How would ya get a glow plug out if it breaks off ... ??? pull the head ????....that would suck

 

if you bring the cyls to TDC, it cant fall into the cyl. it will be stuck in the pre chamber. remove injector, stick clean vaccum in one hole, air into the glowplug hole. check the vavume to make sure the peice came out

 

Things just got a bit more complicated.

I picked up this truck locally a few weeks ago. I quickly found someone who wants to buy it. The truck is in rough shape and the buyer know what he's getting into. Anyway, about a week ago I was cleaning out some of the junk out of the cab and noticed the switch for the dual fuel tanks. I placed the key to the on position and the fuel gauge read full. I hit the switch for the rear tank and the gauge went all the way to empty. I flipped it back to the front tank and the gauge moved a little but stayed on empty. I turned the key to off, removed the key, put it back in and turned to the on position again and now the the gauge reads past the "F" in full, like its maxed out. And that is how its been since.

Yesterday the buyer came by to pick up the truck. He and I both know that the truck needs glow plugs, but we figured we would get it started and once he gets it to his place he would change the plugs. I had the block heater plugged in for about 4 hours and the outside air temp was at least 80F. I unplugged the block heater and plugged in my 1500 watt heat gun and put some heat on the intake and down the intake with the air filter and can removed. I heated the intake for about 5 minutes and the batteries were at 12.85 volts. I had him turn the key, wait for the gp light to turn off and start cranking while I continued to blow hot air down the intake. It fired right up. He started to let his foot off the throttle and it stalled, re-started, ran, stalled for about 2 minutes. Then we could not get it re-started.

I cracked #2 injector line at the injector while he cranked it and no fuel. After quite a bit more cranking I began to get fuel at #2 and tightened it up. He continued to crank, but the batteries were getting weak and we had pushed the starter pretty hard so we gave it a rest for about 5 minutes. I put the charger back on the batteries. I got the batteries back up to about 12.60 volts and told him to try again and now all we get is a click. I can here the soleniod on the passenger side engine compartment click and a click at the starter.

We let everything sit for about 15 minutes and the still just a click when turning the key, and the starter was still pretty warm. I then tried again about 1 hour later and still just a click.

Do you think we fried the starter? Any suggestions as to what to do next? I am thinking of pulling the starter and disassembling it but I know know if I am spinning me wheels doing that.

Could switching the fuel tank switch caused to run dry of fuel?

Any help would be great
Thanks

 

could be a bunch of issues, but i would check your grounds. make sure engine to batt is good clean ground, also batt to body.

the fuel selector valve on the frame could be stuck, but that also could be a ground issue.

 

I think I have narrowed the no crank problem down to the starter. I pulled the starter last night and removed the solenoid in an attempt to open the solenoid but the way it is made I could not get at the contacts without breaking it. I plan to re-assemble the starter and bring it to Auto Zone with the hope that they can test it for me and narrow down which of the 2 componets has failed. They sell just the soleniod for $40 or the entire starter assembly for $140, so we'll see what they come up with.

As far as the fuel selector valve, anything more specific than to just check the grounds?

If I can get it to crank but still no fuel I was thinking of disconnecting the fuel line before the fuel pump and putting the line in a can of diesel and then try to start it. If it runs then I would know for sure that it is in the tanks/selector valve. If I disconnect the fuel line at the IP, will the IP pull fuel in on its own? What if I put the fuel can above the IP?

Any idea where this valve is located? Ever hear anyone else having similar issues with it?

Thanks again for all the help.

 

valve is located on druiverside framerail in front of the one tank. if it is the vavle you could unhook the lines and use rubber to bypass it temperarly to get it going.


and about the fuel pump, just unhook the rubber line going into the lift pump, and put a line from the pump into a can of fuel.

 

Thank you very much once again for your help DieselCrawler.

The buyer and I flat towed it to his house yesterday and he is going to put a new starter in it, install new GP's and then try to work the fuel issue. I'm sure I will still be involved in this so I may still be asking questions.

Thanks for all the help, I'll keep you guys posted.