To start with you will need the complete wiring harness and PCM. The PSD engine is electronicly controlled and the IDI is mechanical.

Whats wrong with the IDI?

 

well then i guess im just gonna get this one fixed at a shop, and im not sure what is wrong it just inst starting and i have have talked to a few diesel techs at ford and i even have them stumped. i have tried everything they have said and it still isnt starting i was just wondering if this was possible because i would like to have a powerstroke in it and when my buddy offered i figure for a cheap price i would rather do that anyways.

 

Most new diesel techs dont know anything about the older IDI. The first thing I would check is the fuel level, if it is at 1/4 or less it is very possible the boot fell off the suction tube. To eliminate all but the most difficult hook up an electric pump to the fuel filter inlet and pump it up then try to start it. MAke sure the batts are fully charged and if the glow plugs are not working then that coould be a big part of the problem.

 

Explain the "isn't starting" please...these IDI's can be made as powerful as the first gen PSD's and they are way cheaper to fix...

 

Yes they can be modded to produce maybe 200rwh at a cost between $4-7k, money better spent getting a PS. Plenty of confirmation on oilburners to back it up.

 

start a list, and tell us what you have done so far--

 

I am new to TDS. What is an IDI?

 

INDIRECT Injection.

Give me a minute to write another post explaining the differences

 

IDI vs. PSD

The IDI uses a mechanical Injector pump to introduce fuel to the cylinder. Fuel is sent to each injector and when the line pressure reaches a set point it "pops" and lets a preset amount of fuel enter the combustion chamber. The timing of this event is set and changes little throughout the RPM curve. The PSD uses electronic injectors that recieve a signal from the computer, and as long as the high pressure oil pump is doing it's job the injectors will fire.

This is a very simple explanation and there are members here that can break it down all the way, but It would take a lot longer to write...

 

The IDI uses a mechanical Injector pump to introduce fuel to the cylinder. Fuel is sent to each injector and when the line pressure reaches a set point it "pops" and lets a preset amount of fuel enter the combustion chamber. The timing of this event is set and changes little throughout the RPM curve. The PSD uses electronic injectors that recieve a signal from the computer, and as long as the high pressure oil pump is doing it's job the injectors will fire.

This is a very simple explanation and there are members here that can break it down all the way, but It would take a lot longer to write...

Ah... It sounds like mechanical vs electronic fuel injection. Similar to the '83 6.9L f350 I had?

 

i think 300+ hp at the crank is not impossible and i think it can be achived without doing any extensive internal mods, maybe head studs, intercooler, ram-air intake, 4-5inch exaust, and good set of injectors, and a goog hot pump

 

well today i talked to a friend who works at a big truck shop, he works on the big ones and he thinks its just that the sompresion is so high it cant turn over, this makes since with the problems and solutions i have had. the first time it happened (about 2 months ago) i got the motor to turn over by pulling it with one of the dump trucks at work and popping the clutch. after i got it home i replaced the starter and that fixed it, the old starter was shot, it happened again about a month later so i took the starter back, got a new one and once i got it on it didnt work until i got the motor turned over again and then it started no problem. another time i have also replaced the batteries once and that helped too but i think it was just because it had some extra juice. then about 3 weeks ago it happened agin, since then i have gotten another starter form advanced and that didnt help so i talked them into giving me my money back and i bought one from ford. still doesnt work, i have tried spinning the fly wheel but once i get to a certain spot it wont budge. i have tried pulling it in gear with another truck and the tires stay locked up from 1st to 5th and the motor doesnt budge. when i try to start it it starts to go and the sound it makes a sound like the battery cables came undone but i have followed the wires all the way to the starter. any ideas

 

I hate to quote that long segment, but this sounds like exactly what happened to my truck. Right down to the replacing of the starter, and it working for a while but the problem returning, and the pull starting it with another truck, and replacing the batteries. My truck is a '93 7.3 IDI (InDirect Injected) factory turbo, 4x4, 5spd, extended cab, 220k miles. When i'd try to crank my motor over while warm, the engine would roll over about 1/2 way and jam - hard, and when you let off the key, the engine would roll back that 1/2 turn it spun. My engine problem (believed to be from cavitation) was allowing coolant to enter the cylinder, and sit on top of the piston. When cranked over, it would hydro lock. only after the truck cooled down, and gave the coolant time to seep through the rings of the pistons, would it start again, and the truck proceeded to burn more and more coolant progressively. Oil soon looked like milk, and the engine has been deemed a loss. Which is a shame, because even tho it burns water like a
steam engine, it still runs and idles great! I've torn the motor down, removing the heads, and have seen the water rings and rust lines in the cylinder (drivers side cylinder nearest the firewall) where you can tell water has been sitting in there. Replacing the head gaskets (twice) and rebuilding the oil cooler proved useless for my situation (huge bummer) :boohoo:.

Is your truck using/burning coolant I wonder?

Also, if I held the key in the start position after the engine started to crank and jammed, the cable running to the starter would start to smoke and blister withing just a few seconds. :/
I think this got off topic from the original post, but I had to let out some frustration. Parting words, it's my opinion, a non-turbo IDI is a half million mile motor, if cared for. it's just going to be a slow half million miles.
Powerstrokes are made for the turbo, and have proven to last a half million miles with a lot more power.
Thanks!

 

and it has about 3/4 of a tank but it's not like it's not getting fuel, it's like it's not getting power

 

check to see if the fast idle solinoid and the fuel shut off switch are working if the fss is not working that motor will never start
try some starting fluid but first unhook the gps so you dont blow up the motor

and horsepower i know chuckster got plenty you see that beast he tows?
and i know i have more than 200 for sure when i save up dyno money ill dyno mine
its all timing with these motors you trun up the pump safely they build power fast

 

See if you can roll the engine all of the way through one revolution of the crank shaft by hand (socket and long breaker bar on the crankshaft bolt). If it's dragging the rear wheels something is stopping the engine, or you aren't doing it right. If you find out where it stops then maybe you can see why too.

 

Being as the post is almost 6 years, if he didn't get it running by now there's not much chance it will ever run.:lol:

 

Maybe I should look at the dates on these things a little closer.

 

I do the same thing but usually catch it before I hit the "Submit" button.:jester:

 

Yeah, He has a cavitated engine. One or more cylinders full of coolant.