VERY hard to start!
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VERY hard to start!
My 1994 turbo 7.3 has been sitting for a while this winter as it turned out I required my other (4x4, diesel too, but non-Ford) truck...
I've started using it again for a week now, and it's really hard to start. It will turn for a minute or two (no smoke at first, then after 10-20 seconds the air start filling with smoke until there's a grey cloud surrounding the truck) with absolutely no sign of wanting to start whatsoever, then after 1-2 min it starts hiccuping in a way that means it's eventually going to start, and from that point the hiccups increase progressively in intensity until the engine is actually running fully at idle.
Then I have no problems with it (turn engine off, start engine again an hour later, use the truck the whole day) until the next morning.
It seems to me it's getting increasingly worse, and this morning, I actually gave up as it showed no sign of wanting to even start hiccuping...
What could be the problem? Thanks in advance for the info regarding what I should be checking!
Edit: Tanks are both half-full and the truck's parked on a near-flat surface.
I've started using it again for a week now, and it's really hard to start. It will turn for a minute or two (no smoke at first, then after 10-20 seconds the air start filling with smoke until there's a grey cloud surrounding the truck) with absolutely no sign of wanting to start whatsoever, then after 1-2 min it starts hiccuping in a way that means it's eventually going to start, and from that point the hiccups increase progressively in intensity until the engine is actually running fully at idle.
Then I have no problems with it (turn engine off, start engine again an hour later, use the truck the whole day) until the next morning.
It seems to me it's getting increasingly worse, and this morning, I actually gave up as it showed no sign of wanting to even start hiccuping...
What could be the problem? Thanks in advance for the info regarding what I should be checking!
Edit: Tanks are both half-full and the truck's parked on a near-flat surface.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,216
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From: Princeton MN
Sounds like glowplugs, do you here the glowplug relay clicking on and of, i.e. is the volt meter on the dash jumping about every 1-2sec? Read the sticky on the top of the page for the new system it will tell you how to test the plugs.
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 5,104
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From: western SD
Sound to me you are fighting 2 problems, the first being air intrusion, and the second some bad glow plugs or controler. First thing in the morning take off the fuel filter and see if it is full of fuel. If it is not full you have an air intrusion problem. An injector install kit is the fix for this. On the glow plugs, how long does the wait to start light stay on for the first time you try to start the truck? It should be on for round 15 seconds, depending on the air temps. Have a read threw the sticky at the top of the page for glow plug problems.
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2006
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From: Massachusetts
My vote is for glow plugs also.
I was thinking air intrusion at first, but he says he gets smoke...so it's trying to fire, but the cylinders aren't hot enough to actually light off.
Careful with that starter! They're expensive. 20 seconds cranking, 2-3 minutes cool down. Repeat.
This sounds like mine if I don't light the glow plugs after sitting overnight.
Diesel self-ignites somewhere around 400 degrees F. (Can't remember the exact number). Without glow plugs, and if the outside temperature is say 50 degrees, then you're trying to heat the cylinders up 350 degrees with just compression...
Light the plugs, cylinder heat up very quickly, then the fuel lights when you hit the key.
Don't overlook air intrusion though, it's a very common problem with the IDI's. Especially around the return lines, the rubber hoses running between each injector. Dont disturb those, or else they'll start to leak and then you'll really have a tough time starting...
I was thinking air intrusion at first, but he says he gets smoke...so it's trying to fire, but the cylinders aren't hot enough to actually light off.
Careful with that starter! They're expensive. 20 seconds cranking, 2-3 minutes cool down. Repeat.
This sounds like mine if I don't light the glow plugs after sitting overnight.
Diesel self-ignites somewhere around 400 degrees F. (Can't remember the exact number). Without glow plugs, and if the outside temperature is say 50 degrees, then you're trying to heat the cylinders up 350 degrees with just compression...
Light the plugs, cylinder heat up very quickly, then the fuel lights when you hit the key.
Don't overlook air intrusion though, it's a very common problem with the IDI's. Especially around the return lines, the rubber hoses running between each injector. Dont disturb those, or else they'll start to leak and then you'll really have a tough time starting...
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 6,900
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From: Campbell River, B.C.
Try the block heater to see if it makes any difference. If that works, its a smoking gun for the glow plugs being the culprit.
To test the glow plugs use the following procedure:
1; Unplug the glow plug you are going to test,
2; Take a 12V test light and connect one end to the batter and the other end to the glow plug,
3; If it lights up, the glow plug is likely healthy, if not its dead.
If 2 or more glow plugs die in th system, the controller will no longer cycle. Its a feature of all 87 and up IDIs that use the electronic closed loop controller. Don't use anything other than beru glow plugs.
To test the glow plugs use the following procedure:
1; Unplug the glow plug you are going to test,
2; Take a 12V test light and connect one end to the batter and the other end to the glow plug,
3; If it lights up, the glow plug is likely healthy, if not its dead.
If 2 or more glow plugs die in th system, the controller will no longer cycle. Its a feature of all 87 and up IDIs that use the electronic closed loop controller. Don't use anything other than beru glow plugs.
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Actually, right after starting this thread I went to try it after plugging the block heater for a while (I did that before I read any of the replies)... it started immediately. So yep, sounds like bad glow plugs. I'll take a look at that sticky thread. Thanks!
My current starter is brand new... I guess I'm the one responsible for killing the last one this winter as I had no glow plugs and was often away from home (couldn't plug the block heater so I had to crank it forever to start it). I'll make sure I go easier on this one, thanks for the advice!
My current starter is brand new... I guess I'm the one responsible for killing the last one this winter as I had no glow plugs and was often away from home (couldn't plug the block heater so I had to crank it forever to start it). I'll make sure I go easier on this one, thanks for the advice!
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 6,900
Likes: 3
From: Campbell River, B.C.
Thanks for the update.
The general rule for not killing a starter is maximum 20 seconds cranking and minimum 2 minutes cool down.
These engines have a lot of cubes and even more compression so they are very hard on starters if you have to crank them for any length of time.
A big hair drier or heat gun pointed down the intake can also do the trick in some cases.
The general rule for not killing a starter is maximum 20 seconds cranking and minimum 2 minutes cool down.
These engines have a lot of cubes and even more compression so they are very hard on starters if you have to crank them for any length of time.
A big hair drier or heat gun pointed down the intake can also do the trick in some cases.
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