2000 F250 SD 7.3L 4WD Crew Cab 217,000 miles

Truck will not start if it sits for a couple hours and engine cools off. It used to be hard to start only when cold outside even though it does not get that cold in Georgia (usually). Started using block heater and truck started fine. Problem has progressively gotten worse over last 2 years until it will not cold start even in the summer and 100 degrees outside. Now it is getting hard to start even with the block heater plugged in.

I have had the truck in 5 different shops. Everyone claims it is something simple and they are sure they can fix it. But I have spent close to $5000 and NO ONE can figure it out. I could have replaced the engine for less.

I have had the following done;
- replaced glow plugs & solenoid
- replaced injector driver module
- replaced wiring harness in valve cover
- replaced all fuel filters
- removed, cleaned, and replaced fuel injectors and O-rings
- checked fuel pressure coming into heads
- checked fuel pump pressure
- added fuel additive (anti gel and injector cleaner)
- replaced both batteries

Thet truck will restart fine if the engine is still warm. It has GREAT power and apparently plenty of compression when running. The problem is GETTING it started. Everything points to some temperature related issue but no one has been able to figure it out.

Any help would be appreciated.

Slim

 

there is a plug on the top right side of the HPOP..after truck has sat for a long time..pull that plug and have a look inside..oil should be about 1/2 inch from the top..if not it is lealking back and causing you this hard start.... let us know if that is what you find..click on the pic..the oil pug is marked

 

I assume you have changed your oil at least once since this started happening. Are there any other symptoms you can tell us about? Do you have any smoke coming out of the tailpipe while trying to crank? If so, what color is it? Does the truck start for a second and then die, or simply not start? Do you know if any codes were pulled from your truck while they were trying to figure out your problem?

I would start by unplugging the ICP and see if it will fire up cold that way.

 

id say and you dont have it listed, while cranking see if you oil press gauge moves up and if any, you might have stuck IPR like i had , everything checked fine, and it would restart fine and run fine, but on ocasion would just die, and no start, crank, but no oil press, so let us know, cause IPR and ICP would do that to you.
if you gauge is not moving , and you checked your HPOP oil level , id say its one of those IPR stuck open, or ICP is shorting out, take the ICP plug off and check for oil residue if its wet inside is bad for sure, but you honestly need scaner hooked up to this thing, and check you oil press while cranking, cause you will be again dumping money for nothing,
but im willing to bet that will be one of those IPR or ICP.. do what F350-6 said.

 

I gotta go with Ron on the HPOP ressy draining down and causing the hard starts. I think anythng else would show up other times and not just starts.

 

Oh my. If you have fresh oil, I predict storm clouds. Someone pointed out a long time ago that a diesel with poor compression will start extremely hard but run like a new one when warm. I won't mention any names, but Kwikk has way more experience than me on this. I would have the compression checked if the HPO oil is up to par and your oil temp sender is not biased, read it agrees with ambient air temp within like 7* or so. (that is from memory so don't quote me). Hope I am wrong, but you have done some extensive testing/replacing.