need help with the old mans truck again

[mgoncalves]

I have asked before about my dads 93. It was blowing black smoke like crazy and seemed to be up on power a little. I changed the fuel filter and the excess smoke went away and picked up a tiny bit more power. I still haven't figured that whole deal out yet.



Now, the mileage dropped a little starting about September and I chalked that up to blended fuel. In the last month and a half the mileage has dropped to less than half of it's usual. It's stock with the exception of the intercooler being bypassed, which was like that when he bought it with 70,000 miles so I don't think that is the problem. It's got about 160,000 on it now, and the valves were adjusted around 70-80000 miles I think. Other than that it's just been driven, and had less than great maintenance.



As I'm typing this I just had a thought. When I changed the fuel filter about 10,000 miles ago, it was the one it had when he bought the truck. Could running with a filter for to long have let some stuff into the injection pump and messing it up?



I don't know what to tell my parents to do, if it were down here I would adjust the valves for them but I'm not sure that would fix such a big mileage drop. The air filter has been blown out a few times and I think he put a new one in within the last year. The truck is a 4x4 reg. cab 5 speed.



Any help is greatly appreciated,

Matt

 

[Wayno]

You need to hook that intercooler back up !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mgoncalves]

I know, he was going to replace it until he priced a kit with the tubes and neccessary parts.



I don't think it is related to this problem though, since he's put 80,000 miles on it like that without any problems. I am curious why the previous owner did that to it in the first place.

 

[Wayno]

you mean they took the whole thing off , tubes and all .

 

[mgoncalves]

No, it's still there but the inlet and outlet are covered with duct tape. I think they used the intake from an earlier truck and clocked the turbo because the intake goes straight across the top of the engine and looks factory like. But yes the tubes are gone.

 

[Wayno]

Have you check in some junk yards for the tubes . I did know where a truck was that had all the tubes but it has been smash . It was hit hard on the right and the a man bought it at a salvage auction just for the motor so he could put it in a front end loader .

 

[Midnite]

Matt, going back to your problem, I wonder if your dad maybe got a load of bad fuel somewhere and now has a bunch of bugs in the tank?



I've never had the problem, but from what I've read here if that were the case, the fuel filter would be clogged with a bunch of dark slimy gunk.



If that's not it, then maybe the injection pump? Mine went at about 170k miles. It announced its intentions of dying by shedding metal shavings which fouled up the shutoff solenoid (I'd turn the key to shut it down, but it would keep running). I was also getting really crappy milage too.



Mike

 

[DPKetchum]

The few i had come into the shop with low power complaints and poor mileage issues needed pump overhauled. Handled 3 or 4 of these over a 3 year period. All eneded up getting pump pulled and sent out for overhaul.

 

[JLEONARD]

He could try running a good dose of fuel conditioner/cleaner thru the engine. Change the filter again first and see what's in there, if anything.

Any idea what the injectors look like? Maybe time to service/replace them?

I have a non-intercooled engine and I get 24 mpg, so I don't believe removing the intercooler has anything to do with a loss of mileage as long as the new connections are all still tight.

Hope this helps.

Jay

 

[glhs]

Matt if you don't mind, where is the truck located? Maybe someone could help him out or refer him to someone to help.

Back to the problem. Yes, the fuel filter could be plugged again already;try it first. I'm sure the mileage drop is not from the intercooler missing, but do try to get one hooked back up. If the truck is way up north somewhere the last person may have disconnected the intercooler to make the engine run warmer in the winter months. Good luck.

 

[dpuckett]

Matt,



If it has been nearly 100K since the last overhead, it could well be a big portion of the performance drop. In my first CTD, I dropped to about 14 form my average 18-19 in about 5 tanks. Got the valves adjusted, and jumped to 20. Injectors could need cleaned/ recalibrated, too. Had a 93 W350, 5 speed, 4. 10 that got 16 or so empty. Got the injectors done, and jumped to 17-18, and still needed pump work. If it rattles a lot, it could be valves or injectors. Timing (retarded) will also make it rattle a bit, but not as much. Valves are cheaper to do/ check than injectors, esp if someone else has to do the work.



Hope that helps. If they are in the Colorado Springs/ Limon/ Pueblo area, I could give them a call, and check the simple stuff.



Daniel

 

[BushWakr - RIP]

TTT... ..... Well, following up with you, anything to report??



bob.

 

[mgoncalves]

Haven't done anything yet, they are in Worland, Wyoming. I talked to member Whitmore about helping them out with adjusting the valves. I think we are going to adjust the valves, replace the fuel and air filters and shock the fuel system with some stanadyne, then replace the fuel filter again and see if mileage improves. If that doesn't work, I think the next step will be to pull the injectors and have them checked out. I hope it doesn't come to that because they are having a tough time getting by right now (my dad is going to college) so they can't afford horrible mileage, but they also can't afford a new pump or injectors.



Thanks for the help guys, hopefully we'll get it running right soon.



Matt

 

[JLEONARD]

That sounds like a good plan.

I hope things work out.

 

[DPKetchum]

I don't think you'll find injectors to be your problem or valve adjustment. The ones we had come in had had little to no maintance in years,nast under the hood. Valve covers ozzing etc. We looked at injectors on one of them. All carboned etc. Pumps were the problem. It may need this stuff and may run better but on the ones i delt with it turned into pump R&R. I've seen lots of these trucks with 150 to 200,000 miles that never had valves adjusted or injectors out and ran ok and had decent power and fuel mileage.

 

[mgoncalves]

Update.. Update

Well, Whitmore made it over to my parents house yesterday. He adjusted the valves, the exhaust were . 010 out and 4 of the intake were . 004 out, with 2 of the intakes being fine.



However, the old man revealed to Kevin that he had increased his highway speed to 80 mph He never told me he was going that fast, he told me he was going high 60's compared to his old 62 mph. So I guess that explains a big part of his mileage drop.



So it looks like a happy ending, The lying old man can just deal with whatever mileage he gets if he's not going to tell me the whole story



Big thanks to Kevin for helping out!!



Matt

 

[JLEONARD]

He never told me he was going that fast,

Now that's funny!!!

I'll bet he didn't ask permission to stay out late either!!!

The lying old man can just deal with whatever mileage he gets if he's not going to tell me the whole story

And what's that story about old age and deceit???



Jay

 

[Whitmore]

hehehehehe

I gotta pipe up and defend Matt's old man, he is a great guy and I can tell he is a honest man with integrity, and besides the trip from Worland to Casper is a drag, between Shoshoni and Casper there is nothing to look at , I cant say I blame him for doin 80, heck I prolly would have done more than that.



I have to chuckel when I think of him doin 80 mph hehehehehe



cheers, Kevin

 

[midwestdually]

haha... that is some funny s**t!

 

[Dieselman359]

That is funny

Just yesterday I was telling my dad (retired OTR driver) that I was pulling a trailer UP a hill at 75mph and naturally he says slow down.

Every once and a while when I look over at his speedometer it'll read right on up there too