Doing some maintenance and mods..

[ssonnier]

I've got about a week off between jobs and started today doing some work on the new to me truck. These are the parts that were waiting on me when I pulled up yesterday morning. HPX line, fuel filter w/ new cap, Stancor GPR, 203* thermostat, 6637 air filter, plus I picked up a new oil filter, oil, antifreeze, NAPA coolant additive, and distilled water.

I have been having a hard start when cold issue since I bought the truck. If the block heater is plugged up about a half hour it will start right up, idle rough about 3 minutes, then seems normal. Without the block heater it takes a shot (or 3) of ether (which I hate to use) and continued cranking. So I'm hoping to catch the issue with these parts.

I pulled the fuel filter and it was full of crap. There was also a 1/2" layer of gunk in the bottom of the bowl. I decided to pull the entire fuel bowl and clean it plus replace o-rings. Turns out the fuel bowl heating element was broke also so another trip to autozone to get that part. Now the only thing keeping me from re installing it is I need all of the o-rings for all 4 hard lines going to the bowl. Which I will be picking up from the stealership tomorrow.

I went ahead and installed the HPX line and the new GPR also did three full flushes on the coolant system. I started pulling the EBPV tube and sensor to clean it and plan on picking up the parts for the CCV mod and Hutch mod tomorrow (I will harpoon while I'm in the tank since the bed is coming off). When I went to spin around the CCV housing on the manifold I noticed the o-rings underneath were both torn so I will replace them as well.

Any suggestions for any other "while I'm there" mods or upgrades? The truck has around 200k on the clock. I also plan on changing all fluids over to RP synthetic other than the engine which will stay with the Rotella.

 

[DaveBen]

Your hard cold start problem is probably (not prolly) glow plugs. Use an Ohm meter to check them. Ground one probe and hold the other probe to the stud in the glow plug. You should read something like 5 to 7 ohm if it is good. If you don't get a reading, the glow plug is bad. Replace the bad ones with Motorcraft or Beru glow plugs ONLY! The others are junk.

Dave

 

[ssonnier]

Thanks Dave. I'm going to test all the GP's in the morning before I head out anyways. Hopefully its just the relay. When Ipulled theold one it looked like one side of it had gotten extremely hot. Enough to distort the plastic around one of the large posts a small amount.

Forgot to mention I'll probably (not prolly?) do the foil delete while I'm in there.

 

[BIG JOE]

Have you done the Fuel Pump Inlet fitting delete yet ?

Nice little $15 mod that Waaay reduces Air intrusion into the fuel system.

Joe

 

[ssonnier]

Have you done the Fuel Pump Inlet fitting delete yet ?

Nice little $15 mod that Waaay reduces Air intrusion into the fuel system.

Joe

Thanks for reminding me! I need to pick up some hose, clamps, and filter tomorrow as well. That was going to be part of the prepump filter I was installing but I forgot to put that on the list of stuff I needed at the parts store.

 

[ssonnier]

Well today was mostly running errands, paying bills, and picking up parts. But I did get a few hours in on the truck. Finished cleaning the EBPV tube and got all the foil off the intercooler tube but still need to reinstall both tomorrow. Picked up the o-rings for the fuel bowl today and as I was re installing it the FPR broke off at the threads! Argh! It just happened that it was the last line I tightened down. Immediately after that I get a phone call saying the job I'm going to has been moved forwards which leaves me even less time to finish all of this...

I went ahead and ordered a billet FPR with the spring kit from dieselorings.com because there was no way in heck I was replacing a weak part with the same weak part. Which I had to pay a ton in shipping to get it here fast now that I'm on a short time frame. I'm going to attempt to cut the tube as close as possible to the flare and reflare it and replace the FPR without removing the bowl again. I think i can get it all back in there by working around the hard lines it will just be a PITA.

Still waiting on the CCV doghouse to valve cover seals. Should be at the dealership tomorrow and I can finish the CCV mod. Had two pieces of 4" exhaust tubing cut today. One will go in between the two intake pipes and one will connect from the end of the intake tubing to the 6637 filter. Looking to get some parts put back on and finish all my in-tank mods tomorrow.

 

[ssonnier]

Forgot to mention, I took the plunge and went ahead and ordered a TW flip chip today. I know my truck is mostly stock right now but I don't plan on getting out of hand with it until I finish the basics. Mostly just looking for fuel economy. Future plans are; 4" turbo back, GT38R, and a set of hybrids. Still debating on what should go in first. Turbo or injectors... Because the exhaust will be done before I come home. Then I'll be pulling the chip to send back to Tony for a reburn.

 

[BIG JOE]

Your call but.. On the FPR return line flare fitting (?), you can cut the return line, behind the flare fitting nut.. then rejoin the line(s), with a union made of rubber fuel hose and 2 band clamps..

Makes "dealing" with any future FPR adjustments/issues.. a snap.

Maybe a DUH, but FWIW ? The 2 torx screws on the FPR cap Only need to be Snug tight, to seat the cap's O ring. There's Little to No pressure.. After the FPR sleeve & spring. It's basically.. Bleed Off.. to the (open) return line. The pressure is in the filter canister ?

 

[JLDickmon]

looks like you bout got it covered..

 

[ssonnier]

Well I went ahead and cut the FPR line down lower today so I could get it out and work on it. I managed to cut just the flare off slide the old nut off and a new one on and reflare it. Then I just used a compression fitting union to rejoin the pieces. Seems like it lines up nice and the new FPR will be here tomorrow. Turns out the pickup foot in the tank was in pieces so if none of the dealerships around have one tomorrow I'll be reassembling it without one and just cut a V into the bottom of the hard line to prevent it from sucking into the bottom of the tank.

I decided not to run the 3/8 rubber line from the tank up to the pump. Instead I just cut both ends of the hard lines and used compression fittings with 3/8 barbed ends on each end. Turns out no one within an hour of me had more than 3' of 3/8 line in stock. Is there any downside to doing it this way? I know the hardline is slightly smaller in diameter but if it flowed enough for stock I figured I would be fine.

I'll try to get some pictures up tomorrow once everything starts to go back together. I'm running out of time with all of this so lets pray UPS isn't late. Still have to get the windshield replaced as soon as it is able to run again then heading out on a 22 hour drive in a truck I've put less than 200 miles one.... That makes me a bit nervous.