The Winter Cold Start Sticky Thread.
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Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 13,144
Likes: 11
From: Rochdale MA
The Winter Cold Start Sticky Thread.
It is that time of year when the questions start to arise about the Glow Plugs and related systems and of course batteries. So back by request and popular demand here is your sticky winter thread....
If there are any more that should be added here please let me know.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/4...ke-thread.html
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...y-q-and-a.html
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...pr-system.html
If there are any more that should be added here please let me know.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/4...ke-thread.html
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...y-q-and-a.html
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...pr-system.html
Laughing Gas
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,097
Likes: 9
From: Minnesota
Switching from Rotella T 15-40 to Rotella T-6 5-40 synthetic has made starting really good up here in Minnesota winters, I now have it in my 6400 John Deere for snow removal too. My 02 never did start good in the cold, now I don't worry about it starting in the cold!
New User
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Winter Oil
Here in Manitoba I've used synthetics in diesels since the 70s when Shell first introduced their "Synarctic" products. Used their 0w30 then in our Cat diesels and now use Mobil 1 0w40. My 2000 7.3 started no problem at -36C without being plugged in and sitting for 2 days! Synthetic grease and lubes will keep everything working smoothly.
Hotshot
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 15,449
Likes: 3
From: Hampstead, NC
The only thing I don't really see covered here is the effects bad or weak injectors can have on starting. I see a lot of posts where people have difficult cold weather hard start problems, or issues where they won't start if it's not plugged it. I had the same problem myself on a truck I just got. I started with all the simple stuff. The truck had brand new glow plugs and GPR. So I checked them, all ohmed out fine, but the truck would not start cold. Period. If it sat for more then 2 hours without being plugged in, it likely wouldn't start. Now, I have access to a Snap-On scanner, so I did a injector balance test. There were 3 obviously quiet injectors. 4 that weren't great, and 1 that sounded perfect. So I had a hint of where my problem lied now...
The symptoms of weak injectors relating to starting a bit different them others. Depending on how many injectors are bad, you may get a partial firing from the motor, and see white or black smoke. If you have good batteries, and trust your starter you can get it started cold, but usually having it plugged in makes the difference. After it's started the way it runs is the big clue. It will run on the good cylinders but will not fire on the bad cylinders for a much longer time than what you see from bad glow plugs. Next pay attention when driving it, especially cold. It will lack power, you may feel a miss. It's usually subtle, but it will be there.
Unfortunately the best diagnosis is found using a scanner, or having the injectors tested at a shop that can test them out of the truck. In my truck, which had 250,000 miles on it with this problem, someone chased every other problem before giving up on it. I had 3 extremely bad injectors and 4 that were on the verge. I also had one new one already. I replaced the other 7. My starting problem is gone, my power is great, the engine purrs like a kitten. So after verifying the glow plugs are good, don't parts hang. Verify the injectors are good. Have a balance test performed. I know it's not common, but I see a lot of people spend a lot of money needlessly chasing bad injectors, or worse sell the truck off cheaply (or without telling someone about the problem).
Hopefully this helps someone. When I searched for info, not much was out there about the injectors. So I figured this was a good place to add the info!
The symptoms of weak injectors relating to starting a bit different them others. Depending on how many injectors are bad, you may get a partial firing from the motor, and see white or black smoke. If you have good batteries, and trust your starter you can get it started cold, but usually having it plugged in makes the difference. After it's started the way it runs is the big clue. It will run on the good cylinders but will not fire on the bad cylinders for a much longer time than what you see from bad glow plugs. Next pay attention when driving it, especially cold. It will lack power, you may feel a miss. It's usually subtle, but it will be there.
Unfortunately the best diagnosis is found using a scanner, or having the injectors tested at a shop that can test them out of the truck. In my truck, which had 250,000 miles on it with this problem, someone chased every other problem before giving up on it. I had 3 extremely bad injectors and 4 that were on the verge. I also had one new one already. I replaced the other 7. My starting problem is gone, my power is great, the engine purrs like a kitten. So after verifying the glow plugs are good, don't parts hang. Verify the injectors are good. Have a balance test performed. I know it's not common, but I see a lot of people spend a lot of money needlessly chasing bad injectors, or worse sell the truck off cheaply (or without telling someone about the problem).
Hopefully this helps someone. When I searched for info, not much was out there about the injectors. So I figured this was a good place to add the info!
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Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 32
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Last winter I had a problem with my 00 7.3 not starting in semi-cold weather. It turned out to be a bad relay for the glow plugs, and a bad injector. I was relieved that was all it was.
Dan
Dan
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 354
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dlinson. Got a 03 F250 thats hard to start, has new battiers, starter is fine, now that u posted that, im going t get the injectors looked at. What kind of scanner did you use? Im thiknig about geting one. We have 6 F250,s and a few F250, ones F650. I think it would come in handy for me
New User
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Does anybody have information relating to what the PCM is looking for during a cold start on a 98 f250 SD 7.3? I read the threads above about the EOT and IAT sensors. What I,m looking for is the values of these sensors during a cold start. The truck has an intermittent cold start issue. The glow plugs are good and the glow plug and intake heater relays are both new. The engine oil has been recently changed. As usual 15 minutes of block heater and the truck starts right up. After reading the comments about the injectors I think that a cylinder balance test is required as well. My suspicion is that the PCM is not always keeping the glow plugs on long enough, which is why I am trying to find the parameters it 'looks' for on cold start.
Thanks for the help.
Colin
1998 F250 7.3 Super Duty 4x4
Thanks for the help.
Colin
1998 F250 7.3 Super Duty 4x4
New User
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
start and power issues
The only thing I don't really see covered here is the effects bad or weak injectors can have on starting. I see a lot of posts where people have difficult cold weather hard start problems, or issues where they won't start if it's not plugged it. I had the same problem myself on a truck I just got. I started with all the simple stuff. The truck had brand new glow plugs and GPR. So I checked them, all ohmed out fine, but the truck would not start cold. Period. If it sat for more then 2 hours without being plugged in, it likely wouldn't start. Now, I have access to a Snap-On scanner, so I did a injector balance test. There were 3 obviously quiet injectors. 4 that weren't great, and 1 that sounded perfect. So I had a hint of where my problem lied now...
The symptoms of weak injectors relating to starting a bit different them others. Depending on how many injectors are bad, you may get a partial firing from the motor, and see white or black smoke. If you have good batteries, and trust your starter you can get it started cold, but usually having it plugged in makes the difference. After it's started the way it runs is the big clue. It will run on the good cylinders but will not fire on the bad cylinders for a much longer time than what you see from bad glow plugs. Next pay attention when driving it, especially cold. It will lack power, you may feel a miss. It's usually subtle, but it will be there.
Unfortunately the best diagnosis is found using a scanner, or having the injectors tested at a shop that can test them out of the truck. In my truck, which had 250,000 miles on it with this problem, someone chased every other problem before giving up on it. I had 3 extremely bad injectors and 4 that were on the verge. I also had one new one already. I replaced the other 7. My starting problem is gone, my power is great, the engine purrs like a kitten. So after verifying the glow plugs are good, don't parts hang. Verify the injectors are good. Have a balance test performed. I know it's not common, but I see a lot of people spend a lot of money needlessly chasing bad injectors, or worse sell the truck off cheaply (or without telling someone about the problem).
Hopefully this helps someone. When I searched for info, not much was out there about the injectors. So I figured this was a good place to add the info!
The symptoms of weak injectors relating to starting a bit different them others. Depending on how many injectors are bad, you may get a partial firing from the motor, and see white or black smoke. If you have good batteries, and trust your starter you can get it started cold, but usually having it plugged in makes the difference. After it's started the way it runs is the big clue. It will run on the good cylinders but will not fire on the bad cylinders for a much longer time than what you see from bad glow plugs. Next pay attention when driving it, especially cold. It will lack power, you may feel a miss. It's usually subtle, but it will be there.
Unfortunately the best diagnosis is found using a scanner, or having the injectors tested at a shop that can test them out of the truck. In my truck, which had 250,000 miles on it with this problem, someone chased every other problem before giving up on it. I had 3 extremely bad injectors and 4 that were on the verge. I also had one new one already. I replaced the other 7. My starting problem is gone, my power is great, the engine purrs like a kitten. So after verifying the glow plugs are good, don't parts hang. Verify the injectors are good. Have a balance test performed. I know it's not common, but I see a lot of people spend a lot of money needlessly chasing bad injectors, or worse sell the truck off cheaply (or without telling someone about the problem).
Hopefully this helps someone. When I searched for info, not much was out there about the injectors. So I figured this was a good place to add the info!
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 6,708
Likes: 5
From: Kiowa CO
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