6.9 idi hard cold start
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2013
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6.9 idi hard cold start
My 1983 6.9 doesn't seem to want to start on cold mornings or after sitting in the school parking lot for 7 hours. I have replaced all of the glow plugs and gotten 2 new batteries. The only thing i haven't done is get a new block heater. This is my first diesel and I've run out of ideas. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Aaron
Thanks,
Aaron
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Yes, they do stay on for around 10 seconds. I usually have to crank it for around 10-20 seconds before it fires up. I've noticed that as it cranks it acts like it starts but if i let off the key it just quits. I have tried running the glow plugs for 2 cycles but when i do the wait to start light instantly clicks off. Does this mean the glow plugs go off too or do they continue to heat up.
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Joined: Jul 2010
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the glow plugs go off wait about 15 20 sec between glows. Mine does that to acts like its starts but my glow plugs dont work so i give it a lil shot of ether
does it still take 10 to 20 sec if it sits over night to start???
does it still take 10 to 20 sec if it sits over night to start???
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Joined: Feb 2009
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From: Westfield, MA
Ledbetter, first welcome to the forum. I would be willing to bet that if you put a return line kit on your truck that it would start just fine. Sounds like you have a air intrusion problem on the return side of the fuel system. What this does is cause all the fuel in the system to drain back to the tank so it takes a lot of cranking to get fuel back up to the engine. There are lots of places you can buy the kit, EBay, Pensicola Diesel, just to name a few. It's not expensive and it's easy to do. Don't ever use ether on your truck and use only Motorcraft glow plugs. Be sure to come back and give us a progress report. Happy truckin. 
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Thanks for the warm welcome. I'll stop by the parts store on my way home tomorrow grab a kit. Hopefully this fixes the problem. I'll keep you all updated.
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Joined: Apr 2012
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Before using your block heater, please read up on block heaters potentially cracking the blocks of the early gen. 6.9's. Someone else will have more details, but I refuse to use my stock block heater. Not worth the risk. I may get an auxiliary coolant heater later to help things out though.
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Joined: Dec 2012
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From: western washington
If all the fuel drained back,it would take a very long time to start..the ip won't pump air..so it will allways take a few seconds of cranking to start them..cold..hot they jump to life...cold they don't,,step on the peddle when starting cold,,don't when hot...if it starts hard she may be tired, or the glows are weak..mine will start on the block heater alone..30*out..just sayin
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Happy Easter. O'Reillys finally came through and got the kit in. I put it on and it does start better, but I'm not sure if this is because of the kit or the fact that it is in the mid 50s. tomorrow its supposed to dip down into the 40s and ill see if it made a difference.
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my truck did the same thing then it did good for an month then it went back to hard cold starts come to find out some of the new glow plugs were bad so new dont always mean new lol so if you every have the problem again try checking them again keep the IDI alive