Ford 3000 - Blueish hue smoke story / question

thartweger · Mar 5, 2009

it is 58 degrees outside right now. think lows were low 40s. were going to go see today how many cranks it takes to get to the center of a ford 3000! ba dum ch! lol no seriously ill let you guys know how it does today on starting in the mildly warm weather. **crosses fingers

if i shoot ether into the engine, a quick shot, and it never combusted, where the f did it go? just evaporate like a fart?

Soundguy · Mar 5, 2009

Forget the metal divinfing rod magnetism BS.. use a VOM and know EXACTLY what is going on.. most gm's charge between 14.4 and 14.7

many of those tractors had the tach run off the back of the generator.. there were other places to run the tach from.. but I'm not sure on the 3000.

Many people use a 10DN altrernator with external reg, and a tach drive from it, for their tach's.. etc.

soundguy

thartweger said:
. as for the alternator, well, i havnt put a voltage meter on it yet but a mechanic here told me if thats a delco alternator, which it is, he said i can take a piece of metal while its running and place it against it and if it has magnetism, its working. another thing im going to do is run a 2 guage wire from the alternator straight to the battery. right now it has a 10 guage or so wire from the alt to the starter to chrage it, which im going to leave, just going to add a line. i feel it wont hurt.

also, how do i hook up the rpm gauge on this thing? i dont think anythign on the instrument panel is hooked up atm, and i need to figure out how to get it all hooked up so i have that luxury. i definately want my thermostat hooked up at least and my rpm's/

thartweger · Mar 5, 2009

cranked it about 10-15 times today, fired up. no ether. was about 50 degrees on the block id say. good news so far. now i just need to figure out the piddly **** and also figure out why my power steering isnt being consistantly smooth.

jimmysisson · Mar 6, 2009

Since you're liking the way it runs now, do yourself a favor and get the freeze plug heater now, not later. Even in mild weather it'll save your starter. Which sounds like it might need bushings anyway to get the amp draw back to spec. The block heater covers over some problems, but makes most of them much less important, and that's a plus!
Jim

Egon · Mar 6, 2009

A compression check might be in order. Give some positive information to work from.

thartweger · Mar 6, 2009

Egon said:
A compression check might be in order. Give some positive information to work from.

it just had new rings put in and it runs fine, im not sure why i would need a compression check now?

he also claims to have replaced the starter although sometimes it doesnt engage. i can get by with replacing a starter, no problems. doing rings again, well... yea, hehe. id rather a starter go out u know what i mean?

thartweger · Mar 6, 2009

its almost 80 degrees here too! just 2 days ago it was 20! hopefully it starts on the second crank today... i need some work for it, i need to work it hard. maybe thats one reason its not starting easy , needs work. i havent worked it since i had all this work done to it..

JB4310 · Mar 6, 2009

What are you referring to by cranks?
You mentioned before "cranked it 10-15 times" "hopefully it starts on the second crank today"

Just curious.

80 degrees sounds nice, I would usually not say that but I have had enough of this winter.

At 80 degrees if it's not starting good then it sure can't be cold start related

Good luck. JB.

thartweger · Mar 6, 2009

i mean turned the engine over with the starter 10 to 15 times, cranks whatever you wanna call them. havent made it over there yet today, and im wearing shorts! nice change from full insulated coveralls and a hoody with pants on beneath 2 days ago =p

Soundguy · Mar 6, 2009

thartweger said:
it just had new rings put in and it runs fine, im not sure why i would need a compression check now?

he also claims to have replaced the starter although sometimes it doesnt engage. i can get by with replacing a starter, no problems. doing rings again, well... yea, hehe. id rather a starter go out u know what i mean?

we are asking about comp to determine engine condition.

comp is the life blood of a diesel.. low comp = hard starts.. you've been having hard starts.

new rings are great.. on old bores? it's a roll of the dice to how much improvement you get.

In any case.. rings may still be seating too... lotsa variables here. in anay even .. heat based starting aids will be your friend.. especially the thermostart.. etc.

soundguy