Three days ago, wife was driving my burban and she said it was acting like it was skipping or it would hiccup on occasion. She started it the next morning and it fired up for about ten seconds or so rough idle then died and wouldn't restart. Once I got time to look at it last night, I found one fuel line had rubbed through, one was deeply cracked, so I figured while I had the fuel system open, I might aswell change the primary/secondary filters and the mech pump. I replaced ALL of the hoses. I cracked the line out of the secondary filter and then used air pressure in the tank to push fuel back into the system.

It still wont start even with a small shot of starting fluid, injector pump has voltage and glow plugs have voltage, but it seems like the plugs aren't getting hot enough to fire... So I unscrewed the number 1 glow plug and it will not come out. It is now free spinning in the hole. I assume there is build up residue on the glow plugs, but is there anyway to get them out? I have tried wiggling and pulling with a pair of vice grips with no help. Would putting 12v into them just before pulling help remove or loosen the build up?

The burban has over 400K on the original motor and trans and has worked perfectly up until this point. I bought it from the original owner and he used it to drive freeways out in west Texas from his ranch to his house.

 

wow, man Im not sure how to pull a free spinning glow plug.. You might have to take that to a machine shop unless someone has a little secret to getting them out.

 

Needs to bleed the injector pump. To bleed the pump, crank it over for a few seconds, and loosen an injector line, slightly though. Keep repeating until you get a clear stream of fuel. Helps to go back and forth from one side to the other. Yes, the glow plugs have a buildup on them. Take a pair of vice grips and clamp them parallel if enough room and pull/pry out with a twisting motion to pull em out of the head. Be careful though, the terminals break real easy.

 

If you had the fuel system open you will have to crack loose each injection line to get her to fire. I've had problems with my 6.5 recently and I'll tell you they are a bear to get started after that. Plug her in if the block heater works and let it heat up for a few hours.

Dont shoot starting fulid in it. It will kill the glow plugs as soon as it hits them. When you said you unscrewed it and it is stuck are all the threads loose on it? I mean can you see the bottom of the threads an all. It could have carbon buildup on it I supose. You can try heating it with 12V's and see if that helps but remember it will be a hot sob. If that doesnt work you can force it out but just try not to break the tip off of it. Make sure you are getting fuel to the IP pump and then have your wife crank it while you see if fuel is coming out of the Injector lines. They are a bear though on these old IDI's for some reason. Also did you fill the filters up when you installed them? Also if you have been cranking on it put the jumper cables or charger on it.

 

Charger has been on it keeping batteriers up, I filled the filters full, and yes I can see the the threads and I can turn the glow plug by hand slowly and feel when it jumps the starter thread, but still it still wont come loose.

I am gonna replace the glow plugs with new quick starts or would cleaning these up and reusing them work? I am gonna try putting a ground strap on the pliers to ground the plug and then power the plug hot constant to see if that will help.

Thanks for the fast responses so far!!

 

You can do like above posted and put a pair of vice grips on them and use a pry bar to gently pry it out. I have a big bar that I cut a notch in the end for prying on objects that would work and was easy to make. I would go ahead and replace all the glow plugs.

 

If you have access to an air ratchet, preferably a 1/4", you can use it to spin the glow plug and pry on it with a screwdriver or pry bar. Just a thought.

 

Any updates??

 

yeah.... We have been pulling massive OT, 15hrs yesterday... only 12 today, so I am heading out there now to try and pry them out...

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They are all eight out and only the one that I had tried first off the other day actually took some REAL pressure from a 3' pry bar and some large vice grips, the others took a small screw driver and some pressure.

Thanks for the advice!!!!

 

So, I guess the next step is re-prime the injector pump??