pennsylvaniaboy
make fullsizes great again
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2020
- Member Number
- 2192
- Messages
- 1,069
glowplugs/harness are worth it
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pennsylvaniaboy
make fullsizes great again
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2020
- Member Number
- 2192
- Messages
- 1,069
also if you want to get deep into IDI stuff oilburners.net is a pretty dedicated forum
Does it have a block heater and can you plug it in? I don’t have anything good to say about an IDI and it’s all because of how hard they are to start when it’s cold.
There is a return line leak down issue with them that causes starting issues. Two strong batteries and a good starter help a lot. Don’t buy the cheapest glow plugs or glow plug timer/relay. The gear reduction starter is a yuge upgrade for the old pos huge heavy direct drive ones that were oe.
There is a return line leak down issue with them that causes starting issues. Two strong batteries and a good starter help a lot. Don’t buy the cheapest glow plugs or glow plug timer/relay. The gear reduction starter is a yuge upgrade for the old pos huge heavy direct drive ones that were oe.
'84 Bronco II
El Chingón
Start by making sure the truck has good compression before throwing a bunch of parts at it. These trucks are old, and were built in an era when people worked the piss out of their trucks instead of just using them for a lifestyle image. A lot of the engines are simply worn out, and it isn't going to start well with all the parts in the world thrown at it. I forget what the spec for IDIs is, but with 21.5:1 compression you should be seeing over 400PSI on a healthy engine.
Assuming your compression checks out, make sure you have healthy batteries (I would suggest ones with 1,000+ cranking amps) and check the condition of all your battery cables and terminal connections. A gear reduction starter like JR4X mentioned is a huge upgrade over the original direct drive starters. Make sure the battery cables weren't replace with crappy thin gauge universal cables.
You can use a multimeter to diagnose your glow plug system. Glow plugs should be about 1-1.5 ohms if I remember correctly, but what you are really looking for is either open or short circuits. Replace all the plugs a a set if any are burned out and use only Motorcraft plugs. All the aftermarket plugs are garbage and known to swell and either get stuck or break off in the heads, and then your simple glow plug job turns into a head job. Your truck should have the later solid state glow plug relay which is a big upgrade over the old head-mounted relays that burned out all the time. Use the multimeter to verify it is getting voltage to each of the glow plugs and that it is cycling correctly. Some times they fail on and fry all the glow plugs. If it needs to be replaced, use Motorcraft only. DO NOT use starter fluid on an engine with a functioning glow plug system.
If all that checks out, the fuel lines are susceptable to cracking and allowing air to get into the fuel system which reeks havoc trying to get these trucks started, but that would affect starts in warmer weather after sitting as well. If it hasn't been done recently, it is advisable to replace all the rubber fuel lines and injector return lines since they are probably old and cracked/leaking. There is actually an air bleed valve next to the fuel filter to help get air out of the system. I would highly recommend converting to an electric fuel pump.
Like any diesel though, I would plug in a block heater before starting the truck if it has been sitting for a while in sub 10° weather. These trucks do not have fuel heaters like the Powerstrokes do, so I imagine fuel gelling is even more of an issue, but I've never experienced it.
As for performance, R&D IDI Performance is the biggest name in IDI performance and has built multiple 400+ RWHP trucks. The owner used to post on Ford Truck Enthusiasts and Youtube quite a bit 10 years ago, but he is still in business selling parts. I've never read of a truck dynoing over 300HP that was using some one elses parts; namely injection pumps since that is the biggest horsepower block on these engines.
Assuming your compression checks out, make sure you have healthy batteries (I would suggest ones with 1,000+ cranking amps) and check the condition of all your battery cables and terminal connections. A gear reduction starter like JR4X mentioned is a huge upgrade over the original direct drive starters. Make sure the battery cables weren't replace with crappy thin gauge universal cables.
You can use a multimeter to diagnose your glow plug system. Glow plugs should be about 1-1.5 ohms if I remember correctly, but what you are really looking for is either open or short circuits. Replace all the plugs a a set if any are burned out and use only Motorcraft plugs. All the aftermarket plugs are garbage and known to swell and either get stuck or break off in the heads, and then your simple glow plug job turns into a head job. Your truck should have the later solid state glow plug relay which is a big upgrade over the old head-mounted relays that burned out all the time. Use the multimeter to verify it is getting voltage to each of the glow plugs and that it is cycling correctly. Some times they fail on and fry all the glow plugs. If it needs to be replaced, use Motorcraft only. DO NOT use starter fluid on an engine with a functioning glow plug system.
If all that checks out, the fuel lines are susceptable to cracking and allowing air to get into the fuel system which reeks havoc trying to get these trucks started, but that would affect starts in warmer weather after sitting as well. If it hasn't been done recently, it is advisable to replace all the rubber fuel lines and injector return lines since they are probably old and cracked/leaking. There is actually an air bleed valve next to the fuel filter to help get air out of the system. I would highly recommend converting to an electric fuel pump.
Like any diesel though, I would plug in a block heater before starting the truck if it has been sitting for a while in sub 10° weather. These trucks do not have fuel heaters like the Powerstrokes do, so I imagine fuel gelling is even more of an issue, but I've never experienced it.
As for performance, R&D IDI Performance is the biggest name in IDI performance and has built multiple 400+ RWHP trucks. The owner used to post on Ford Truck Enthusiasts and Youtube quite a bit 10 years ago, but he is still in business selling parts. I've never read of a truck dynoing over 300HP that was using some one elses parts; namely injection pumps since that is the biggest horsepower block on these engines.
Clb
another toyota from P.R.K
Motorcraft glowplugs ONLY, (+1 on oilbrnrs, hit the tech 101's) verify the controler is sending full voltage downstream ,check the wire ends @the plugs ( and now you got return line leaks) 2 GOOD batteries and cables. +1 on check grounds, don't recall the dash harness situation...
Eta
Bronco2 beat us all for best answer
Eta
Bronco2 beat us all for best answer
Levigarrett76
Zeus of the Sluice
Not much content left
Jbevs
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2021
- Member Number
- 4181
- Messages
- 104
As others have stated
Oilburners is great tech.
Only use bosch/motorcraft glow plugs. They are the same and were $10 a plug ten years ago.
A functioning fuel return line system, plugs, batteries, and a gear reduction starter are all that is needed for an engine that will start in single digits with no ether or block warmer.
I ran 2 950cc batteries from the farm store, and they were great. My biggest headache with starting was the power going to the glowplug timer was corroded/bad and would test good for continuity but would crap out when sending the big voltage for a glow. The o ring terminal attached to the glow plug controller.
The engines are stupid simple and easy to work on. A $35 return line kit and batteries is where I would start. Mine would light off very quickly in very cold with the above good components.
Oilburners is great tech.
Only use bosch/motorcraft glow plugs. They are the same and were $10 a plug ten years ago.
A functioning fuel return line system, plugs, batteries, and a gear reduction starter are all that is needed for an engine that will start in single digits with no ether or block warmer.
I ran 2 950cc batteries from the farm store, and they were great. My biggest headache with starting was the power going to the glowplug timer was corroded/bad and would test good for continuity but would crap out when sending the big voltage for a glow. The o ring terminal attached to the glow plug controller.
The engines are stupid simple and easy to work on. A $35 return line kit and batteries is where I would start. Mine would light off very quickly in very cold with the above good components.
Another thing to think of with a used IDI.
I guarantee it’s had glow plug issues in the past and someone has over drawn the batteries trying to get it to fire. Cranking for to long alone isn’t what hurts a starter. It’s cranking for so long that the voltage gets to low and continuing to crank so the starter gets hot that hurts the starter. I always ASSume the starter is compromised from a previous owner on an IDI. You Want that thing to wing over fast for it to start good. I’ve never seen an IDI that didn’t have major issues with the glow plug system and I was driving them back when they were still the body style in production.
I guarantee it’s had glow plug issues in the past and someone has over drawn the batteries trying to get it to fire. Cranking for to long alone isn’t what hurts a starter. It’s cranking for so long that the voltage gets to low and continuing to crank so the starter gets hot that hurts the starter. I always ASSume the starter is compromised from a previous owner on an IDI. You Want that thing to wing over fast for it to start good. I’ve never seen an IDI that didn’t have major issues with the glow plug system and I was driving them back when they were still the body style in production.
Gravy
Red Skull Member
He is covers it all. Cosby sauce, throttle stick, and a leatherman is all you need in negative degree weather.
Search slave lake for the good stuff. It was better before they forced him to bleep out the colorful languageNot much content left
Levigarrett76
Zeus of the Sluice
I fucking love his content, I've seen all of it,He is covers it all. Cosby sauce, throttle stick, and a leatherman is all you need in negative degree weather.
Search slave lake for the good stuff. It was better before they forced him to bleep out the colorful language
there's a lot that disappeared.