[parisot]

I posted my problems leading up to this in the bio diesel forums on this site.

But as of right now I just want to know how to get my truck started and home. My truck is most definaetly hydrolocked right now. Can I just through a breaker bar on it and turn it back and forth to try getting it to turn over?

 

[RT]

NO! You have to find which cylinder is hydrolocked and fix the problem. Otherwise it will just re-occur. You could also break something trying to force the fluid out with the breaker bar.

Pull a valve cover and then the glow plugs on that side - try your breaker bar. If it moves easier and you get a fountain out of one of the glow plug holes, you've identified your problem cylinder. This works better with an assistant, so you can watch the holes and get a sample of the fluid. That will help you determine what went wrong. For example, if you pull coolant - the fix would be different than if you pulled oil, and different than if you pulled diesel.

If you don't get lucky on the first side, pull the other valve cover and repeat. Post back as soon as you figure out which fluid we're dealing with.

 

[parisot]

NO! You have to find which cylinder is hydrolocked and fix the problem. Otherwise it will just re-occur. You could also break something trying to force the fluid out with the breaker bar.

Pull a valve cover and then the glow plugs on that side - try your breaker bar. If it moves easier and you get a fountain out of one of the glow plug holes, you've identified your problem cylinder. This works better with an assistant, so you can watch the holes and get a sample of the fluid. That will help you determine what went wrong. For example, if you pull coolant - the fix would be different than if you pulled oil, and different than if you pulled diesel.

If you don't get lucky on the first side, pull the other valve cover and repeat. Post back as soon as you figure out which fluid we're dealing with.

I realize that it will just reoccure, but im not in the position to work on it here in the parkinglot, i was hoping for a way to drive it home and work on it there without paying a tow truck.

It hydrolocked on my sunday morning and i didnt realize what it was. After that first time hydrolocking, i started it 6-8 times with no problems..

 

[RT]

Well - its kind of like throwing the dice with a $8000 motor - depends how lucky you're feeling. Especially since you dodged the bullet once already....

 

[parisot]

Well - its kind of like throwing the dice with a $8000 motor - depends how lucky you're feeling. Especially since you dodged the bullet once already....

crap thats what I was affraid of...

 

[parisot]

if i rotate it backwards enough, shouldnt i be able to push whatever liquid is in there out the exhaust port?

 

[RT]

It would go out through the intake valve depending where you are on the cycle. If you were on the downstroke after an ignition even, you'd just be pushing against two closed valves. Remember, exhaust is only open on the upstroke of the exhaust cycle - if you were there, the fluid would go easily with forward rotation.

 

[IGoneGreen]

Get a tow truck. Or Find someone with a trailer. Not worth the risk

 

[parisot]

Yeah.. Don't know what I was thinking when I posted that..

On an unrelaed note.. Am I able to use my brakes at all when the truck isn't running for towing purposes?

 

[RT]

Unassisted braking - ok if you've got the leg strength. Just keep the speeds down and you should be ok. Steering will be fun too. Quite a workout.

 

[parisot]

I have a buddy on his way here to tow me.. While I was waiting I turned he truck over by hand.. One way was bound up, the other way turned fine.. I rotated it backwards(I think) 2-3 rotations, then I was able to rotate it forward again without it hydrolocking.. I'm not going to attempt to start it though.. While I was poking around, I noticed that I am low on antifreeze.. So does that imply that an injector cup cracked? The truck didn't overheat.

 

[IGoneGreen]

Move the seat up a few inches use both feet and don't yank to hard on the steering wheel. Good luck and keep it slow.

 

[parisot]

thanks everyone for your help. I got it home last night and started tearing into it. I have some pictures i will post in a little bit. I dont have internet at home, so i have to post all of my questions during the day and then work on the truck in the evening.

 

[parisot]

Attached bellow are pictures. For starters, since the truck wasn’t hydrolocked anymore because I turned it over by hand, I was unable to find out which cylinder had fluid in it by pulling the glow plug. I ended up pulling all the glow plugs and then all of the injectors. Looking at the injectors, the o-rings were all getting old and though they may not have been leaking, they appeared to be on their last leg. I took a picture of the one that was leaking and posted it below.

After taking the injectors out, upon further investigation, I noticed there was a white build up on the front driver side head. I took a picture of this as well. I thought this was an indicator of a blown head gasket, so I pulled the head off. Apparently the water pump has been leaking and caused this because the gasket was in good shape.

Tonight if I can work on it, I plan to check the stroke of the hydrolocked piston compared to the stroke of the others to insure that I did not bend the connecting rod.

What I need to know is:
Since I have all the injectors pulled, should I have them tested? Truck has 180,000 miles on it
What should I replace on the injectors? Bottom o-rings obviously, copper washer?, other o-rings?
Should I clean the injectors?
What would be a good manual/book to buy that would give me the torque specs on this motor?

Thanks for your help.

 

[RT]

What I need to know is:
1. Since I have all the injectors pulled, should I have them tested? Truck has 180,000 miles on it
2. What should I replace on the injectors? Bottom o-rings obviously, copper washer?, other o-rings?
3. Should I clean the injectors?
4. What would be a good manual/book to buy that would give me the torque specs on this motor?

1. I think you should - one of them is likely the source of your hydrolock. The o-rings wouldn't cause that, it would have to be a leaking injector if fuel was the cause of the hydrolock. Make sure and check your injector cups. Also, use a feeler gauge and check the poppet clearance - here's how: http://www.dieselpro.ca/Poppet%20Valve.pdf

2. Replace everything - it comes in the kit. Make sure the old copper washer comes out with every injector. You can get the kits here: Replacement O-rings for Ford Diesel Engines

3. Proper cleaning requires dissasembly - a little too technical for most. If they fail the bench tests, best to just replace them.

4. AllData is an online service manual - it costs about 26 bucks for the first vehicle and 16 for each additional. It has step by step instructions along with specifications, part numbers, and more. https://www.alldatadiy.com/

 

[parisot]

1. I think you should - one of them is likely the source of your hydrolock. The o-rings wouldn't cause that, it would have to be a leaking injector if fuel was the cause of the hydrolock. Make sure and check your injector cups. Also, use a feeler gauge and check the poppet clearance - here's how: http://www.dieselpro.ca/Poppet Valve.pdf

2. Replace everything - it comes in the kit. Make sure the old copper washer comes out with every injector. You can get the kits here: Replacement O-rings for Ford Diesel Engines

3. Proper cleaning requires dissasembly - a little too technical for most. If they fail the bench tests, best to just replace them.

4. AllData is an online service manual - it costs about 26 bucks for the first vehicle and 16 for each additional. It has step by step instructions along with specifications, part numbers, and more. https://www.alldatadiy.com/

Great info, thanks for the reply.

What am I checking when I examine the injector cups?

The cylinder I pulled the injector with the torn o-ring from definitely had water in it, would the torn o-ring cause this or do I need to be looking for a different problem?

I am confident in my ability to tear down an injector, also I believe there was a forum posted on how to do it but I can’t seem to find it now.

What should I use to clean the injectors? Mineral spirits, then lube everything back up with oil as I reassemble them? Do you know if there is a write up anywhere on this?

Also, the only local place I know of to test the injectors is called DieselUSA, they seem to be a large company with many locations throughout the US, has anyone had any dealings with them?

Again, thank you for your help

 

[RT]

Here's a how-to on injector rebuild:

TikiWiki : H.E.U.I Injector Disassembly and Assembly

The o-rings don't separate coolant from anything. The contain the high pressure oil and the fuel. Coolant is separated by the injector cups, although usually when they leak, diesel gets pumped into the fuel. Conceivably, if they were cracked low enough, they could get coolant into the cylinder. The head gasket is the other biggie - you've already pulled the head - replace the gasket just as a preventative.

Inspect the cups for cracks - I would recommend replacing the ones in the head you have pulled just for safety sake. With the head off, just take it to your nearest machine shop. That would be cheaper than getting the special tools to do it without pulling the head.

 

[parisot]

Here's a how-to on injector rebuild:

TikiWiki : H.E.U.I Injector Disassembly and Assembly

The o-rings don't separate coolant from anything. The contain the high pressure oil and the fuel. Coolant is separated by the injector cups, although usually when they leak, diesel gets pumped into the fuel. Conceivably, if they were cracked low enough, they could get coolant into the cylinder. The head gasket is the other biggie - you've already pulled the head - replace the gasket just as a preventative.

Inspect the cups for cracks - I would recommend replacing the ones in the head you have pulled just for safety sake. With the head off, just take it to your nearest machine shop. That would be cheaper than getting the special tools to do it without pulling the head.

Great! I will be sure to update you as I proceed, though I will be waiting on parts for a few days.

 

[parisot]

I have called a dozen local diesel shops asking if they had the ability to flow test diesel injectors and all of them say yes until I tell them it’s a 7.3 ford. Does this require a specialty tool to do HEUI's?

Only one shop so far has told me yes, and they said they will have to send them out and it will cost me 60 per injector. Does this seem right? From what I have been reading, people were saying it generally cost around 30.

 

[parisot]

the only place that I have found that can do them is midwest fuel injection, and they are 4 hours away. They said it cost 35 per injector. When they say they clean them, that just means they are going to run a cleaner through them, not actually tear them down, right?