85 6.9 Ford trouble

[2zuks]

Hi. I just bought a 1985 Ford with the 6.9 from my neighbor. It only has 125000 on it. He had a couple of fuel filters plug up on him before anything else started. Then a couple of months ago, the thing developed a slight miss. One day he pulled up to a stop light and the thing just started running really rough, almost like the timing is off 180 or somthing. It is also smoking. The thing always ran good and was showing no signs of engine wear. Now, the thing will fire right off as soon as you turn it over, but it just runs rough and smokes. Does anyone have any good ideas of what it could be and where to start on it? Any ideas would be appreciated. I am looking for a cummins, but I figured this would hold me over for a tow rig in the mean time. Thanks.

[reklund5]

sounds like he may have had the tip of a glow plug come off and a punch hole somewhere... Pull all the glow plugs out and see how they look. Replace them all with Motorcraft/Beru plugs. Do not use any other glow plug. Take em out slow and careful...if they're aftermarket plugs and the tips have swollen, you don't want to break the tips off in the combustion chamber...

Check out thedieselstop.com specifically the IDI diesel forum. Search there for ziggsters page and it'll detail the glow plug process.

If they all check out, time to start looking at injectors/return lines. If the return lines are dried out, they'll allow air into the system,which makes it run like ass. Its a cheap and easy fix that solves many driveability problems on the old IDI diesels...your local ford dealership should have the return line kit for a reasonable price.

Hope this helps,
Ryan

[hy_desert_4wheeler]

I would check the air cleaner first since those symptons sound like a plugged filter..

EDIT: I am assuming that the smoke is black and not blue/gray/white..

[joez]

Could be a stuck injector, too. Thats about how my 6.2 ran when when of my injectors got stuck open. Again, this is assuming that the smoke is black.

[demonranger]

the IDI section @ www.oilburners.net or at thedieselstop.com will definately have an answer for you if what has been suggested doesn't work for ya.

[2zuks]

Hey, thanks for the info guys. I have been running non stop so I haven't got to check it out yet, but I will this weekend. Yes it is black smoke out of the exhaust. I will report back when I check it out. Thanks for the ideas.

[beretzs]

I would look at injectors first. Those will give you a "miss" and smoke alot just sitting there. Injectors are about 30 bucks a piece and have a life expectancy of about 80-100K miles so if they have not been changed, that could be your problem. Scotty

[mjlogan88]

check any rubber fuel lines- if they look sketchy, replace them. If any air gets into the fuel system it will run like crap.