7.3 idi stalling

[thadleybaxter]

I have a 76' F350, with a transplanted 1988' 7.3 IDI na...vehicle sat for a few years in SW desert until recently. Only got the vehicle road worthy recently with new tires and electrical issues in lights resolved. And having driven it two different ocassions about 30 miles each time, then truck began to loose power and then stall out. This happened both trips. First 20-25 miles at highway speeds, vehicle ran well, then it started to seem to surge/stall. Any suggestions were to start the diagnosis process. I did just replace fuel filter and mechanical lift pump. Adding that the original air filter will not fit in the engine compartment so I've double up some Fram filters for the maximum air intake...any thoughts about that?

 

[Fellro]

The stalling is likely air intrusion. Sitting for a while, it may have been parked before the ULSD was introduced, which tends to cause the o-rings to leak at the injectors. A quick check of likely air intrusion is to pull the filter off after it stalls. If it is low on fuel, that is what is going on. A seal and cap kit is needed to fix the issue.

 

[thadleybaxter]

considering the air intrusion, any thoughts as to why it occurs only after fully warmed and running for 20 minutes? the seal and cap kit, is this a challenge to complete?

 

[Fellro]

It takes time for the air to accumulate enough to cause trouble, as well as heat causes expansion, so if the o-rings are hard, and the caps expand, then you get more leakage. They aren't real bad to change, you have to take the injection lines loose, then take the caps off of the injectors. You must lube the o-rings on reassembly or you will fight leakage again.

 

[thadleybaxter]

thanks for ur input, I'll put those thoughts thoughts to work, once I locate the caps and seals...then I'll post results

 

[Fellro]

You'll have to post up some pics of that beast, had thoughts of doing similar. Main thing is mileage for whether it is worth it to do. I have a few extra IDI's available these days...

 

[thadleybaxter]

I will attempt to upload some pics, have been hesitant due to someone on forum saying not to use phone camera...sooooo, I'll have to figure something out.

 

[Fellro]

Depends on the phone camera. The newer ones are doing much better.

 

[Austin]

Any pic is better than none! BTW, all of my build pics are from my cell phone.

 

[thadleybaxter]

excuse my ignorance, but how do I download photo from my cellphone...okay, I'm from another generation(past), and not very techy, really good with hammer and nail tho!

 

[Fellro]

Don't feel bad, I only recently upgraded to a blackberry....almost against my will, It depends on the phone. I can both email and plug in to download pics from the Blackberry, my last phone had to have the picture chip taken out and put into an adapter to plug in to the computer.

 

[thadleybaxter]

okay, I do have a smart phone(which is smarter than me), and can email photos, but where to email is the question? Can u provide further info?

 

[Fellro]

You actually can email them to yourself... I do that sometimes with documents so that I have access to it anywhere if I either forget it or the device I have won't work. You will need to have it hosted off site somewhere at a site that lets you put them on the web. I happen to use Photobucket, does what I need it to. You then have to link it in the post. Otherwise, you can start a gallery here on FTF, put the pictures there and link to that. I tend to post the pertinent pics to the gallery, and the extraneous stuff goes on photobucket.