Cold starting

[kirkfalk]

I have posted this before and still at a lost. My truck is a 2000 4 door dually with 5'' exhaust, superchip programmer, heavy fuel spring, and K&N filter. I have new batteries, new ford glow plugs, new wire harnesses, and new solenoid. I am at a lost to what it could be. When I plug it in for an hour, it turns over easy and start with not a problem. It has never started when cold since I bought it in 03. Any ideas from anyone.......

Thanks, Kirk-mad

 

[JLDickmon]

OK..
you have to remember one thing about diesel engines... they run on HEAT

frankly, I'm suprised plugging it in for an hour is enough to help.

You've got a problem with one or both of two things...
either the glow plug circuit is still not working; Easy enough to check, put one half of your jumper cables from the positive side of either battery to the glow plug side of the relay (what you called a solenoid) for about 30 seconds. If it starts, you have a relay control problem. To check that you'll need a good test light, but get back to us on the quickie test... (thanks T-Bar for the idea)

if not, I'm thinkin' it's not whippin the engine over fast enough to create heat of compression; bad cables, starter taking a dump, oil too thick for weather conditions, something like that. Does the tach needle jump at all cranking? Go to NAPA or Auto Zone and get a cheap 1,000 amp AMMETER and tell us what the stater draw is...

so... quit throwing parts at that thing and start checking stuff and tell us what you found. We'll be here.

(well, maybe not me personally, I have to go to work and pull a 12 today; but you get the idea)

 

[DaveBen]

I agree with JL on this. Clean all battery terminals and make sure they are tight. I doubt you will find a 1000 amp meter at any auto parts store, but you can ask. Good Luck.

Dave

 

[kirkfalk]

Thanks gentelmen, I will try everything you have mentioned. It has to be something simple.

Kirk

 

[nevrnf]

I am going to ask a dumb question. Which relay did you change???
I have seen multiple people change the IAH relay by accident thinking it was the GP relay. The AIH relay has a Red wire going to the heater element on the intake Y. The GP relay has a Yellow wire going into the wiring loom. I would get a volt meter and check the output of the relay on cold start. I have heard rumors fo some of the less expensive relays having a large volt drop compared to the Ford OE relay. Sometimes you get what you pay for.

 

[JLDickmon]

I agree with JL on this. Clean all battery terminals and make sure they are tight. I doubt you will find a 1000 amp meter at any auto parts store, but you can ask. Good Luck.

Dave

mine came from Sears, and it's just one of the inductive ones that just straddles the battery cable.

I'm sure it's accuracy is +/- a buttload, but 700 amps is a lot different than 300 amps...

I have an inductive probe for my Fluke meter for everything else (or a Bear ARBST at the shop).