So I posted last week I was having cold start issues but I was on vacation and couldn't really work on the truck. So I got home yesterday and started messing around with it. The temp when I got home was about 45 and after the truck not being started for a week started right up after letting the plugs warm 2 times for about 35 seconds. It did smoke a little at first start but ran fine. A little later I went out again to start the truck and go for a ride and when I got in and put the key in the alarm started to go off. This has never happened to me but I figured maybe I hit the button some how but I figured that the alarm would have went off when I opend the door not trying to start it. Anyway I hit the unlock button on the controller to shut the alarm off and it did. The. I tried to start the truck again and turning the key and nothing would happen just dash lights and that is all. I tried turning the key 3 times with no luck. So I opend the door on the truck and tried to start it again and it did that time so I'm not sure if that is some ki d of safty feature with the alarm or what. So that is my first question if anyone knows what that was all about. Next is this morning again went out side this morning a bit warmer then yesterday probably in the low 50's but let the plugs glow once for about 30 seconds and tried to start with no success let it glow again for another 30 and started right up with a little smoke again but here's where it got concerning. I was hooking my truck up to the car trailer so I could take it out to work on. I backed the truck to the trailer and was hooking it up truck still running at this point. I finish hooking up the trailer and go to get back I the truck it wasn't even at a high idle I guess because it is kinda warm but when I got in and stepped on the brake peddle the engine just about stalled out and all the lights on the dash came on. Everything was on for about 10 seconds except the glow plug light it stayed on for about 30 seconds. Has anyone ever experienced eather of these issues? I still need to get my finger on the cold start issue as well because it is not that cold to not be starting right up.

 

Anyone have an idea

 

That is a tough one. The alarm bit had me thinking GEM/VSM but the brake pedal/stalling out bit kind of nixed that one.

Would start by disconnecting batteries and hitting the plug at the GEM/VSM with contact cleaner and checking the windshield for leaking. Hopefully someone with a little more experience with these gremlins will post something.

 

Well I really don't have a clue, but, have you thought about checking to see if a wire is shorted on the steering column, from the ignition sw.?

 

I've been seeing a lot of loose grounds lately. I'm not saying this is the cause, but I thought it worth mentioning. The GEM/VSM sure is suspect.

 

I really dislike gremlins...


Has it been raining... or have you washed the truck?

Pull the fuse panel cover and feel around under the dash at the wiring harness to fuse box/gem loom... if it feels even the slightest bit moist.. you might be having the leaky windshield/cab marker light syndrome...

I had super freaky poltergeist issues when i experienced it...

 

What is the gem vsm

 

Went out to drive the truck after my last post. It was about 50 degrees and it wasn't started in a out a full 24 hours. Let the glow plugs warm for 30 seconds cranked for about 5 seconds no start. Let glow for another 30 seconds a d cranked for another 5 seconds started getting white smoke while cranking. Let glow for another 30 seconds and cranked for another five finally started with a cloud of white smoke with a little black puff. Other than smoke the truck ran and sounded fine once started. Once it's warm it starts right up