Question hard to start

[jocephus]

my truck has never been hard to start just all of a sudden it will not start in the morning . i can get it to start by cycling the key on and off 4 or 5 times each time letting the wait to start light to go off it is only 40deg+ here in southeast MO right now in the mornings. shouldnt the truck start without glowplugs at this temp when it starts it white smokes hint of blue for a few seconds and runs kinda rough and the clears up and runs just fine. i would like to know where to start looking for the problem, any help would be greatly appreciated.




my truck is a 01 f250 98k only mods are tymar and straight pipe exhaust.

 

[BIG JOE]

my truck has never been hard to start just all of a sudden it will not start in the morning . i can get it to start by cycling the key on and off 4 or 5 times each time letting the wait to start light to go off it is only 40deg+ here in southeast MO right now in the mornings. shouldnt the truck start without glowplugs at this temp when it starts it white smokes hint of blue for a few seconds and runs kinda rough and the clears up and runs just fine. i would like to know where to start looking for the problem, any help would be greatly appreciated.

my truck is a 01 f250 98k only mods are tymar and straight pipe exhaust.

I'd say its either your Glow Plug Relay (GPR), or you have a couple of bad Glow Plugs (GPs).

White smoke is unburnt fuel. After you've cycled the key 4-5 times you've built up enough heat in a few cylinders to fire up.. but in the cylinders that haven't been pre-heated.. Raw, unburnt fuel is going out the tailpipe in the form of Smoke.... until the heads comes up to temp.. then it clears up.

For starters..the quickest, easiest and least expensive fix would be to replace the Glow Plug Relay. See what you get.. then get back to us ?

 

[CKyle494]

Try Mousers for a glow plug relay. Check this out, I have one on mine and I know others have it also, it is heavy duty and cheaper than the Ford OEM and handles more AMPS. Get this and try it to see if it helps, if it's not this then the glow plugs are bad or the wiring harness is dried out (maybe).

 

[schreckman]

Mine too just became hard to start. Been running great but now it got cold and I had to use starter fluid to get it to fire. Funny thing is it did it to me at the gas station after I had been driving it an hour or more. Shut it off, fully warm fill the tank and then it would not fire. I did not see any smoke after the starter fluid was used. Hope it's not my injectors.

 

[BIG JOE]

Mine too just became hard to start. Been running great but now it got cold and I had to use starter fluid to get it to fire. Funny thing is it did it to me at the gas station after I had been driving it an hour or more. Shut it off, fully warm fill the tank and then it would not fire. I did not see any smoke after the starter fluid was used. Hope it's not my injectors.

Starter Fluid ??? I 'm sure, most of us on SDD would agree.. Starter Fluid is a NO NO... on Glow Plug equipped Diesels.

Do what ever you need to do to the GPR & GPs to get them functioning properly but >DON'T USE STARTING FLUID<.

You don't get Combustion.. You don't get Detonation.. You get an EXSPLOSION.

Not Good.

 

[JRJ04]

x2.

THAT IS A RECEIPE FOR DISASTER!!!

 

[CKyle494]

I had to replace my batteries coming back from Myrtle Beach, stopped for fuel and would not start, hardly turn over, jumped off and headed to Auto Zone. Had just 12 days left on warranty, check at Auto Zone and they said that the 1 battery needed charged and the other was close to needing charged. They replaced both batteries FREE of charge (had 3 yr warranty) and gave me nuts and bolts to change my connectors. THANKS AUTO ZONE! I will shop there more often. 2 NEW batteries and 3 years of warranty with them......have the batteries checked each by themselves then see what you need to do. I'll about bet batteries going weak, unless they are just a few months old. Takes alot to turn over a high compression motor (that's why they are 2 batteries).

 

[Dogman]

I change out my batts. week ago. Had one giving me a fit.

CKyle494, Going to be up in townsend tuesday night till sat. Wife and I are going to check out some camp sites in the area, also going to check with the rangers at cades cove to see if they would open the jeep trail this summer.

 

[schreckman]

starter fluid is fine as long as you either dissable the glow plugs or wait for it to timeout. I wait to time out, one little squirt and she is off. I don't like using it...but I like walking less.

Cranking is good no problem there.

 

[CKyle494]

Dogman if you run into any trouble give me a shout. Weather not too good except Thursday, rest of time Snoop Dogg called and said were in "fo'drizzle"