Hard starts after sitting for long periods
 

Hello everyone. I tried a search on my problem and could not find an issue quiet like mine.

My truck often will sit for 24 hrs or more between uses. Some times as long as a week. After sitting for 24+ hrs, I have a hard time getting her started. She starts and dies several times befor staying running. In between attemps to start her, I do the key on and off cycle much like if I had just changed the fuel filters. All of this started about the end of June and seems to be getting worst . After she starts she runs great and I have no problems with a warm start. If she is parked on an up hill incline, the problem is worst as in the truck only has to sit overnight. Here is some of the things that has been done to her as of late:

Current miles 135550

3-16-09 @ 132900mi OIL ,OIL FILTER, FUEL FILTERS
4-28-09 @ 133528mi MAF,EGR VALVE, ICP REGULATOR, TURBO, VGT, PCM
5-11-09 @ 133673mi INJECTOR HARNESS (thanks brickie)
7-28-09 @ 134200mi FUEL FILTERS (IH)

I am thinking this could be a low pressure fuel pump, glow plugs or mabe the icp again?

Anyone have any ideals?

Ed my excursion is similar but it always starts,but the first start of the day is a long (up to 7 seconds) after that it runs like a top and restarts in 2ish seconds.I have no codes so I was thinking a small HPO leak is bleeding pressure over night.Then I got thinking about all the strange things that FICMs have been doing lately.So I try the morning start with a second glow plug cycle and low and behold the truck starts like normal and I can reproduce it every time(knock on wood).My FICM is on it's way out and I bet yours is a little further along than mine.I am taking one of the trucks to town this week and will have ford flash one or both FICM's to see if it resolves the problems.

Hey brickie, how ya been...

If my truck only set overnight I dont seem to have the hard start problems but if it sets for longer than a day it might take me several cycles befor she stays started. for instance....first try, crank for 3-4sec and it starts goes to fast idle and dies. this may repeat for several tries befor she stays running.

I have used the truck 3 out of the last 4 days and it started every time within 3 seconds. Still woundering what the problem could be when it sits for a couple of days.


Have you taken them to get a flash yet?

I'm like Brickie. I think it's the beginning of a FICM problem. It may not even show a code, but have you had it scanned? Mine would start right up, go to fast idle, shutoff, and immediately restart. I suppose it could also be a HPO leak leaving you with enough oil in the rails to get a "push" to start the truck then it dies, but usually when they fire off the oil builds up very quickly. Interesting. Keep us posted please?

No codes. Is there a way to test the FICM? I will keep ya posted on what I find if anything.

my truck does the same exact thing, cycle the glow plugs twice and it will start and run offul and buck and lope for 10 minutes and then it is drivable. but if i dont cycle the glow plugs twice it will half fire and stall and could do it up to 3 times befor it starts and runs, i thought possible injectors but it isnt throwing any codes

As long as Mine is started every day, she starts and runs just fine. Maybe some one will figgure this problem out and share it with us.

I was having 1st long starts of the day and it was a battery going out and dragging the good one down overnight. If I restarted it the same day the bad battery didn't have enought ime to drag down the good one. Replaced both batteries and problem was solved.

The batteries are only one yr old but I will test them to make sure that is not the problem. Sitting over night or for 24hrs or less, she will start and run normally.

My batteries were 1 year old to the month. AutoZone replaced the good and bad one since they are in parallel.

2005 F350 doing the same thing, only after sitting for a 24 or more period, I changed fuel filters, still having the same problem. I noticed glow plugs cycle way to fast, I also own an Excursion with 7.3, the glow plugs cycle for about 10 to 15 secs, the 6.0 cycles for 3 secs. I started key cycling twice on my 6.0, it seems to help. I wonder if there is anyway to increase glow plug duration?

Mine is doing the same thing. How long will this go on before you won't run at all?

that is what i am afraid of also, mine has been doing it since the end of last winter and i have to fix it very soon because the colder it gets at night the worse it is in the morning to start so any help is appriciated

I got the batteries tested today and they are good. The truck sat for the last 4 days and when i tried to start it, I had the same problems as stated in my first post. I did notice something that has me concerned, when I turn on the key the fuel pump runs for 15 seconds befor it shuts off. This happens no matter how many times I cycle the key. Is this an indication of a bad or weak pump?