My 2004 F350 6.0l diesel hydrolocked when cranking on #5 cylinder. Removed glow plug and shot fuel oil out of cylinder so now the engine spins over fine. Question is; does the injector need replacing or maybe just an O ring / copper washer seal problem.
Injector costs between $250-300, O rings and washers are a lot cheaper. I have replaced injectors on other 6.0L engines so I know how to. Can O rings possibly cause this?

 

Hi den052, I'm going to move this to the 6.0L Powerstroke forum, the folks in there may be better able to answer your question.

 

You need to pull the injector and see if theeres a craked tip or bad oring

If nothing stands out replace injector

Bad enough that it hydrolocked once I wouldnt want it to happen again

Odds are you wont get off that easy doing an Oring

 

Was the copper washer still on the injector ? I have had this issue but it did not start until i replaced the heads, same problem, same cylinder,three different rebuilt injectors last two times new orings and new copper washers were put on just to be safe.

 

I'd replace everything no matter the cost.

Hope you didn't bend a rod.

 

I had a hydrolock issue with my 05 and traced it down to the passenger side via the balloon test. Come to find out #3 injector was missing the brass washer and #1 injector had shot o-rings. Went ahead and replaced all orings and washers on passenger side and its been running like a champ ever since, well like a champ where fuel is concerned. Had the dreaded stc fitting blow out but that wasnt related. I have put probably 6000 miles on the truck since I re-oringed the injectors but everyone doesnt get that lucky. My injectors themselves looked fine other than the orings so I took a chance at just oringing it and knock on wood it fixed my issue. Good luck with yours.

 

Thanks for the replies. I removed #5 injector, inspected the copper sealing washer and the o rings. Nothing abnormal here. I then tested the injector by hooking up a vacuum guage with a hose that would just slide over the injector tip snugly. If the Injector is good, it will hold vacuum. Wola, it wouldn't hold vacuum and you could see it suck fuel from the fuel ports to the tip. In other words, the injector is open to the fuel passages. So now I have to replace the injector to cure the problem.
Many thanks for the replies.

 

Thats a GREAT IDEA putting Vacum on the tip

 

Ya, it's way cool. Read it online somewhere and tried it. I had a clear line that fit snugly over the tip. Could see it suck fuel from the ports. Tried it on the new injector and it could hold 22 inches of vacuum. Since I was working on the right bank, I removed the ICP and filled the oil manifold with a pump oiler till oil ran out. Replaced the ICP and cranked the engine. Started right up in about 30 seconds of crank.
I am an old fart, 60 years old. Luckily I took an electronic/electrical class in High School and was involved with computers since the 1980's. This new fuel injection, trucks and cars is right down my alley. Most mechanics my age say "Give me the old carburetor system". I say "Hell no, it's a lot easier to isolate a problem with codes, tests, and etc."
I used to work on the Detroit Diesel's, 2 cycle. They went to electronics before they phased them out of over the road trucks.
Luckily the 6.0L only hydro-locked when cranking. The rod is heavy enough to not bend and the starter doesn't have enough power to bend one I think. It did it on me several times until I could figure out a leaking injector was causing it. I know the concern, but at least with this engine, it did no damage.
Thanks for all the help, Dennis