I have 2005 that has 200,000 miles. There is no codes,runs good when it warms up. The problem is no start when its cold. I put new glow plugs in based on the age and miles. Still no start unless you plug it in or it warms up outside.

 

What's your charging system like? Batteries fully charged up? What's your voltage readings? Good batteries are 12.5+ and when the injectors/glow plugs are going should be 11.2+. Do you have slow cranking? Weight of oil? Also could have bad injector stiction

 

all this, along with what are your FICM voltages?

 

Mine will start 30 below and lower if plugged in.

Do these things have glow plug controllers? The 7.3 seemed to fail those and a hard /no start was often a glow plug controller that had to be replaced. An easy job on the 7.3

 

Aluminum "box" on the front passenger side valve cover with a green and black plug.

 

I'm working here in Michigan and have the same problem as you fancyvern. I don't know if my glow plugs are bad, but I do know it's simple physics. The way a diesel works is compression super-heats the air in the cylinder and then fuel is injected and combusts. With these super-cold temperatures up here, enough of the heat generated during compression is absorbed by the cold engine block and head to disallow combustion. The glow plugs are supposed to generate enough heat to counteract the effects of the cold but like I said, I don't know if mine are functioning properly or not.

 

what is the function of the FICM ? What does it have to do with the glow plugs? What controls the length of time the glow plugs are on?

 

FICM is the fuel injector control module, I don't think it has anything to do with the glow plugs.

 

No, but it and it's programming have a HUGE amount to do with starting and running after the glow plugs do their job.

The glow plugs will stay on for up to 2 minutes after you key on, depending on various temperature conditions as read by the PCM. They don't go off when the wait to start light goes off. If you have a glow plug or GPM fault you should get a CEL.

The key to both of these things is a healthy charging system and healthy batteries since the amp draw is HUGE on start up, typically 200 amps. Low voltage will kill a FICM and make the truck run bad cold or even shut it down.

 

Hi guys, thought I would check my V at start up using AE to make sure my 6.0 has a clean bill of health. With a cold start, my voltage stays at 11-11.5V for about a minute, the climbs to 13-13.5V. Is this normal and safe for the FICM? I have a bulletproof FICM half but stock alternator on my 05 Excursion.

Thanks for your input.