long head coarse threaded injectors. It was the newer short-headed fine thread injectors.
Maybe when kt warms up in the spring I'll get an compression tool and find out. But you can buy some additives, Lucas additives to help the rings... or do a head gasket job. I'm happy with it for now though it'd be cool to do a full tear down and re-gasket and re-seal of the engine to see what difference tighter clearances will do.

 

[squaredeal91]

It's not all brake cleaners,I just make it a personal habit to not heat any,so there isn't a chance of a mistake someday.

Thank you for warning us. It's for real. I experienced this more than once when welding up rear diffs for 4wheel action. The smell was awful felt like I couldn't breathe. Same thing occurred with the mist of super clean spray.

 

[squaredeal91]

My 6.2 doesn't like starting up in the cold but it will. I don't think I have but 4 or 5 glow plugs working either. I'm sure one cylinder is low on compression. I'm sure it needs injectors because they drip on the cylinders overnight allot. That aside it always starts. Once a few years ago it sat and I spent days trying to get it started. Keep trying and you will get it. Put a heat lamp under the oil pan safely to warm it up for a day or 2. Or does your block heater work?

 

[Subourbon]

Ingot it going. Cleaned up a connection between the GP relay and GP harness. Passenger side lit up and off she went.

I believe the block heater works when I changed my syarter last year I could hear the heater kinda ticking away.
Injectors aren't bad to do ive got limited tools and am working outside the job took no time. Bleeding it after took forever, well maybe not coz the GPs wouldnt heat. But... im off outside now to tighten two injectors that are leaking onto the head n exhaust manifold despite torquing them to spec which I'm curious why they're leaking. Oh well. Easy fix.

But the correct way without murdering your starter or spraying starting aids, is 8 good glow plugs, solid starter-battery connections and solid GP connections.
Block heater definitely helps too.