Glow Plug/gpr/hard Winter Start And White Smoke Thread

[1969fordguy]

When you start the truck, remember that the glow plugs stay on for maybe two minutes, despite that indicator light on the dash. Wait about a minute (it seems like forever) and try it. When I start mine too soon (yeah I do it sometimes) then it does not want to start until I let the glow plugs stay on for a loooong time.

[Jaaaaaaackman]

1997F-350 Excellent thread thanks for starting it ...... So here is my question, is 8 glow plugs and new valve cover gaskets all that I need to complete the job, or is the harness also needed? One of the site sponsers sells a "glowplug repacement kit" for 270 dollars it has 8 glowplugs 2 valve cover gaskets and 2 under valve cover harnesses. Do I need the under cover harness, I have not read any threads that evenmention the harness?


The scary part of this job is the thought of a broken or stuck glow plug, just dont have enough time to take off the heads. Do they usally come out or is there a real likly hood that one or more plugs will get stuck and break off in the head?

Thanks Jack

[bkcowboss]

First, I replaced my GP's without replacing wiring or gaskets, but i did do maintenance on the connections, which was required for my truck, whether or not you replace the wiring and gaskets check your voltage at the gp wire by cycling the gp's while you are under the valve cover gasket, either with voltmeter or test light to ensure you have continuity throught the gasket. if not clean the pins 2 plugs per gasket, outer pins on each plug are the GP wires. The gaskets are reusable. I didn't have any probs with breaking I have replaced a lot of gp's without problems on many different vehicles. Good luck

[Jaaaaaaackman]

Bryan, thanks. I will do the test light check at the glow plug tip before putting the covers on... Glad to hear youve done glowplugs without having a stuck one, hope to have the same.............


Thanks Jack

[bkcowboss]

I hope so too,
one thing I wanted to say was as you are backing the plug out, if you start to feel some binding, screw it in and then work it back out until you hit minding then back in again, don't just muscle it the whole way unless it is free, kind of like tapping new threads if you have ever done that.
good luck
Bryan

[linckeil]

is it possible to "flood" a diesel as you would with a hard starting gas engine?

this is my first winter with a 1996 PSD. i'm experiencing these problems and will go through everything suggested in this thread.

[bkcowboss]

You should never apply any throttle when starting a PSD. It is an electronic throttle system and the computer is applying the appropriate start fuel, if it will not start applying throttle will not help and may make things worse. Describe your problems and we should be able to help you in the right direction...keep us posted.

[linckeil]

ok, this morning here is the plan of attack i used after reading through this thread and others:

1) jump in truck and immediately start cranking motor to see if rpm's were registering on tach. they were, about 200 rpm, so that checks out.

2) put test light on GPR and turn on key. test light came on, thus GPR is working. i left the key in the "on" position for over 1 minute and test light stayed on. then i began to crank the motor and it would not start.

3) unplug sensor on front of driver side cylinder head which sticks out at 45 degree angle and points toward center of motor. this sensor has 3 wires running to it. i read that this is called the ICP sensor. jumped in truck cranked the motor, and it started!!!

4) turn of truck after it ran for 2-3 seconds, got out, plug ICP back in, try to start, and truck would not start.

5) unplug ICP again, crank motor, and it starts right up. let it run for a minute, plug ICP back in while truck is running, and it continues to run just fine.

so..... it looks like this ICP is my problem. tommorow morning i'll leave it plugged in, leave the key in the "on" position for a minute to let the glow plugs warm up, than start cranking. if no go, then sensor gets unplugged, and if it starts then i need a new ICP.

i don't even know what ICP stands for let alone what it does. i just remember reading in an earlier thread to do this test. so can anyone tell me what an ICP is and where do i get a new one. do i have to go to a ford dealer for this? whats is gonna cost me?

thanks to all who have listed procedures to identify the source of cold starting problems.

[plowhand]

ICP (Injection Control Pressure), it measures the oil pressure in the high pressure oil rails (in the head) that supply oil to the injectors to fire them.

If the ICP is not reading at least 500 psi it will not signal the PCM to fire the injectors.

With the ICP unplugged, the PCM goes into a default mode (believing the sensor is bad) and fires the injectors anyway so that you can continue to drive until it can be fixed.

Ebay is ussually the cheapest place to get an ICP.

[linckeil]

ok, makes sense. but what if i really have less then 500psi in the rails and the ICP is actually good? how do i determine the pressure in the rails and if in fact it is low, how do i fix that?

[bkcowboss]

Well if you really are that low in pressure then your truck will run like crap. the injector rail works on principles to keep it short 3000 psi of oil turns into 25000+ psi of fuel pressure number may be wrong.... but the principle is the same, your HPOP quits working and your truck wont start......... that is all but it started so you are good.

[1969fordguy]

Good work linckeil

[bkcowboss]

Originally Posted by linckeil

ok, makes sense. but what if i really have less then 500psi in the rails and the ICP is actually good? how do i determine the pressure in the rails and if in fact it is low, how do i fix that?

Found an ICP on ebay Item number: 330065177214 53 bucks not bad

[60cents]

Whats the deal with Autolite glow plugs?
I had my plugs replaced a couple of months ago and the new ones were Autolite?
My block heater doesn't work and I'm getting gray smoke on startup????

[1997F-350]

bringing it back out of retirement its that time again.