• From: Houston (Spring) Texas
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 1,624

Topic: E250 Starting help

I want to buy this E250 with a 7.3l Non-turbo diesel Powerstroke, but it wont start. I only had 2 minutes to look at it.
it has 2 new batteries which is confusing as hell
the dash says it is a little low on volts, maybe 11v
When i turn the key i hear the selinoid click, but it doesn't crank

My assumption is very low on charge.

I know E250/350 are basically the same as the F250/350

any quick tips?

She has a battery charger on it now, and I'm buying new battery terminals to go with the new batteries. if that + a jump doesn't get it to crank, I'm assuming the starter is toast.

It hasn't been started in over a year, or driven in about 3

Yee-Haw 2010 "Most Heroic Fix" & "I Got Screwed" -2 trophies for 1 lap, but I took checkered on my lap.
Gator-O-Rama 2012 "Organizers Choice" -2 laps 1 trophy, but i still finished ahead of an E30
Yee-Haw 2013 No trophy -26 laps, I think I see a pattern here
Gator-O-Rama 2014 "Waiting for the Last Minute Call from the Governor Award" -who's counting? John

Hoonatic Racing's Website

  • From: Houston (Spring) Texas
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 1,624

Re: E250 Starting help

it's a comercial chassis, by the way.
a former Harris County prison transport van that sold at public auction and was used with a floral delivory company.

Yee-Haw 2010 "Most Heroic Fix" & "I Got Screwed" -2 trophies for 1 lap, but I took checkered on my lap.
Gator-O-Rama 2012 "Organizers Choice" -2 laps 1 trophy, but i still finished ahead of an E30
Yee-Haw 2013 No trophy -26 laps, I think I see a pattern here
Gator-O-Rama 2014 "Waiting for the Last Minute Call from the Governor Award" -who's counting? John

Hoonatic Racing's Website

  • Registered: 2011-01-04
  • Posts: 209

Re: E250 Starting help

Charge and test batteries individually to see if they r bad and when you get hot batteries go from there

2011 Organizers choice at Garrapatas Peligrosas GP as a Rookie team! 2011 Yee-Haw its Lemons Scruffy Nerf Herder 1991 Dodge Daytona IROC Shelby R/T Charger, 2012 Yee-Haw its Lemons 1972 RX2 IOE WINNERS!!!!, 2012 North Dallas Hooptie the arrival of JUDGE FRANK! 2012 Gator-rama in the 1977 Mustang II, 2012 Season Ender the HONORABLE JUDGE FRANK! 2013 BFE GP in the K-Car and an I Got Screwed Award
  • Registered: 2011-01-04
  • Posts: 209

Re: E250 Starting help

Should take a jump like a regular car and be enough juice to crank. even with 2 batteries it will only read about 12.5-13 when charged

2011 Organizers choice at Garrapatas Peligrosas GP as a Rookie team! 2011 Yee-Haw its Lemons Scruffy Nerf Herder 1991 Dodge Daytona IROC Shelby R/T Charger, 2012 Yee-Haw its Lemons 1972 RX2 IOE WINNERS!!!!, 2012 North Dallas Hooptie the arrival of JUDGE FRANK! 2012 Gator-rama in the 1977 Mustang II, 2012 Season Ender the HONORABLE JUDGE FRANK! 2013 BFE GP in the K-Car and an I Got Screwed Award
  • Registered: 2011-01-04
  • Posts: 209

Re: E250 Starting help

if it has been setting that long it may crank and not start. if so usually the fuel pump has lost prime.

2011 Organizers choice at Garrapatas Peligrosas GP as a Rookie team! 2011 Yee-Haw its Lemons Scruffy Nerf Herder 1991 Dodge Daytona IROC Shelby R/T Charger, 2012 Yee-Haw its Lemons 1972 RX2 IOE WINNERS!!!!, 2012 North Dallas Hooptie the arrival of JUDGE FRANK! 2012 Gator-rama in the 1977 Mustang II, 2012 Season Ender the HONORABLE JUDGE FRANK! 2013 BFE GP in the K-Car and an I Got Screwed Award
  • From: Brandywine, MD
  • Registered: 2009-07-15
  • Posts: 4,528

Re: E250 Starting help

Yeah, you may have to crack some injector lines loose on the block and crank it over. First, though, you need it to crank properly. Charge and test them, like Frank said, then once it's cranking well, if it doesn't start, bleed the air out of the fuel system to prime it. STAY AWAY from starter fluid. It will quickly become dependent on that stuff.

Captain: Speedycop & The Gang Of Outlaws -'94 Mark VIII (Least Horrible Yank Tank Stafford '09, NOLA '10) '61 Caddy (Org Choice-NL '09) '63 Tbird (EPIC Repair Failure-Gingerman '10, I Got Screwed-Summit Pt '10, I.O.E. WINNER Stafford '10!) '77 Lancia Scorpion (I.O.E. WINNER Joliet 2010!) '67 Galaxie 500 (Judges Choice-CMP '11)
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  • btp76
  • btp76
  • Ripened Lemon
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  • From: Dallas
  • Registered: 2009-05-02
  • Posts: 422

Re: E250 Starting help

I've known people to get them to at least cough on wd40.  It's gotta spin over first though.  BTW, it's not a powerstroke, just a regular old IDI diesel.

Property Devaluation Racing

Drivers wanted for TX races
  • From: Houston (Spring) Texas
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 1,624

Re: E250 Starting help

thanks guys. i'm going to look at it in a few minutes. I'll put new battery terminals on and give it a jump
if it cranks with starting, i'll bleed the diesel line.
I hope this works. It would be nice to have a 10,000 lb tow rating instead of my Sentra's 10 lb rating

Yee-Haw 2010 "Most Heroic Fix" & "I Got Screwed" -2 trophies for 1 lap, but I took checkered on my lap.
Gator-O-Rama 2012 "Organizers Choice" -2 laps 1 trophy, but i still finished ahead of an E30
Yee-Haw 2013 No trophy -26 laps, I think I see a pattern here
Gator-O-Rama 2014 "Waiting for the Last Minute Call from the Governor Award" -who's counting? John

Hoonatic Racing's Website

  • From: Houston (Spring) Texas
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 1,624

Re: E250 Starting help

starter was toast. got a reman one I'll install tomorrow. time to go to a wedding covered in oil and dirt.

Yee-Haw 2010 "Most Heroic Fix" & "I Got Screwed" -2 trophies for 1 lap, but I took checkered on my lap.
Gator-O-Rama 2012 "Organizers Choice" -2 laps 1 trophy, but i still finished ahead of an E30
Yee-Haw 2013 No trophy -26 laps, I think I see a pattern here
Gator-O-Rama 2014 "Waiting for the Last Minute Call from the Governor Award" -who's counting? John

Hoonatic Racing's Website

  • btp76
  • btp76
  • Ripened Lemon
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  • From: Dallas
  • Registered: 2009-05-02
  • Posts: 422

Re: E250 Starting help

Aren't you. like me, always covered in oil and dirt?

Property Devaluation Racing

Drivers wanted for TX races

11 Reply by NSF

  • NSF
  • NSF
  • Coppa di Bondo
  • Offline
  • From: Cocoa, FL
  • Registered: 2010-06-26
  • Posts: 4,055

Re: E250 Starting help

Starting fluid is a no.  But you can soak a rag in fuel and hold it next to the intake and it'll help the engine clear the lines.  It is much easier than getting to the injectors on the 7.3's.  Fords.  I have a  1999 7.3 and a 2003 6.0 - and the 7.3 is fantastic.  The 6.0 uhhh not so good.  I have spent about 8.5K on it in the past 4 years.  Injectors are the curse of the 6.0.

B

This space for rent.
  • From: Houston (Spring) Texas
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 1,624

Re: E250 Starting help

ok, replaced the started and now it cranks, but wont fire.
When i press the shrader valve on the fuel filter, some diesel leaked out. Is this any indicator of appropriate prime?
i read a suggestion to pull the filter and fill it with Diesel Kleen.
And thoughts?

Yee-Haw 2010 "Most Heroic Fix" & "I Got Screwed" -2 trophies for 1 lap, but I took checkered on my lap.
Gator-O-Rama 2012 "Organizers Choice" -2 laps 1 trophy, but i still finished ahead of an E30
Yee-Haw 2013 No trophy -26 laps, I think I see a pattern here
Gator-O-Rama 2014 "Waiting for the Last Minute Call from the Governor Award" -who's counting? John

Hoonatic Racing's Website

  • From: Houston (Spring) Texas
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 1,624

Re: E250 Starting help

got it running. thanks guys.
New starter, fuel filter, some diesel kleen, and battery terminals + $800 and i no longer tow with the Sentra

Yee-Haw 2010 "Most Heroic Fix" & "I Got Screwed" -2 trophies for 1 lap, but I took checkered on my lap.
Gator-O-Rama 2012 "Organizers Choice" -2 laps 1 trophy, but i still finished ahead of an E30
Yee-Haw 2013 No trophy -26 laps, I think I see a pattern here
Gator-O-Rama 2014 "Waiting for the Last Minute Call from the Governor Award" -who's counting? John

Hoonatic Racing's Website

  • DC Doug
  • DC Doug
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  • From: Washington DC / SF Bay area
  • Registered: 2010-09-27
  • Posts: 2,856

Re: E250 Starting help

Excellent, congrats!

Pix of the new tow rig!?

Speedycop/NSF Racing /Pinewood Dirtbags
'10 Summit, CMP3, Autobahn, '11 CMP1, NJMP, CMP2, Summit, G'man, Stafford, Charlotte, Autobahn, ECR '12 CMP1, NJMP, G'man, NHMS1, Summit, CMP2, NHMS2, ECR, '13 CMP1, ECR, Summit, NJMP, THill, CMP2, MSR, NHMS, Sears '14 Barber, Sears1, ECR, CMP1, NJMP1, BWillow, Sebring, CMP2, THill, Sears2, '15 Sears1, Barber, Ridge, THill, '16 Sears1
  • From: Houston (Spring) Texas
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 1,624

Re: E250 Starting help

http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/189517_190547954314372_135399186495916_427147_7774254_n.jpg

Yee-Haw 2010 "Most Heroic Fix" & "I Got Screwed" -2 trophies for 1 lap, but I took checkered on my lap.
Gator-O-Rama 2012 "Organizers Choice" -2 laps 1 trophy, but i still finished ahead of an E30
Yee-Haw 2013 No trophy -26 laps, I think I see a pattern here
Gator-O-Rama 2014 "Waiting for the Last Minute Call from the Governor Award" -who's counting? John

Hoonatic Racing's Website

16 Reply by NSF

  • NSF
  • NSF
  • Coppa di Bondo
  • Offline
  • From: Cocoa, FL
  • Registered: 2010-06-26
  • Posts: 4,055

Re: E250 Starting help

Rear ladder option.  Nice, you can rent out some prime seating.

This space for rent.
  • DC Doug
  • DC Doug
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  • From: Washington DC / SF Bay area
  • Registered: 2010-09-27
  • Posts: 2,856

Re: E250 Starting help

YES!  Even comes with ground effectz!

Speedycop/NSF Racing /Pinewood Dirtbags
'10 Summit, CMP3, Autobahn, '11 CMP1, NJMP, CMP2, Summit, G'man, Stafford, Charlotte, Autobahn, ECR '12 CMP1, NJMP, G'man, NHMS1, Summit, CMP2, NHMS2, ECR, '13 CMP1, ECR, Summit, NJMP, THill, CMP2, MSR, NHMS, Sears '14 Barber, Sears1, ECR, CMP1, NJMP1, BWillow, Sebring, CMP2, THill, Sears2, '15 Sears1, Barber, Ridge, THill, '16 Sears1
  • Registered: 2009-09-23
  • Posts: 199

Re: E250 Starting help

Hoonatic Racing wrote:

it's a comercial chassis, by the way.
a former Harris County prison transport van

Be sure to pull off all the interior panels to check for contraband.

  • From: Romeoville, IL
  • Registered: 2009-12-12
  • Posts: 1,117

Re: E250 Starting help

These have a tendency to not start after awhile. There is a fuel check valve on the filter block that goes bad. All the bleed lines on top of the injectors are sealed with rubber o-rings that can leak air. If those items haven't been changed, I would do it. Either of those will cause fuel to drain back to the tank and then you will be cranking forever. A bad starter is a good indication you will experience hard starting soon. There is also a glow plug controller that goes bad. When you leave the ign on to pre-heat in the morning cold, the preheat light should stay lit for a few seconds while the glow plugs operate. If the light comes on then goes out right away and starts clicking on/off, it's probably bad. I just bypass the thing using a starter solenoid and a momentary switch inside the cab, operating the glow plugs manually.

Good luck. These things don't make too much power, but they run like a tank once you take care of the above issues.

The Charnal House Geo MetSHO: Turning less laps than a regular Metro, the hard way!

1969 Subaru 360

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  • From: Houston (Spring) Texas
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 1,624

Re: E250 Starting help

Call into eSurance (my insurance) and I learned 2 things today: they don't cover a commercial chassis for personal use, & running the VIN reveals it is an E350.

Yee-Haw 2010 "Most Heroic Fix" & "I Got Screwed" -2 trophies for 1 lap, but I took checkered on my lap.
Gator-O-Rama 2012 "Organizers Choice" -2 laps 1 trophy, but i still finished ahead of an E30
Yee-Haw 2013 No trophy -26 laps, I think I see a pattern here
Gator-O-Rama 2014 "Waiting for the Last Minute Call from the Governor Award" -who's counting? John

Hoonatic Racing's Website

  • Baron
  • Baron
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  • From: DFW
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 2,408

Re: E250 Starting help

Hoonatic Racing wrote:

Call into eSurance (my insurance) and I learned 2 things today: they don't cover a commercial chassis for personal use, & running the VIN reveals it is an E350.

This commercial chassis talk confuses me.

Team Lost in the Dark
Winner " I got screwed" and "Jay's dream car"
2012 Gulf region champs
  • From: Houston (Spring) Texas
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 1,624

Re: E250 Starting help

So after a little bit of driving these are the issues:
No power brakes
Air only blows out of the defrost vent
the horn doesn't work
transmission is slow to engage a gear (from selection or from a stop at signs or lights) it improves after a while of driving.

The trans i think needs a flush from not being used for 3 years
the horn is probably a wire since the wheel was replaced somewhere along the lines
I'm not getting any vacuum from the pump, so that explains the brakes.

Are the air controls vacuum operated? that would explain the defrost vent only

Yee-Haw 2010 "Most Heroic Fix" & "I Got Screwed" -2 trophies for 1 lap, but I took checkered on my lap.
Gator-O-Rama 2012 "Organizers Choice" -2 laps 1 trophy, but i still finished ahead of an E30
Yee-Haw 2013 No trophy -26 laps, I think I see a pattern here
Gator-O-Rama 2014 "Waiting for the Last Minute Call from the Governor Award" -who's counting? John

Hoonatic Racing's Website

  • Baron
  • Baron
  • Lemons Staff Stalker
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  • From: DFW
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 2,408

Re: E250 Starting help

Hoonatic Racing wrote:

So after a little bit of driving these are the issues:
No power brakes
Air only blows out of the defrost vent
the horn doesn't work
transmission is slow to engage a gear (from selection or from a stop at signs or lights) it improves after a while of driving.

The trans i think needs a flush from not being used for 3 years
the horn is probably a wire since the wheel was replaced somewhere along the lines
I'm not getting any vacuum from the pump, so that explains the brakes.

Are the air controls vacuum operated? that would explain the defrost vent only

the blend door is most likely vac operated.

Team Lost in the Dark
Winner " I got screwed" and "Jay's dream car"
2012 Gulf region champs
  • From: Pepperell MA
  • Registered: 2009-12-06
  • Posts: 536

Re: E250 Starting help

Hoonatic Racing wrote:

I'm not getting any vacuum from the pump, so that explains the brakes.

Are the air controls vacuum operated? that would explain the defrost vent only

Yes, the HVAC controls are vacuum controled.  Get yourself a user ID over on Oilburners.net.  The folks in the 6.9/7.3 IDI section are very helpful getting these things going again (I have a '92 F250 with a 7.3 IDI myself...).

Nick

Nick
Focke Ewe racing -> Muttonheads! Racing -> Torque Junkies
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  • Troy
  • Troy
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  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
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Re: E250 Starting help

Did I miss a posting about the year?

I think the 95 and up E250 & E350s ran the Powerstroke like the other trucks.  I do not believe they ever inter-cooled them after 99 when the trucks were.

The injection on the Powerstroke is quite different from the earlier 6.9 & 7.3.

The flapper box for the air is vacuum operated and defaults to defrost with no vacuum.

You may want to consider having the transmission reprogrammed too.  The shutter engagement on the torque converter often leads to them blowing out.

Troy

#35 LRE
1973 Datsun 240Z