I have a 93 6.5TD and I have a few problems but I'm not sure how to go about fixing them.

I know the engine was run hot prior to me buying it. It smokes like a freight train (bluish gray smoke) so the piston rings are either worn or seized to the pistons and allowing alot of blowby. I know how to fix that, but its not in the budget right now.

As for the other problems that I need help with.....

1. The fuel gauge bounces around from maxed out to reading correctly (I think). I assume that the wire is grounding out somewhere. Is there a common place to look? Or is my assumption exactly backwards? I know the grounding strap from the firewall to passenger side head is not connected to the engine, but I don't think this is the problem. Or is it?

2. The coolant temperature gauge rises as the engine warms up, but it never goes above about 155 degrees. Halfway between 100 and 210. Should I replace the temp sensor? If so, is it the one on the coolant crossover or the one in the driver's side head?

3. I have unplugged my glowplug controller and added a switch in the cab to manually cycle the glowplugs. If I try to start the engine without cycling the glowplugs, and pulled the plugs out, If one or more are dry, could that be reason to believe that that cylinders injector is bad??

Transmission....
I have driven this truck several times, short distances, in the past week, and everytime (except today) it shifted into overdrive. Today I took it out for a drive, 30-40 miles, about an hour, and it would not shift into overdrive, at all. After I got home and shut it off for ten or so minutes, started it back up, and drove a few miles and it shifted fine. Why would it do that?? I'm thinking of changing fluid and filter..... Any thoughts?


Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks

 

Smoking issue: what does the exhaust smell like: diesel, oil, or coolant?

Bouncing fuel gauge is likely from a bad sending unit in the tank.

Coolant temp: More than likely a stuck open thermostat.

Glow plugs: pulling them out after cranking won't tell you very much. Only way you can tell if an injector is out is by cracking the injector line at the injector. Just enough to make the engine lope. When the exhaust clears up, you found the injector.

Transmission: Got an electrical issue. Probably from a faulty TCM (transmission control module).

How hot was too hot when the engine was overheated?

 

Thanks for your response!

the exhaust smells like diesel and oil, but not coolant. the tube from valve cover to intake before turbo rolls grayish smoke, also from the oil fill cap, and the dipstick

i'm not fond of the idea of dropping the fuel tank, but i think i'd prefer that over tracing wires

i found out today why my coolant crossover seems weird, its the double thermostat housing type. i could have a stuck open thermostat, one or both, or it could be missing one or both. but either way, i have heard that after it warms up, the radiator won't be able to cool the coolant b'c it would be moving so fast through it. Is that true?

i also forgot to mention that the transmission shifts into second shortly after moving from a stop, and into third around 20-25 mph. Does this truck have a Vehicle Speed Sensor? Anything to tell the TCM how fast it is moving? Where is the TCM located? I could try replaceing it if its not too expensive.

I have no idea on an exact temperature when it was run hot, but i do know that it cracked both heads, and destroyed both head gaskets. Oh and I have not lost any coolant, after a week or so, it has remained at the same level. And It virtually stops smoking after warm up and about a half mile driving.

---AutoMerged DoublePost---

I forgot about the glowplug idea. When it turns over without having the glowplugs cycle, it smokes very very little. So my theory was that the diesel is not combusting, and therefore coating everything in the cylinder with a thin mist of fuel. Hence the reason I thought that pulling the glowplugs and checking for dry plugs would locate bad injectors. Injectors that arent firing. Maybe this is one of those theoretical fixes that don't actually work. IDK.......

---AutoMerged DoublePost---

I dont have a timing light to tell exact degrees, but I advanced the IP timing today and the truck runs alot better. It's easier to start and has alot more power. The pump timing mark is about 1/4 inch to the drivers side of the mounting plate timing mark now as opposed to about 1/8 inch where it was before.

I drove the truck about 20-25 miles and while still running, I cracked open each injector line (except #6 because it's behind the turbo and manifold) and each time I cracked the line, the engine loped with a difference in rpm, and it came back smooth after retightening each line. I guess I dont have a bad injector, unless its #6.

I found that my #8 injector is leaking. I'm not sure if its the injector itself or the return line or cap, but I will replace it in the morning with a spare I have.

 

[QUOTE=cviola2005;900724]Thanks for your response!

the exhaust smells like diesel and oil, but not coolant. the tube from valve cover to intake before turbo rolls grayish smoke, also from the oil fill cap, and the dipstick

i'm not fond of the idea of dropping the fuel tank, but i think i'd prefer that over tracing wiresSeems somewhat normal for mine (93). Mine moves a 1/4 of a tank when it is less than 1/2 full

i found out today why my coolant crossover seems weird, its the double thermostat housing type. i could have a stuck open thermostat, one or both, or it could be missing one or both. but either way, i have heard that after it warms up, the radiator won't be able to cool the coolant b'c it would be moving so fast through it. Is that true?I have double thermostats on mine, as well the High Output water pump. When you go to find them, you will have to tell the parts store you have a 97 or newer. They did not come in our year of trucks, and what they sell you will be a normal looking thermostat. They wont fit in the double crossover thermostat. I have had no problems on mine with this set up, but I put a new engine in it about 1200 miles ago due to a cracked head.

i also forgot to mention that the transmission shifts into second shortly after moving from a stop, and into third around 20-25 mph. Does this truck have a Vehicle Speed Sensor? Anything to tell the TCM how fast it is moving? Where is the TCM located? I could try replaceing it if its not too expensive.Cant say....

I have no idea on an exact temperature when it was run hot, but i do know that it cracked both heads, and destroyed both head gaskets. Oh and I have not lost any coolant, after a week or so, it has remained at the same level. And It virtually stops smoking after warm up and about a half mile driving.Cracked heads are common on this motor. I wish I would have known that prior to buying mine, but that is another story.... If it got hot enough to crack both heads, you need a motor...... PM me if you want to know who I went thru for mine. Everything was new internal with the exception of the crank

---AutoMerged DoublePost---