Almost there or start over?

https://youtu.be/dIVJtSkL_IU

that was right before it gave me nothing. Required some starter fluid sprayed in the intake to start. Then I relished the valves and the starter was whirring. I took the starter off, the shaft is pretty jiggly, and the face of it had some damage, fly wheel looks okay, little bit of shavings in it. I went and pulled the starter from the salvage and the tooth count is different. I'm looking at trying to take the shaft and gear from mine and put it into the other, or try and get it rebuilt, or order remanufactured from oreilley's. Right now I am getting pretty deep into my budget on this thing. I dunno if I am just fucking up or what but today sucked. Thought I would be running it through valve lash procedure and taking it in for an alignment today. Instead I got that video and then nothing.
https://youtu.be/dIVJtSkL_IU

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Take note that the starter motors not only have different drive teeth counts, but are also different diameter gears. My bet is one of the starters is auto and another manual - other possibility is one may be for the 55 and a different one for the 56... :shrug:

Well, my buddy macguyvered the two pumps together by switching the solenoids. I believe the plunger was weak, not pushing that gear. Had it tested and then put it on. It wasn't the issue. The dowel pin on the camshaft snapped?!?!? Might have just been cheap and bad luck or a torque error on the camshaft bolt. Either way, I got the dowel on my toasted shaft and put it in, seated great, not much damage to the shaft or the sprocket.

Got it started with a squirt of ether, ran it for 45mins or so, let it get pretty warm and work out all the air in the fuel, and settle down,idle is low like 500 instead of 750-900. I cut it off, put on the fan, didn't wanna start without a little squirt of ether again. Got it started again ran for and hour and a half like a champ. Then started three times in a row while still warm. Didn't want to start on its own again in the morning, but in not using anymore starter fluid on it. My two issues are cold start and idle.

It's gotta be fuel related. Glow plugs are activating, click, pause, click. I've looked at something called smoke adjustment or pre boost adjustment in the injection pump.

I installed a 4d56 head with the flush valves and an MLS gasket, likely reducing my compression a bit, need to put a gauge on it but that seems unlikely to be the problem it had 21/1 before and no way the head and gasket dropped it below 17.5.

seems like I am down to tuning it up now any insight would be appreciated.

Mine is always rough on cold mornings. does yours have the little throttle adjust knob in the cab, just to the left of the steering column, next to the hood pop lever? I step on the gas and untwist and then pull that knob out (stepping on the gas takes the spring pressure off the little cable, its just held by one tiny screw). All the way out (1.5 " or so?) then as the engine warms up ill drop the idle back down. If its all the way out with the engine warm, the idle is almost 2000.

Hard starting sounds like a glow plug issue. Even if its 70* out, my truck still likes about 3-5 seconds of glow plugs before she'll start.

Sounds like you still have the original ECU for glow plugs, I would guess to try and start on the second click. Also might be worth looking at your voltage in relation to the clicks. Those glow plugs should pull enough amps to drop your voltage 1.5V or so. If you dont see the volts drop, maybe something in your glow plug circuit is bad ( super common. most trucks have a hardwired switch going to one relay under the hood). The clicks just tell you the relays are working, the glow plugs could be trashed and you'd still hear clicks.

be careful using ether if you do have working glow plugs. once you get it in there, and the glow plugs go off, you'll make a combustion event regardless of crank position. could knock the engine pretty good. A little goes a long way (i found out the hard way and had plenty of residual in there when i activated the glow plugs :eek: )

There is a screw on your pump to adjust the idle, but I'd try the knob first.

Good luck!

Good work getting it going, I agree that the cold start sounds like a glow plug issue. How long has the fuel been sitting?
I was at the same point of calling it quits when mine wouldn't run. Talked to a buddy that's been running a deisel for over a decade. He said deisel doesn't really go bad like gasoline, just collects water and grows algae. I wound up draining a gallon off the bottom of the tank and pulled the filter and filled it with fresh fuel, added a concoction of cleaners and biocide to the tank and let it rip.
I don't want to see you give up when you're so close but I get having to move on (had to do that with another project recently :()
I'm also curious about how the flush valve head affected the compression, if your cam gear spun and nothing collided that means putting a flush valve head on turns the motor into non interference... I like that for sure

Well, thanks for having me check the plugs, I had bought brand new, when it was mentioned I just switched them out, wants to start on its own now, but I have to bleed the fuel system first start. I'm getting air somewhere and my fuel level recedes after a few hours. Next step is trying to figure out where that is happenening. Next will be getting it to my buddy and putting gauges on everything, get everything dialed in. Find out exactly what my new compression is, fuel psi, exhaust temps, etc..

does anyone have all the heat shielding installed and can send me some pics? I am trying to figure out all of that too.

Clear as mud?
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exhaust manifold Attachment 22344
these last two are the turbo shield, first from the front then the top
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If any need clarification let me know

Awesome! Thanks Bjamin. I might have some questions as I break into it, but that helps a ton already.