[JASTECH]

Howdy, been in hospital a few times, wife abandoned child and I so now trying to get things going.

My 1988 F350 7.3L idi, CC had not been started in two years. I had seen a leak at right front injector cap so I ordered the injector return line kit from a member here. I had a large solar battery maintainer connected to the batteries. I added about 8 gallons a fuel to front tank but no start. So i was able to get it started by filling fuel filter with Amsoil's diesel rescue solution then poured the rest into the front tank. Friend came over while it was running, I turned it off and it started up just fine, we drove it down the road and back for a test without issue. Then took it to a mechanic to have return line kit installed and radiator boiled. After kit was installed it wouldn't start all day of trying at all my friend told me. So I drove to the shop. The mechanic was still trying to start it, spraying ether down it, then cranking until the engine was too slow, hooked up commercial battery charger and kept repeating. I felt the battery and it was hot. More ether was sprayed again and again until I couldn't breath (I'm on oxygen). Then I noticed the second IP wire was not connected. Once connected it started up. Then all the fuel was being transfered to rear tank and over flowing. So fuse was getting blown for tank divertor so it had to be replaced. Also batteries not holding up and alternator bad and mechanical fuel pump went bad. All this happened at the sane time. So, is this all a coincidence?

Thanks, JASTECH

 

[oldrebuiltdodge]

Yes all of that can happen while is is sitting derelict. The unhooked fuel shut off was the mechanic's fault. The soon to be burned up starter will also be the mechanic's fault. If the ether cleared out of the cylinders before it fired up, it probably will be OK. I sure wouldn't take it back to that "mechanic". You can carefully use some ether to start it, but fogging it so hard that you can smell it from any distance is just stupid.

 

[JASTECH]

Stopped at his shop to pay him $25 on what I still owe of $60 for the new fuel pump from Napa and the diverter valve from wrecking yard. He became very irate because I had said the over cranking drawing my batteries way down, then charging at 60 amp repeatedly had damaged my "Sterling" batteries and most likely damaged my starter. So he cursed me F this and F you then said that I don't know S about anything and wanted all his money NOW. Then wanted to fight me and stated he knows where I live and will come get me if I didn't pay him. So, I'm very upset over it but didn't loose my temper for once. Being a single parent of 9 year old I don't need to go to jail.

 

[JASTECH]

Wouldn't turn over today, had to use a battery charger on them. A friend came over to my place and removed the two sterling batteries and put two of my Optima batteries in. It started up just fine, but alternator still not working so I ordered a single wire 3G 245 amp that the guy had to build into a large case, he finished it and shipped it FedX the same day. So waiting for it to show, then I'll cut the lead off my cables and solder eye lugs on the cables with heavy duty heat shrink, install solid brass marine connectors and a mega fuse for the although to connect to. Need a 250 amp mega fuse, and will install a heavy duty distribution block for the rest of my system.

 

[Bill1013]

Hard to even know where to start responding to this thread. Seems all of your problems started with a small fuel leak on one injector cap which probably could have just been bad o'rings on it. That would have let air in and drained all the fuel in the system back to tank.

Starting with the so called mechanic. He certainly is not a diesel mechanic or knows very little about an IDI. Stay away from him as far as you can.

By charging your batteries like said, he cooked them. Possibly destroyed the alternator also.

Hopefully spraying all of that ether in trying to start, it didn't damage the engine, ether can bend rods, crack pistons, break valves, bend push rods etc. That you'll find out after running it for awhile.

Don't know why your going to such a large 1 wire 3g alternator, unless your adding a bunch of lighting, stereo unit and all kinds of accessories that take a lot of power (Amps). Your charging light in cab will stay on if it's not wired to Alt. correctly.
Where do you plan on putting that 250 Amp Mega fuse? Certainly not between the alternator and batteries, it is totally useless there, even if the batteries were dead shorted, then all that amperage would blow the batteries up.
All the rest of the electrical system is protected by smaller fuses and fusible links. The only other place is the positive cable from batteries to starter and a starter pulls 400 to 750 amps on a start from the batteries, not the alternator. Glow plugs pull 295 amps for a second then settle out at 130 amps for the rest of the cycle time, there protected by fusible links.

The 3g alternator mounting might be higher and require longer V-belts to it as would the Alt. to Vac pump also. Possibility that the pulleys on the Alt. and damper have to be changed to dual V-belts if a single belt squeals/slips.

 

[JASTECH]

@Bill1013, I will use a Anderson plug and switch/solenoid to charge a fork lift battery bank for off grid living. The other idi's that I read about on Ford Diesel site used 165amp aalternator with 175 amp mega fuse inline between batteries. I will use same 175 amp, then higher amp mega fuse when connected to fork lift batteries.

 

[JASTECH]

My alt has dual v-belts now, guess its stock? I will take the truck to O'Reilly to install alt, that way I can buy two new v-belts the correct size if I can afford it.

 

[JASTECH]

The new alternator arrived today, so will install it this week and if it puts out like he said I will post his company name if he allows me to.

 

[JASTECH]

Brakes have gotten better, at least they can slow down and stop the truck in time. When brake pedal is slowly depressed just a couple of inches and held at that level the truck will begin to slow down then stop while down shifting. If I was to just depress the brake down fast, it would go down a few inches and take many times the force and being depressed 6+ inches in order to stop my truck. The same "mechanic" attached vacuum gauge to VP, the needle was in the Red (5) at idle, then he revved the diesel moving needle to approximately (20) in Green band. The red brake light indicator in dash comes on a few times a week. The parking brake easily pushes down most the distance. I inspected the pads up front and shoes in rear, they are both at approximately 80% remaining. I do plan on draining all the Dot 3 brake fluid then spraying brake clean in lines via master cylinder to clean out all the old fluidfluid and nasty stuff. I will refill with Amsoil dot 5 to further enhance my stopping ability. So, any ideas on my lack of breaking/stopping ability?

Thanks, JASTECH

 

[oldrebuiltdodge]

The vacuum pump is the only thing that would cause you to have a hard to depress pedal. There is a check valve that you might want to check, I don't remember where it is located, and I can't go look right now.

 

[JASTECH]

OK, what is a good price for used vacuum pump? Can they be rebuilt at home? Anybody know what the vacuum should be on these pumps? Thanks very much for taking time to help me. Also will go ahead and install a 250 amp fuse inline after a amp meter, then to a 300 amp relay and switch. One side of relay will go to Anderson plug above front bumper, this will make it easier for jumper cable connection for helping others, also for connection to my OTG main & backup battery bank. The switch will connect alternator to my dual batteries, then to distribution fuse block for radio/linear, truck bed aux power and trailer battery charging. I will make custom battery cables for it.

 

[IDIoit]

not that i know this mechanic or anything, but i got a free vacuum pump headed your way pending a PM with your address.
ive just switched all my IDI's to serp and have a ton of v-belt stuff cluttering up my garage.
ground is free
next day air will need to be paid for.

 

[JASTECH]

Question: The new alternator has a dual pulley with both wide grooves like a 17, my VP has a skinny groove, maybe a 13? Would you know what a wide groove pulley for the VP would fit? Is this why you switched to SB? What is the cost if I may ask?

 

[JASTECH]

Also, where is the check valve for the brakes and is it a vacuum or hydraulic check valve?

 

[JASTECH]

not that i know this mechanic or anything, but i got a free vacuum pump headed your way pending a PM with your address.
ive just switched all my IDI's to serp and have a ton of v-belt stuff cluttering up my garage.
ground is free
next day air will need to be paid for.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZc4IBy0pSY

It arrived today, thank you very much! Warm days coming so l'll get it it installed. Will be a lot safer for my 9 year old and I with brakes.

 

[IDIoit]

theres a check valve on brake boosters, its where the hose goes into the booster.

 

[JASTECH]

Ah, so just make sure there is suction?