Glow plugs

Powerstroked6.7 · May 30, 2017

I have a early built 11, was wondering about the glow plug issue I'm reading about, have 75000 on it should I replace them now , what millage were people having the issues

Buck1 · May 30, 2017

I never replaced mine, but lost a motor at 273k. Can't say if it was glow plug or valve that let loose first.

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sootie · May 30, 2017

Buck1 said:
I never replaced mine, but lost a motor at 273k. Can't say if it was glow plug or valve that let loose first.

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It would have been a valve, it is a documented issue. I think the whole glow plug bit was started by people who didnt know what they were looking at...

Buck1 · May 30, 2017

sootie said:
It would have been a valve, it is a documented issue. I think the whole glow plug bit was started by people who didnt know what they were looking at...

Gotcha.

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Powerstroked6.7 · May 31, 2017

Well I didn't here that ford updated the valves, but herd they updated the glow plugs, that dosnt make sense if it was a valve issue

Dzchey21 · May 31, 2017

yeah I think the glow plug thing was an early "we found the issue" item but then the valve issue is what came to light... what came first the chicken or the egg?

sootie · May 31, 2017

Powerstroked6.7 said:
Well I didn't here that ford updated the valves, but herd they updated the glow plugs, that dosnt make sense if it was a valve issue

I guess the TSB for early 11s with heat treat issues on the valves means Ford didn't know about the issue? Seeing as I have had an early 11 drop a valve along with others on this board, I'll stick with what i've seen, not "herd". :doh:

Powerstroked6.7 · May 31, 2017

So the tsb I have been reading about (NOT HERD ABOUT ) the glow plugs is a separate issue then

Codydiesel · May 31, 2017

I was working at ford when the 11s came out and was one of the early techs who got to work with ford to find out the valve issues. It was early enough that ford was telling us that it was a glow plug issues as well and we had a few c&c trucks fail early in 11 that ford told us to tear down and inspect. The first one we got we pulled the glow plugs to manually check compression and had a glow plug tip missing on number 4. We tore the engine down even on the none damaged side and started documenting cracks through every exhaust valve in the engine and number 4 the valve had fatigued enough to break a chunk off of both exhaust valves which in turn took out the glow plug tip and exhaust valve seats with it. Next truck we had was a month later with a failed engine and when we pulled the heads it was the same result every exhaust valve having a crack from the edge to the middle of the valve. We sent in our findings in to ford and said something metallurgical was wrong with the valves. Ford did some digging and found a heat treatment process missed when they were being made. 90% of the engine failures I saw on 11s that were not bottom end related before I left was a valve issues.

6.0 Tech · May 31, 2017

^whs. The tsb indicates that if there is a glow plug hard fault, and a run rough/no start concern, to pull the glow plug and inspect it for a missing tip, if it is broken or missing, to replace the long block. This eliminates all the tear down to diagnose, as codydiesel said we were doing at first. The heads i believe were updated, thereby requiring new/different glow plugs.

6.7 Powerstroker · Jun 4, 2017

Codydiesel said:
I was working at ford when the 11s came out and was one of the early techs who got to work with ford to find out the valve issues. It was early enough that ford was telling us that it was a glow plug issues as well and we had a few c&c trucks fail early in 11 that ford told us to tear down and inspect. The first one we got we pulled the glow plugs to manually check compression and had a glow plug tip missing on number 4. We tore the engine down even on the none damaged side and started documenting cracks through every exhaust valve in the engine and number 4 the valve had fatigued enough to break a chunk off of both exhaust valves which in turn took out the glow plug tip and exhaust valve seats with it. Next truck we had was a month later with a failed engine and when we pulled the heads it was the same result every exhaust valve having a crack from the edge to the middle of the valve. We sent in our findings in to ford and said something metallurgical was wrong with the valves. Ford did some digging and found a heat treatment process missed when they were being made. 90% of the engine failures I saw on 11s that were not bottom end related before I left was a valve issues.

So Ford knows they or one of the companies they buy parts from missed a step in the heat treating process and won't recall the trucks with this known and verified issue? Do you know if it was ALL of the engines including cab and chassis for that early time period or just a small group of engines? Any idea what dates of production for those heads or engines and is there a way to tell if cracks are present on an exhaust valve without disassembling the engine?

Codydiesel · Jun 4, 2017

It was for all early and middle year build 2011s cab&chassis and pick ups. Ford didn't recall them because it's like the 6.0s with head gaskets, yes it's a issue but ford saw it as most will go out of warranty before they failed so they left it as that. I wish I had dates, I did when I worked at ford but since I left most of that info that I had it forgotten or buried away. I know it was around April/may that is was caught and all engines built after that date should have the updated valves. Only way to check is to pull the heads and inspect. I know the cab&chassis failed quickly because the turbo,gearing, and tuning caused the cracks sooner. Pickups didn't fail as quick as c&c but I can assure you the engines are the same and with crack/drop valves.