I just started having problems starting this truck a few days ago. The symptoms made me think it was an alternator issue but I have had it and the batteries checked and they are good. Today I replaced all of the battery cables and checked all of the fuses. I cleaned every terminal and solenoid contact. I am still getting a slow chug chug chug on the starter even when the voltage reads good. I have tried hooking up a large 200 amp jumper and it still doesn't seem to want to start.
When this began a few days ago the starter would turn normally the first three or so cycles and then would start slowing down like there isn't enough juice in the battery. Now even after charging batteries and hooking up a jumper it is slowly turning. The starter was replaced by the previous owner about 3 months ago and appears to be in good condition. This truck had no starting issues before except there is a trick with the glow plugs. The previous owner told me that there was something going on with the relay and in order for the glow plugs to cycle I need to turn the ignition 4ish times until the plugs are warmed. Since I got the truck this has worked smoothly, I would turn and hear it click and see it click on the voltage meter and then after 4 or so times it would stop clicking and start right up. The previous owner told me that he recently replaced only 4 of the 8 glow plugs about a year ago, he said the other 4 were too hard to reach with the turbo in the way.
I have pretty much exhausted everything I can think of and I need to be on the road with this truck after Mardi Gras or I'm in trouble.
I have cleaned replaced or checked the following;
2 three month old 850 cca batteries
All battery cables transferred from another working truck, previous cables had quite a few nicks in the neg cable that grounds to the block on passenger side.
Alternator tested good
all fuses test good now, replaced one large 20A under the hood a few days ago
all terminals on batteries solenoids etc.
checked most of the vacuum system, found one bad hose and replaced
checked all visible fuel return lines on top of the engine, no apparent leaks
This should have no relevance but I upgraded the dual mass clutch and flywheel to the solid mass about 2 weeks ago
I have not done much to check;
glow plugs
solenoids
relays
starter (maybe it is drawing to much?)
wiring other than the battery and its endings
What should be my first step? What are my best tools to use? I read all of the glow plug thread and I may start there. I have tried finding an automotive test light like mentioned at a few places here with no success.
It sounds like you need glowplugs, but it also has to spin fast. My thinking here is since the plugs are not up to snuff you have wore the starter out, but I could be wrong it could be the cables or batteries. When you tested the batteries did you take the cables and load test them one at a time.
I would inspect the cables for swollen insulation usually near the end terminals or ANY green showing up near the ends. If it all looks good I would then remove them and sand shiny the ends of the cables and the mounting points on the starter and the grounds both of them on the block.
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absolutely no dodges.
to many fords to list.
one town car.sold
If it breaks because of my advice
you can keep both halves
I envision that glow plugs are going to be a huge pain because of the turbo.
The cables are clean. They are old cables but they are clean and appear and feel to be in good shape. I scrubbed every terminal to super shiny, esp both on the engine block and battery. No swollen areas or any signs of green corrosion however I did find a small crack in the elad where it wraps around the battery pole. How would you go about load testing the cables? I don't have a multi meter and I am hoping to keep this cheap.
I agree load test the batteries....Check the starter....I believe the starter should turn the engine at 200-250 RPM while cranking.
I had a starter going bad on me for 6 months. I chased every thing else, glow plugs, air intrusion, IP cleaning... finally one day I had to have it running and tried pulling it off... on the first revolution she started. I replaced the starter and never looked back.
Not saying it is the starter, but it's worth pulling it and having it bench tested.
Oh, yeah... If the starter is bad make sure you have the old one with you at the parts store. O'Rielly's gave me wrong one's twice. THe first time I installed it, second time I made them find the right one. They looked very similar so check it good
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94 7.3L Factory Turbo
ATS Snail, 3" Down Pipe Upgrade
4" Stacks, with Rain Caps!!!
5 Speed Manual
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4" Air intake with AFE factory replacement high flow filter.
Autometer Pillar Mount Pyro, Boost, & Vacum Guage Phantom series.
SunPro Voltmeter, water temp, & oil pressure guages
Ugh what a nightmare. I pulled the batteries again after charging them all night and trying it this morning, still same slow chug chug chug maybe twice a second. The starter is definitely not turning over fast enough even with those batteries charged. One of the batteries tested with a bad cell, I got another 880cca battery and threw it in there and it was no better. I just got off the phone with my buddy and he thinks it is mostly because it is so cold but we are in louisiana and it barely got to freezing last night and it is around 40 now. He let me listen to his cvrank on the phone after sitting a week and it was slow kinda like mine but his fired right up after a few seconds, mine doesnt. MY mechanic buddy gave it a tiny spray of ether in the intake to see if we could get it to turn and after a few cranks it started. I let it run for afew minutes and killed and then cranked again and it started right back up. I let it run for about 20 mins to make sure the batteries were good and charged and that everything else was running ok. I killed it and started working on my tie rods to give it 20 or 30 mins so I can try it again cold. After sitting 25 mins it is doing the same as before with the slow cranking on the starter. My buddy is coming over with a multimeter and some other tools, what readings should I look for at the solenoids and on the starter? Where do I put the poles of the tester? Can I use a 12V 200A jumper to test the starter and if so do I ground out the black wire or connect it to the starter also?
My next step will be to pull the starter. Yesterday wasn't a total bust, I was able to fix the antenna, tailgate, and do some tie rods. This starting issue is really making me nervous now though. I replaced the cracked battery lead as well.
I am also going to pull the engine block cable out of my other truck and see if it will go in this one. The previous owner told me it didn't work and sometimes he'd use a light bulb but it looked like his block cable was fried so I have my fingers crossed that the heater still works.
I am totally open to all ideas. I was thinking about grabbing all of the solenoids and the starter off of my parts truck but obviously I would prefer to not do useless things like what I've tried over the last 2 days. Advice welcome.
follow the ground wire running from the pass side battery to the block.take it off and clean that area then shine it all up with a little sand paper.ill bet it will spin better.another thing is to make sure the solenoid on the starter is not loose
I pulled the starter out as a last ditch effort and brought it to a shop and sure enough the copper on the inside was messed up. He told me before I brought it over there that the slow chug chug chug sound could be the starter when all along I thought it sounded like an issue getting power to the starter. I pulled the starter out of my parts truck (89 7.3idi) and threw it on and it cranked right up without any hesitation. I feel like a fool for believeing the guy I bought the truck from, he said he replaced the starter like 3 months ago so I didnt think it could be out so fast. Either way I am back on the road now, I have one more tie rod to change and a few small things here and there but I'm going again. Thank you to everyone on here for the advice, y'all help keep me sane and on target. Happy Mardi Gras and how bout them World Champ Saints!!! WHO DAT!!!
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