This was the last time the white mud truck was out.
Amazingly, it started right up when we went to evaluate it. Eleven years parked.
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This is the White Mud Truck’s engine donated to the Blue Crew project. Because it ran just two days ago, I am putting it directly in the Blue Crew. I dearly would love to wash it, but for several reasons, but can’t wait.
Here is evidence of the final demise of the White Mud Truck.
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This International Harvester engine came with a Holley carburetor whose replacement cost is $475. I am choosing to replace the carburetor with a Chinese Carter BBD knockoff for $68, and a $50 adapter plate.
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Rust Never Sleeps. 
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Here is a blast from the past. This guy is what I categorize as an old engine. This powered the Ford Falcon, or Ford Maverick/Comet.
I didn’t look it up, just going by memory, but I think this is either a 170cid or a 200cid. I can’t remember if the 250cid had a removable intake manifold. This six is not related to the 240/300 cid truck engines.
There is one of these in Negaunee, Michigan, that is fueled with a gas producer. It’s at Da Yoopers Tourist Trap.
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Here is a 1991 Chevy 6.2 liter diesel. We had it running well enough to go up onto the trailer. We paid less for the whole truck, then we could find a used injector pump for…
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Closest thread I could find for this question. I have a 2000 3/4 ton Dodge plow truck that has been sitting for six years because I couldn’t figure out what was wrong with it. Has new injectors and fuel pump. Has spark. Has 55 PSI at the fuel rail. I don’t know how to proceed to diagnose what’s left. I have a fairly cheap OBD reader which is no help without a running engine as far as I know. Must be something wonky with the ECM or whatever brain this thing has. I’m sure you modern mechanics have some ideas.
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Refresh our memories, and list exactly what is the problem is. what error codes, what you tried, etc.
If you really need to use it this winter. it might be in your best interest to take it into a shop and have them diagnose it.
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Tom,
If you think it has spark and compression, simply fog the air cleaner with starting fluid. If it starts and runs ok, then stalls, you know it’s fuel. If it’s fuel, the find the fuel pressure regulator and give it a tap with a small ball peen hammer. Those regulators get stuck if they sit for a while. If that isn’t it. You can pull an injector and see if it’s spraying.
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Tom, I’m not a modern mechanic,… but let’s try.
You wrote that there is a spark on the spark plug, this tells me that the main shaft position sensor is working, it is necessary to check whether the nozzles also inject fuel (probably not, otherwise the engine would work). Which sensors are still absolutely necessary for engine operation? Throttle valve position meter, vacuum sensor in the intake manifold,… the rest are less important. It would be a good idea to check the fuse for the nozzles, it is possible to check with an analog instrument whether an electrical impulse comes to the nozzles,…
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Hey TomH.
Try what both BruceJ. and Tone have said.
Any OBDII scanner IF it is powered up thru the OBD plug should give some type of general direction trouble codes . . .
Other on-board controllers like climate control and instrument clusters have frustrated me with All-IS-Well codes when prompted and the functioning obviously is not o.k.!
This is a timed sequential fuel injected system. So the camshaft position sensor jumps up to the must-have priority function too.
IF you for sure have spark out to an actually spark plug then it thinks it had a good crankshaft and camshaft sensor inputs.
An up level scanner would let you do live data stream looking key-on engine not running so see a bunch too. Buy-up the $$$ to upgrade your scanner to have this. Only upgrade to one with bi-direction controlling too. Then You can command changes to see if control is possible.
Like able to see the throttle position sensor changing with your foot changing it, live.
Just say, just say: you have a gone funky TPS that aways shows wide open throttle.
That is a commanded from you cranking to clear flood mode normally. Injectors are disabled by the computer until you foot comped off the throttle peddel.
With a mechanics stethoscope you can tip listed to injectors mechanically clicking at any accessible injector.
An ambient/air/intake temperature sensor/circut gone bad one way will say you are at -44F. This aways causes fuel flooding and running super rich after warmed up.
A temperature sensor/circuit gone bad the other way could lean out cut enough fuel to not allow true cold starting.
Do some same systems problems chasing on Dodge truck owners forum for the rare and obscure only related to your year and chassis once you’ve tried the simple things.
Only trust “finds” encountered successfully by at least three people.
Regards
Steve Unruh
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Thanks for the tips. I’ll try them out and report back. I’d really like to get this thing running. It does have a distributor and single coil. I’d like to get it running with the M PFI but if push comes to shove I’ll locate an intake manifold for it and stick a Holley I have on it. Then I’ll know what I’m doing. I would have no way of getting it to a garage, Sean. You real mechanics should think about doing a mobile repair business.
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Yes Tom, this is exciting! I think we will learn new things. I am curious if the truck engine is seized up after sitting for 6 years. I had two this summer that were.
I think I will explore the dbII code reader/ controller. I have a 2000 Super duty that mysteriously quit last spring, and it needs some code reading, I assume.
I have a 1986 4.3liter V-6 Chevy truck. I have been getting it running. It has a Quadrajet with an air/fuel mixture control. Most of it is a vacuum computer, and I think the electric A/F control is somehow controlled by vacuum as well. It is fascinatingly complex, and I think it’s awesome that we moved on to digital computer technology.
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Fuel
Air
Spark
Compression
Doesn’t roll over freely? Probably has compression
Air filter not clogged? Probably has air
That leaves fuel and spark to find
Field expedient method is a shot of start ya bastard into the intake and see if it coughs. That’s the dead giveaway to spark being present
Doesn’t stay running after either us burned off? We got a fuel issue. Test fuel pressure quick and dirty by depressing the shrader valve and hopefully a healthy dose of fuel kicks out (engage your safety squints)
Should then cycle the key to run positive and hear the fuel pump kick on, run momentarily until fuel pressure regulator says “ok we got what we need” and turns pump off
Assume from there to follow Steve’s truck if listening with mechanic’s stethoscope for injectors “clicking” or “firing “
These are the junk yard methods no special tools needed, less then 30 minutes to diag if you need to dive further in
And make sure it has a hot battery. Dead and low batteries are the Bain of existence to a diagnostic mechanic facing a potential electrical issue
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Tom, the obd2 meter works without the engine running.
You need to turn the key so that the lights in the dashboard light up, then it should work.
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I never really caught up to the digital age. Bruce. I believe it was a commie plot to manipulate information. Of course they had to put a little frosting on it to make it easier to swallow or else I may just be to calcified to hook into it. Energy operates in waves, not bits and pieces.
I thought the engine had to be running to set codes Jan. I’ll throw a battery in it later and see what the wizard has to report. I have a hundred amp boost on my battery charger Marcus. I’ll make sure that battery is being all that it can be. First I have to go out and get my daily wood supply while I still have the juice in my battery.
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Tried the opel combo again, thought of removing the starter motor, but seems hopeless.
Removed the solenoid, this is not something I take apart, but buy a new one?
When I try to start the solenoid turns on but I don’t think the starter motor spins.
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Usually the solenoid goes “clunk”. You can usually jump a starter motor without the solenoid to “spin” it without engaging the motor with the engine.
You have me worried. You may have to take out the starter and use a bar against the flywheel gear to see if the engine rolls!
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I won in the end, it’s so weird I can turn the engine with a key, also tried with a screwdriver on the flywheel, and it worked too.
I assembled the starter motor on the bench and tested it and it seems to work as usual
I tried before I removed the starter motor with battery and starter cables directly on the starter motor, but then it wouldn’t turn, the gear should have been out towards the flywheel then, strange.
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