Low Power, lots of smoke black/white, high temps

[shamanie]

I got the truck back after dual idler install and 6.5 injectors and it just feels like crap. There is no real power, and there wasn't before these goodies either. After installing the banks kit 5000 miles ago it feels like I can't even feel the turbo even at 5-6 pounds of boost. My mileage is a steady 13-15 mpg. The brand new tci transmission won't shift unless I'm off the pedal and the truck is steadily at or above 200 degrees.

I can't take it back to the same mechanic because he just won't listen, always comes back and tells me nothing is wrong. WTF? About to get the wrecking ball out.

[john8662]

How does the engine start? How does is run, is it running smooth or really rough, how about acceleration?
With NEW injectors, you'll notice that the engine will kind of sound like crap for awhile until they seat themselves. It takes about 500-1000 miles for them to "settle in" and the engine to run right. Does you mechanic have access to a timing meter to check and see where you are at? If you're too advanced, the engine will run hot, but usually associated with a little more black smoke than usual.

The transmission problem sounds like a TV cable problem to me, sounds like it's adusted until it's too tight.

What you can do is remove the air cleaner housing and get access to the TV cable (similar in appearance to a kick down cable). Take and press in the button on the top of the cable and let it release. What you'll then do is play with the setting, without the engine running. Adjust the cable to where it just baraly has some tension on the steel braded cable to start to pull when you manually grab the throttle on the injection pump. You can also go as far as to leave it just a little loose (tension wise) until you grab the IP throttle, then it tensions up and pulls. This will get you close on the TV cable adjustment.

The factory manual does it slightly different. They say to press the button and insert the plastic part all the way back into the TV cable holder. Then grab the throttle shaft on the IP and make it go full throttle, and that then the TV cable holder will ratchet into place with the force given. I've found this doesn't work very well on older cables.

[shamanie]

The truck start without hesitation, and quite frankly, the best it has ever started. Idle is very good. No stalling but and it seems to run "ok" at first and then after operating until warm, acceleration, smoke, bogging, are increased dramatically. I register boost, but I cannot feel the boost really. I was running much better right after the turbo was installed. I could really feel the effect of additional boost. 0-3 was a nice feeling, 3-5 was great, 5-12 was really awsome. I can't even get above 8 lbs. And 5 lbs doesn't even register.

[john8662]

Sounds like it's out of time. Do you have access to any injection pump rebuilding shops or other diesel mechanics that might have a timing meter that works on 7.3 IDI diesels and 6.2/6.5 diesels?

[shamanie]

John, you're the only one who responds to my posts buddy. Thanks.

I am going to bring this old post back because it is the root of the problem I am having. I don't have access to any of the devices you mentioned. I simply don't have access to a reliable mechanic here in vegas so I am kind of up a creek. I have just thrown money at this thing to no avail man, I'm sure you know what I mean. I start Law school on Aug 22 and am faced with having this truck shipped across the country from vegas to ohio. I can't leave it here, I can't take it back to the guy because the work is just not being done right, he's working on big rigs for $15,000 and I am just small potatoes not worth the time. I have to have the truck fixed because it's my daily driver....LOL. Yet I can't drive it across country because I can't be put in a position where it breaks down and I am stranded in whatever,CO or little town,IL. It's just a bad situation all the way around.

I posted a while back where I stopped for diesel on a road trip and after I filled up and drove out of the station the truck died. I let it sit for a minute after several unsucessful attempts at turning it over, and finally got it started. Did another 250 miles and stopped filled up and when I tried to restart it just wouldn't catch. It would turn over, until the battery was drained, and every once in a while it would catch and then die.....I changed the primary fuel filter to no avail and ended up having it towed to a chevy dealership that said they could find no problems bled the rig and she started up fine. Drove her home, not turning it off till I got home, even when filling up.....so, I don't know. I feel this is beyond me.

Could the pump be getting tired?

John, Im inches away from using student loans for a new engine. Next is whoring myself on the streets of cleveland, not an uplifting prospect.

[john8662]

Originally posted by shamanie:
Next is whoring myself on the streets of cleveland, not an uplifting prospect. Funny :D

Gotta get paid for whats normally free huh ;) Just kidding.

Anyways, a couple of things come to mind. First, the stalling problem, this is going to be a fuel related issue or an ignition issue. For a fuel starvation or air lock situation you could see it stall, although it's never happened to me. For good meadure go get a piece of clear tubing that you'd find at a hardware store in 1/4" ID size, you'll only need a foot of it. Then pop the hood and disconnect the fuel return hose coming out of the injection pump and replace it with the clear tubing (cut of course). You will want to go ahead and use hose clamps to replace the spring clamps that came on it from factory. Now, start the engine, and watch for steady air bubbles or bubbles while it's running, you shouldn't see any with it running after the initial purge (almost instant).

You will probably want to leave this clear hose on for troubleshooting, especially if it stalls out on you again. IF you get lots of air, then you'll know you have an air leak in the system. The leaks are PROBABLY one of the hoses connecting to and from the primary and secondary fuel filters or fuel pump, you'll see the hose cracked or pooched at the end if it's bad. My '82 pickup is falling victim to these problems, replacing a hose at a time.

Also, the next time it stalls and won't start, keep a test light handy (the ice pic type). When it won't start, you can leave the ignition on, and connect the wire lead to the negative pole on the battery, and then touch the sharp ice pic end to inside the red wire connector on the top of the injection pump. This will be the fuel shutoff solenoid wire, it's the biggest wire going to the IP, and it's red/pink/purple in color. Got light, then you got power, if not, it's an ignition problem, suspect main power connection at starter or possibly ignition switch, etc. You can also with the ignition on and when it won't start unplug and then re-plug the connector on the pump in, you should hear a click in the process, this is the shutoff solenoid working.

Performance..

This could be a few things, ranging from being out of time, to having one of the IP driven gears that wasn't properly aligned via the timing dots on the gears during the timing gear set install.

Also, you could be right, the ol pump could be much too tired to overcome the higher pop pressures of the 6.5 turbo injectors, which are quite a bit higher.

Also, what did you determine on the transmission?

Don't give up on finding a diesel mechanic. I forgot to mention this in your post looking for a mechanic, but usually the yellow pages have quite a few listings when just looking for "diesel" you'll probably find all the diesel shops in town there.

But I do feel your pain in NV, I had a tranny shop there that was SUPPOSED to build me a replacement TH700 tranny, that never did, wouldn't even refund the credit card, so, I ended up calling the CC company and reversing the charges. It was a SHADY deal, I'll look up the company again (if they haven't changed their name a few times since then) to know who to stay away from...