Hey all. I have been out of town since wed of last week " 5 days" . I went out to start the truck this morning and the weirdest thing ever happend.

I cycled the key on, Wait to start light went off, i then turned the truck over.... it struggled to start almost like a dead battery. It supn over but did not start.
Cycled the key off then back on again as i did the first time and the same result.
I noticed lots of white smoke comming from the exhaust. I went back to the pipe and it smelled like stright diesel fuel.

So with one last effort cycled the key on wts light went off and it fired right up blowing a huge cloud of white smoke followed by a puff of black.

Seemed to run and idle fine. NO smoke and a smooth idle. Let it run for 5 or so min then shut it down. Bout a min later it fired right back up.

I drove it about 50 miles today and seemed to run fine.

I guess in the 6 years ive had the truck i have never encountered something like this before. Im really curious as to what the culprit is that caused it not to start twice in a row. Any clues or suggestions. Bout to start pulling my 5th wheel and fuel trailer to a job next week and will need the truck to be running in prime time shape.

 

I know there is alot of no start posts but none that match mine so........

BUMP !

 

let it sit 5 days and check your voltage in your batteries,or do you think you might of left somthing on that would of put small drain on batteries.

 

Batteries are fairly new bout a year old. Im pretty shure im getting bout 13.5 volts according to the gauge on the dash.

 

Its in the mid 40s here in north fla this morning and yesterday morning. LIL cold snap ! But as it did yesterday morning i got the same thing this morning. Engine spun but no fire and lots of white smoke. On the seccond try this time she fires right up. ? IM stumped

 

glow plugs not firing or gpr maybe?

 

Ok so truck sat all night started it at 8am this morning and ran bout 30mi. Shut off bout 845am. Started back up at about 5pm. So it sat about 8 or 9 hrs. Tempature outside was about 75* all day and about that when i started it up this afternoon. It fired right up with no trouble.
It runs great. I was on the way home and called Brandon AKA BDRUMMONS on FTE. He has always been a great contact and has always given great advice. Im in no way dbouting what his response to my prolbem was it just made lots of sense and was lookin for more input.
Brandon said that with 220k on the late 99 "built in 6/99 and that is what i have for mileage and year model " that the injector o-rings could be going out. Shrinking up as they get cool and its leaking fuel into the cylinders. When i go to fire the motor and it starts to spin over then chuggs out kinda like a dead battery almost there is so much extra fuel in there its building lots of pressure and basically flooding out. He also mentioned coming close to hydrolocking. Once the glow plugs get hot and it spins over and fires that explains the strong diesel fuel smell out the exhaust and huge cloud of white smoke. I bought the truck with 98k 6years ago. I dont know if it had ever had the injectors done before i bought it. I have never changed them.

Indy f-350 psd mentioned glow plugs or GPR ? I have never done glow plugs or GPR either.
SO..... im stuck...... i am bothered by the prolbem and want it fixed.
At first i thought gpr or glow plugs. And that might be the case... i hope but after hearing Brandons opnion makes lots of sense aswell and dont know where to start looking for the culprit. Any ideas ?

 

I thought this would have been a hit

 

Let the truck sit over night and test the gpr...
I feel like you are not getting full voltage across the gpr... But once u cycle a few times tge glow plugs were getting warn enough to get u started

 

I am with Indy on this one!! GPR ! My 99 did the same thing when the temps dropped into the 40's it was a b***ch to start. I put in new GPR and it did not matter how cold it would lite right off! Could have saved my self the trouble of installing a block heater!! Never had to plug it in!!


Smokie

 

Yea i kinda agree with gpr or glow plugs. But.... Brandon did mike a great point with the injector orings. Sooo whats the method on testing the gpr? Never done it. And if its bad whats the best replacement.

 

Well to test Brandon's theory, I'd say pull the IDM relay after it's sitting overnight and crank. If you get white smoke while cranking without an IDM relay, then there's fuel in the cylinders that should not be there.

To test the GPR, grab a multi meter. The large lug with a rubber boot on it is the battery feed. It should read battery voltage all the time. The other large lug is the feed to the glow plugs. It should read 10 - 12 volts for up to two minutes after the key is turned on. Unplug the EOT sensor and it will stay on for the full 2 minutes if you want extra time for testing.

Also check corrosion on the battery cables, check for a loose starter, or possibly a worn starter that isn't spinning as fast as it should. Use your meter to watch voltage while cranking to see how lot it drops at the battery.

 

Thanks Chris thats valuable info. Where is the IDM relay located? I will also make shure to test the gpr aswell as you instructed.

And for a up-date on the startups .... They have been trouble free. Monday it took 3 attempts firing on the third with lots of white smoke after sitting for 5 days and about a 50* air temp. Tues took 2 attempts firing on the 2nd try after sitting 15hrs and a 48* air temp. Wed and today started first try no smoke after sitting about 13 or 14 hrs.
Also filled up yesterday "wed" and put 8oz of diesel kleen grey bottlein

 

Check your owners manual. It changed position over the years, but it's one of the square relay things in the fuse box.

 

Thanks Chris post back monday currently out of town