My first encounter with a IDI 7.3

[Tony302600]

Joy, I get a IDI 7.3L and feared the crap outta it and to make matter worse it was on a e van ( wasnt all that bad ). shut off while driving, No-start. remembered watching old diesel tech crack the lines to bleed air after replacing injection pump, cracked line at injector, nothing, cracked line to fuel filter, nothing. awesome, other tech told me to put a lift pump on. Replaced lift pump, still nothing, attemped to bleed it, nothing. Removed line to fuel filter, cranked, sounded like pumping air. Looked at gas gauge, WAY PAST FULL, hmmmmmm... Called the owner, "oh yea i thought we just filled it up." smacked tank, sounds empty, removed tank, EMPTY, broken sending unit wire. What i learned... never trust customer, r.o. and these things arent that bad as i thought to diag.

[Keith Browning]

First, watch who you are callin OLD! I cut my teeth on that engine and I am not even 40!!! /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/rofl.gif I think that in todays world of electronically controlled diesels we tend to forget that diesel engines are all about pressure and time. The basic engine is still the same: its STILL suck, squeeze, bang and blow. The major changes have been with how we achieve the bang. For all of their advancements, diesel engines still don't like dirt, water, air in the fuel and early or late fuel delivery.

 

If you know how to use a fuel pressure gage, a sight tube and a test light along with your basic tools, the 7.3L IDI is not hard to care for. The only thing that can be tricky is injection pump timing. While the pumps are marked for static timing that requires aligning marks on the pump and the timing gear cover, I think variances can cause headaches on older engines and ones that have been apart a few times. That is where the timing gage comes in handy assuming you know one exists and you can find one that still works. They certainly look easier to work on than a 6.0 or a 6.4 don't they?

[DwayneGorniak]

its STILL suck, squeeze, bang and blow

I love it! Reminds me of another diesel quote I use quite often: If she can't suck, She can't blow!

[Tony302600]

They certainly look easier to work on than a 6.0 or a 6.4 don't they?

 

oh hell ya, i pulled back the doghouse and go...thats it....and then the other diesel guy told me basically all u need is fuel..lol... cracked open the line at the injector got fuel? no, then go down the line...and im like thats it ( for the most part )...lol... but i almost would rather work on that then a 6.4

[DwayneGorniak]

I bet you just can't wait to see a 64 caliber flame thrower with a V-MAC compressor on it hugh? LOL.