Hello, and thank you in advance for replying. I have a 1997 with 148,000 miles. It hasn't run in over a year. Batteries are new, IPC is new. Tach indicates when cranking, Wait to start light functions. There is smoke from the tailpipe. IPR looks okay. I know everyone recommends changing the CPS, but I have the WTS and smoke, so I don't think it's that.

I added the white bottle diesel fuel supplement from walmart to both tanks, and directly to the fuel bowl. Fuel pressure indicates 8psi while cranking, but goes much higher when the motor catches (using ether). Any ideas? What am I missing?

 

How's the starter ?
These engines need to spin fast to start.
Stop using starting fluid.

 

Starter is fine. Tach indicates about 100rpm. I know everyone says it, but I really do know what I'm doing with ether. All I've used is a tiny squirt at a time.

It does catch when I do this. The rpm jumps up around 400 then it just settles back down to cranking rpm.

I'm really stumped.

 

I assume by saying that you know what you are doing with ether that you've unplugged the glow plug relay.
100 rpm is the minimum speed.
I'd look into the fuel pressure issue. You should see 20 psi while cranking.
Also check the oil level in the HPOP reservoir. It needs to be within 1" from the top.

 

Nowhere near 20psi while cranking. Before replacing the IPC, I was able to get it to idle for brief periods with the sensor unplugged. Now, it won't even do that. At the time, fuel pressure was 50psi while idling.

You think it's the high side of the fuel pump? The bowl fills up, so I'm pretty sure the low side is okay. The HPOP is topped off, and has always been. The oil level is at the top of the cross hatching on the dipstick. Oil is amber, even though it's more than a year old. The last oil change receipt I found says it's 15w-40 from Walmart. Who really knows though? The oil pressure guage on the dash comes right up when cranking.

 

Also, when the fuel pressure gauge was connected, the needle fluctuated violently. I've done many a fuel pressure tests on vehicles with electric pumps, and I've never seen anything like that. Just assumed it was because the pump is mechanical.

 

Have you tried starting it with the new icp unplugged? What brand of icp did you get?


The fluctuation of the fuel gauge is because of the mechanical pump, you're right there. If you can't get more than 8psi cranking the fuel pump's hurtin for sure.






http://api.viglink.com/api/click?for...ng%20Flowchart

Welcome to fte by the way.

 

The icp is Standard Motor Products. I have tried starting without it, no luck. Guess maybe I replaced a perfectly good icp?

Any recommendations on a fuel pump?

 

That's a very useful flow chart. Seems like it could be glow plug regulator, which I thought was okay. I'm still thinking fuel pump though.

 

Find the cheapest one you can. They are all made buy the same company

 

I've heard they are all made by carter. The last one I put in for someone I bought at napa.

 

Requirements to start a 7.3>>>>>>>6.0
7.3L Powerstroke Starting Req.: *************************6.0L Powerstroke Starting Req.:
Vehicle Power : *10.5v ****************************************Vehicle Power : 10.5v
RPM Signal : 100rpm ******************************************RPM Signal : 100rpm
Inj. Cntrl Press. (ICP) : *0.85v (about 500psi) *****Inj. Cntrl Press. (ICP) : 0.85v (about 500psi)
Fuel Pulse Width : *1 to 6 milliseconds ***************Fuel Pulse Width : *0.5 to 2 milliseconds *

 

Smoke while cranking, but no start, and catches with starting fluid leads me to fuel pump.
ICP etc is probably fine as you'd never see smoke if there wasn't enough oil pressure in the injectors.

Low fuel pressure results in excessive smoke at cranking and very low rpm, like trying to idle rpm.

Start with the fuel pump. $90 from the parts store and a hour or so and you'll at least cross one more thing off your list.

 

Having said all of that....

Have you replaced glow plugs and glow plug relay? Some truck really need these to get fired up even in 50° or 60° weather.

Have you tried plugging in the block heater for an hour or so to see if that helps? If so it's not fuel pump but injector/glow plug issue. ??

How many miles are on the truck?

 

I ordered an Airtex from Amazon, and it'll be here Thursday. Thank you all for your advise, I sure hope this takes care of the problem.

I suspect the GP's are factory with 148k miles. My friend sold it to me non-running. He has no mechanical ability, and not enough money to fix it himself. His loss, my gain.

Where would I find the block heater? Are those optional? It's been well into the 80's in south Texas this week.