Only if they used to much. Its not good on them but isnt a deal breaker if its used right.

Just changing the gpr and the glowplugs should get it going if the harness is good.

 

Ok great, thanks for the info.

I'm still not sure, I would LOVE to see the difference new GP's and a GPR would make, but his rig is way overdue for balljoints as well. I think I might replace them instead, as they are more of a safety factor.

Guess we'll see.

Anyone else have anything else to add?

 

You can test the old glow plugs to see how bad they were with a set of jumper cables. Simply clamp one jumper cable to the threaded body of the GP then touch the tip where the connector goes on with the other. It should get nice and cherry red really quick. Of course the other end of the cables needs to be on the battery of the truck....LOL

 

Thanks for the tip, but if I'm going to pull the VC's, I'm going to have new glow plugs on hand ready to install lol. I can buy them for at least $10.18/each from Ford, if not cheaper than that.

 

Definitely change them all out. No sense in having to go back in there later.

 

I was just saying to do that just see how bad they really are after you replace them.

 

This is what you need Freddie: HERE

Dave

 

Thanks for the link Dave! I was planning on picking up Motorcraft GP's for $10.18 each, and a Stancor GPR since I've heard some good things about them. I guess we'll find out real soon

 

Man using ether for that long I be he has ring or piston problems

 

hopefully the glow plugs were never working at all when he was feeding it ether.

 

:whs: Other wise you will be pulling the heads to get the broken pieces or the pieces are imbeaded in the top of the piston by now:doh:

 

Been there, done that before on my old IDI. :doh: If the GP's have been bad or inactive for that long they are probably all coked up with soot, and they may not come out.

Dave

 

ouch sounds like he could have major problems

 

Well this isn't awesome news.

Oh well, his loss I guess. I have been harping on him for 2 years now to give the truck some much needed maintenance.

Cheap asses shouldn't own a Powerstroke. If he won't spend the money to take care of it and maintain it, well, I guess I won't feel bad for him when it croaks.

 

Yeah ether and 300k on original GPs--Good luck even getting them out of the head. To many horror stories of tip swelling and getting stuck---If you even have tips after years of ether---Good Luck

 

ahhh no probs just spray a bit of carb cleaner around them and work them in and out in and out, in a bit they will come right out......

as for it starting ...... if you injects are bad it will still be hard starting in the cold. (mines got 247k)

 

Thanks for all of the advice and information guys.. since I only want it to be a Christmas gift, and not get into rebuilding his engine for him, I'm going to keep it simple and do balljoints and TRE's. I just don't want a GP/GPR project to lead to pulling heads or anything like that. I would rather not know what condition those cylinders/pistons/rings are in. Ignorance is bliss lol

I made him aware of everything mentioned in this thread, so hopefully it will light a fire and get him motivated to work on the damn thing.

 

Also try this... Install the new GPR first and see how it starts with just that. Dont be worried when the hot lead of the GPR breaks off. It's totally normal and you just need a vice grip to get the nut off.

 

i bet it just needs a new relay....... glow plugs arent going to fail all 8 at a time. Even if you have half working the truck will still start, rough maybe but it will start.

 

They have been ethering it for years. I bet all 8 GPs are toast

 

An ohm meter can tell a bunch about what to do, check for one large post of the relay to have battery voltage and the other like it to have some resistance around what a set of GPs together would have should tell if the relay is shot or the plugs are dead. If the meter goes to ground on the GP side then it is a wire short or at least one shorted out GP, if it is open most likely the VC harness is having a problem.

 

Well, my dad got his new Stancor GPR installed that I bought for him for Christmas.

At least one of the glow plugs must be left? Lol His truck started yesterday morning in 25* weather without ether. Thats enough of a difference to make me smile. Considering before it wouldn't start in 65* weather without spraying it.

 

Good to hear...

 

I bet the relay has been bad for years, and the glow plugs are still good.

For future reference, a screwdriver can take the place of a broken relay if you touch both posts on the relay at the same time for about 30 seconds or so. You are popping the hood anyway to give it some ether, might as well skip that step and use the glowplugs instead.

 

Yeah I agree about using a screwdriver. The thing is, and I agree the relay has probably been bad, but most guys were betting that just spraying ether would have killed the GP's after this long.

 

I don't see how spraying starting fluid would kill the glow plugs.

I think they were more worried about piston damage, especially if the a couple of the glow plugs were still functional while spraying starting fluid. A functional glowplug can ignite the starting fluid and fuel in the cylinder at the wrong time, causing damage.

 

Yeah. Pistons are another concern. As well as the rings..

I guess its common knowledge that starting fluid and glow plugs can kill the glow plug tips in which case there would be pieces of the GP tip in the cylinder... another reason to be concerned about the pistons and rings. I'm not too sure why, and have no experience with it, but that's what numerous people have said in this thread..

It starts for now lol. Still needs injector work and it'll get 8 new GP's then, but not til then. Depending on how the GP's come out, might even have to pull the head and check for damage in the cylinders..

 

I would not worry too much about it. If your Pops used the starting fluid correctly, there won't be too much damage. If you are worried about it, do a compression check when you do the glow plugs/injectors. You can get a cheap kit from carquest who makes an adapter for the glow plug hole. I would avoid pulling the heads for something as simple as a glow plug. Just run it till it quits at this point.

 

Yup, I think thats his plan, run it til it dies. Then who knows

 

Just test the glow plugs. No need to replace them if they are working