Help Needed Longer than normal cold crank

[76carguy]

Hello! It's starting to get cooler now in the mornings and I am having a longer than normal cold crank. Truck still starts and runs just fine.

My truck has only been driven about 3,000 miles during the past year and mostly short trips. I'm wondering if I have early oil break-down. If I remember correctly oil pressue has something to do with fuel injectors? Could this be the source of my concern?

Once the truck has been started in the morning it will not do this again for the whole day.

Thanks for looking, I look forward to hearing some comments!

 

[ponyexpress94]

My suggestion would be to cycle the glow plugs twice one morning before you start the cold truck. If the truck starts with a slow crank but lites off fairly quick, I would suggest that you look at the age of your batteries. When the batteries got weak in my truck, it was about this time last year, the crank time extended because the glow plugs weren't able to fully do their job. When and if you replace the batteries, they must both be replaced at the same time, even if one is still good, because the bad battery will kill the new battery. Hope this helps and please let us know what happens.

Also, to help us in the future, go to the blue menu bar underneath the super duty diesel website logo and click on the "User CP" option. Fill in your signature with the type of truck you have so we know how your truck is equipped so we can help you better with any questions you may have.

Welcome to the forums, there is a lot of good information and a lot good people.

 

[76carguy]

I cycled the glow plugs 2 times this morning thinking it might help but no change. I haven't noticed a slow crank, just extended cranking time. My batteries are fairly old, possibly original even. Do you think poor batteries would affect me in this way if they are still strong enough to crank at what seems to be full speed?

I will try again tomorrow morning - cycle the glow plugs a few times to see if there is any change in crank time.

Thanks for the signature tip, I was wondering how to do that!

 

[DR.Diesel]

does the oil pressure gauge jump up while you are cranking it.you could be starting to develope a oil leak in your high pressure system.how does it start when warm.

 

[76carguy]

ponyexpress94 - I cycled my glow plugs 4 times this morning and it started up very fast, almost half the time compaired to normal cranking. Perhaps my batteries are still strong enough to crank but the sensors for the glow plugs won't fire them unless voltage is in tip-top shape?

DR.Diesel - I just have the stock oil pressure gauge in the dash. It acts normal (the same as when I bought the truck 3 years ago). The gauge goes up to normal about the same time the lights go out on the dash (air bag, brake, etc) after starting the engine.

 

[DR.Diesel]

id start with a fresh set of batteries to get the motor spinning faster.seeings how your up north a new set of batteries wouldnt hurt before the winter sets in.id also get the truck scanned to see if it has a code for your glow plug system.could have a few glow plugs going south.