Glow Plug testing/slow start
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Junior User
Joined: Apr 2011
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Glow Plug testing/slow start
Hi There, Finally got half a day to play with me new AE to try and find why she ( 03 F250 PSD ) is a bit hard to start and runs rough when cold ( 30 deg, well I call that cold
) .Runs smooth when hot but lacking a bit of power.
0:: did buzz test cold = all good
1:: cranks speed is 135 rpm
2:: Inj pressure 1000 on crank & 460- 575 @ Idle ( bouncing up & Down )
3:: GP relay tested as per Search on here =OK
4:: Disconnected ICP = no change
5:: Cleaned IPR plug and checked nut was tight = no change
6:: Ohm all glow plugs x6=0.8 , One was 140.00, One had no reading ??
I figure that with 2 GP,s out ( I think ) I may be on the right track or should I be testing something else ??
Next mission is to get the AE and me to put a reading onto the forum whilst driving so it can be read and diagnosed
Brownie ( New Zealand)
) .Runs smooth when hot but lacking a bit of power.0:: did buzz test cold = all good
1:: cranks speed is 135 rpm
2:: Inj pressure 1000 on crank & 460- 575 @ Idle ( bouncing up & Down )
3:: GP relay tested as per Search on here =OK
4:: Disconnected ICP = no change
5:: Cleaned IPR plug and checked nut was tight = no change
6:: Ohm all glow plugs x6=0.8 , One was 140.00, One had no reading ??
I figure that with 2 GP,s out ( I think ) I may be on the right track or should I be testing something else ??
Next mission is to get the AE and me to put a reading onto the forum whilst driving so it can be read and diagnosed
Brownie ( New Zealand)
Veteran/Sheepdog
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 6,047
Likes: 110
From: Western AR
You definitely have two bad plugs with those readings. A word of caution on the buzz tests.....never do them cold. Always do buzz tests on a warm injector. It is very hard on the poppets in the injectors when they are cold. With the numbers you have, I would say your IPR is working fine.
You need to check your boost numbers next. Compare the boost numbers from your MAP sensor with the EPB sensor numbers and see what kind of ratio your engine/turbo are producing.
You need to check your boost numbers next. Compare the boost numbers from your MAP sensor with the EPB sensor numbers and see what kind of ratio your engine/turbo are producing.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 26,966
Likes: 50
From: Texas
My opinion on a buzz test is a little different. Worn injectors pass a buzz test most of the time when warm, but don't do so well when cold. If I suspect injector issues, I prefer to buzz test when cold.
That being said, how did they pass the buzz test? Not throw any codes, or did they all buzz nice and loud and all sound the same? Is your hard start up cold followed by white smoke from the tail pipe after it starts, or as it's trying to start?
What weight motor oil are you using?
That being said, how did they pass the buzz test? Not throw any codes, or did they all buzz nice and loud and all sound the same? Is your hard start up cold followed by white smoke from the tail pipe after it starts, or as it's trying to start?
What weight motor oil are you using?
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Junior User
Joined: Apr 2011
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no smoke
Hi there F350-6 , yup all injectors sounded the same , did test same as I have read and seen on the forum .......... thanks for all the info 
No smoke at all when starting or at any time , no codes relating to that
the oil I run is 15-w40 , not synthetic though, burns about 2 ltrs between changes = 10,000km
Plan to check injectors and harness when fitting gp,s
Have also checked wastegate actuator = ok
Pulled and cleaned every electric plug on the sensors ( except the one right at the bottom of the turbo )
when cold it does rev up a bit and has the whooshing sound out the exhausts , from what I have read it is meant to do that ....... correct ?
Clean the EBP sensor and pipe , and should get a chance to AE other stuff in next coupla days
She has done 580,000Km's
Brownie
No smoke at all when starting or at any time , no codes relating to that
the oil I run is 15-w40 , not synthetic though, burns about 2 ltrs between changes = 10,000km
Plan to check injectors and harness when fitting gp,s
Have also checked wastegate actuator = ok
Pulled and cleaned every electric plug on the sensors ( except the one right at the bottom of the turbo )
when cold it does rev up a bit and has the whooshing sound out the exhausts , from what I have read it is meant to do that ....... correct ?
Clean the EBP sensor and pipe , and should get a chance to AE other stuff in next coupla days
She has done 580,000Km's
Brownie
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 9,399
Likes: 188
From: Norco,CA
More than one bad glow plug in the cold country dose make for hard starting. I had a bad glow plug relay on the road, it was clicking so I thought it was alright, big mistake. Anyway I also had one bad glow plug but it did start pretty easy, I have to change it this month before the Wyoming trip. I did the drivers side, now to the passenger side. I always do all at the same time, just me.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 26,966
Likes: 50
From: Texas
Interesting. Give us a better description of "hard starting". Does it change if you plug it in for a couple of hours first?
We typically don't see any codes at all for glow plugs unless you have a CA emissions vehicle that has a GPCM instead of a GPR. I don't know what you have over there, but if you have a GPR, then you won't see any glow plug codes even if they are bad.
That's a significant amount of oil unless you're towing heavy, really putting the engine under a load, or just really getting on it and driving it like it's a sports car in a race all the time.
How does your fuel filter look? Any signs of oil on the filter? Perhaps you've got bad injector o-rings? That might explain why you're ICP psi isn't jumping higher while cranking when cold during a hard start.
Original injectors? That's about when I changed mine. I saw no improvement from changing injectors, but I did notice a few o-rings that looked like they were about to start causing problems if I hadn't pulled the injectors when I did.
X2 on the EBPV being normal.
Maybe I'm the oddball, but every glow plug issue during cold start I've seen was accompanied by white smoke.
We typically don't see any codes at all for glow plugs unless you have a CA emissions vehicle that has a GPCM instead of a GPR. I don't know what you have over there, but if you have a GPR, then you won't see any glow plug codes even if they are bad.
How does your fuel filter look? Any signs of oil on the filter? Perhaps you've got bad injector o-rings? That might explain why you're ICP psi isn't jumping higher while cranking when cold during a hard start.
Original injectors? That's about when I changed mine. I saw no improvement from changing injectors, but I did notice a few o-rings that looked like they were about to start causing problems if I hadn't pulled the injectors when I did.
Maybe I'm the oddball, but every glow plug issue during cold start I've seen was accompanied by white smoke.
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Thread Starter
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Junior User
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Help appreciated
Hi There,
Hard start = twice as long as Tugly's start on UTube, Engine hunts and sounds like 1 or more of its lungs are not firing until warm, do not have heaters fitted down here temp cold is a bout 30degree F or 2degree C .
Yes does have a GPR , no emissions stuff
Oil useage = Yea this is when towing our fiver as the roads are quite steep and are not straight, so am on and off the go pedal constantly , has a garret turbo and no blue smoke
Not sure if original injectors ? Fuel filter changed at every second oil change , May have to look at tank pickup from what I have read here.
Will keep lookin when time allows
Brownie
Hard start = twice as long as Tugly's start on UTube, Engine hunts and sounds like 1 or more of its lungs are not firing until warm, do not have heaters fitted down here temp cold is a bout 30degree F or 2degree C .
Yes does have a GPR , no emissions stuff
Oil useage = Yea this is when towing our fiver as the roads are quite steep and are not straight, so am on and off the go pedal constantly , has a garret turbo and no blue smoke
Not sure if original injectors ? Fuel filter changed at every second oil change , May have to look at tank pickup from what I have read here.
Will keep lookin when time allows
Brownie
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