deisel question

[4x4forlife]

hey guys I need some help.. ok so I went to go look at a truck today its a 1986 F-350 it has a 6.9 in it with a 4 speed and 4x4. it runs but you need to start it with starting fluid. he says its the glo-plugs. my dad happens to think this truck is crappy because you need to use starting fluid to start it. and he also dosent like the fact that it was blowing out some blue smoke at first until warmed up(it has straight pipes and it was cold out he wont listen to me) so what do you think it could be? keep in mind the engine & trans have 109,000 miles on them and he just replaced injectors.

[jamiesann]

hmm i would ask why dont you just swap out the glow plugs ?

If he does and you see it runs you got a winner, price prolly goes up then though. *shrugs*

Do you know this guy well ?

[ScOoTeR]

With diesels, if the glow plugs are crap, it won't start worth a damn - sounds right to me.

Also, if the glow plugs are shot, it'll smoke like crazy till it warms up - you're seeing (more or less) evaporated diesel (bluish white).

[4x4forlife]

hey guys thanks for all your help! ill try and convince the old man to let me get it!

[PavementPounder]

Just tell your old man that he doesn't know what he's talking about. That usually goes over well. :tonka:

[yota85]

yea its probly glow plugs

[Bones]

be carefull, starting fluid in diesels will blow head gaskets.....

[Renegade II]

Glow plug relay, glow plug controller, glow plugs, lift pump, could be a few different things. Good luck getting the glow plugs out in one piece if they are swelled. If he claims it's such an easy / cheap fix why doesn't he invest the $90 to make it more sellable at a higher price?

[chris1044]

Originally Posted by Renegade II

If he claims it's such an easy / cheap fix why doesn't he invest the $90 to make it more sellable at a higher price?

Because it's not....and IIRC glow plugs from ford can be rather expensive - maybe not for this engine though

[Icebreaker88]

Glow plugs for a 95 PSD not sure if they are similiar are about 10-15$ each.
I would be a little hesitant about it not starting at all on its own.. You say it was cold out when you looked at it? How cold?. I can start my PSD with out the Glow plug relay hooked up, down to about 50*. Its not happy about it BUT it will start without it. And in the summer I can disconnect them and not notice it at all.

I would try to go start it on a decent temp day and see if it will start with out starting fluid.

Now that is also a older motor than I am running so everything I said may be useless.

[busyfixin]

dunno if this is relevant anymore, but my 6.9 wouldnt start hardly at all without the glowplugs, even when it was warm out. glow plugs used to be about $9 each. an easy test you can do... turn the key on and off about 50 or 60 times, then start it. if it starts, you probably need a relay. take a multimeter, run ohms from the terminal on the top, and the engine block. it should have an ohms reading, or beep if yours does that. you could also take a socket with you, and pull a glowplug look and see if the end is all burned off.

[smasheromalley]

Go here www.thedieselstop.com and search their 6.9 forum
More info than you could ever want to know about ford diesels. Saved my ass more than once.