Hey all. I've searched through all of the threads and I haven't found anything that quite fits this situation.

I've checked the GP's, all show continuity to ground through the base.

Two new batteries, show 12.7-12.8V off and 14.3-14.6 when it does run.

GP relay clicks on for 6-7 seconds cold, then cycles for the afterburn.

FSS clicks on key on.

High idle solenoid works.

GP's show only 10V at the GP connector.

I do have only 6 known good GP's. One is stuck in the head and one has the hex portion broken away from the plug itself. The six good ones are Motorcraft/Beru.

With that data, here is the story. The truck has started just fine all winter, even on the coldest days, using the block heater and GP's. The heater core went south, so we replaced the core and now it will not start unless we disconnect the GP relay and use ether. We have been able to get it to start after a lot of cranking and pumping the throttle, but then it blows blue smoke at idle. If we rev it, the smoke goes away. If we start it on ether, then there is no smoke. On cranking, it will puff out white smoke.

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. BTW, if anyone knows of a diesel shop in the Dayton, Ohio area that can check compression and pump timing on IDI's, I'd REALLY appreciate the info.

Jeffro

 

Might not be cranking fast enough.

 

How much fuel in the tank?

 

It seems to turn over pretty good since we installed the new batteries. It has about a half a tank of fuel.

 

Wait, if it fires right off with ether, the problem is obvious: you need to replace the two bad glow plugs.
Use an easy-out on the stripped one perhaps(the type designed for extracting bolts), the other you might be able to get out with a /lot/ of spinning and some WD-40 down the hole. You might try putting the socket in a drill so you can spin it quickly and try to pull upwards while doing it. I got one out that way when it was bulged.

 

Macrobb, I would agree with your assessment, but it started just fine until we replaced the heater core. I'm not saying the two are related, but it was starting just fine and now it won't.

 

Did you TEST everything related to the glow plugs AFTER the heater core R&R, to determine that there are still 6 op glow plugs and you didn't disturb something with its wiring?

 

did the block heater quit??? my rig will start with out waiting for glows when plugged in over nite... you have a glow plug problem when more than one gp is bad you will need to cycle the glows several times quickly before cranking always step on the throttle when starting....