OK. The truck was running fine. It is a 2003 F250 with the 7.3L. I bought a MBRP 4" exhaust from the up pipe all the way back. I also bought a wicked wheel from Clay at RiffraffDiesel with the pedestal o-ring kit. I pulled everything apart and replaced the O-rings in the bottom of the pedestal, took the old turbo wheel out of the housing and installed the wicked wheel. I put new orings between the perestal and turbo and installed the new bolts and clip to secure the rod to the flapper valve on the down pipe side of the exhaust. I reconnected all the plug wires and installed new intercooler boots and clamps. Put the intake back on and batteries back in the truck. Went to start it and it will not fire over. It will just crank and not start.
What did I do wrong and what should I look at or test to see why it wont start up?
Thanks for the help,
Crazyotto1
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Did you look on the back of the Hpop to see if you knocked off the IPR plug or nut off?

 

Valve cover harnesses plugged in tight?
Chaffed wires on 42 pin connector.
Just throwing out a few ideas, things that may have gotten knocked loose.

 

I checked all the connection on the HPOP and they were good, The Valve cover harnesses were not removed and I checked them for tightness as well. I will have to look for the chaffed wires as I did not do that yet. Will have to wait until tomorrow as it is now dark outside.
How can I check the fuel heater element? The manual says waxing of the fuel can happen if the fuel heater element isn't working making the vehicle hard to start or not start at all. The manual just says how to replace it and nothing about testing it. The truck was down for about a week as I started all the mods last weekend and then had to quit as the wife had other things planned. I know it is something easy but just don't know where to start.
Both batteries are really new and have great amperage, when it turns over it is fast and has a stumble at the same point of the rotation of the engine during every revolution.
Thanks for the help guys, keep it coming.
Crazyotto1
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Fuel heater is on fuse no. 30 and will usually blow that fuse when it burns out. The truck will turn over but no start. If that fuse is blown, unplug the fuel bowl and leave it unplugged before you replace the fuse. Try starting with the heater unplugged.
Are you getting a wait to start light?

 

Yes, The wait to start light will illuminate then go out after a couple of seconds. Does that mean it is good? I will check the fuse in the morning, is it under the dash?
Thanks

 

I don't recall exactly where that fuse is. I would check them all. Also check cranking voltage. You don't describe any work that might cause a no start.

 

I want to say the 30A fuse that powers the fuel heater is under the hood somewhere. It also powers the PCM. This is based off of reading, not experience. Also, fuse #30 in the in-cab fuse panel also powers the PCM, IDM and wastegate solenoid on at least some trucks, not sure if all of them. Might be worth checking out.

 

I don't know of any under the hood fuses on a 2003 all of them are under the dash. Also you need to be sure that you are getting fuel to the injectors and it would be good to monitor ICP if you have any way of doing that. Anybody with AE in your area?

 

I would start with basics:

1:you need fuel: is the filter full? dose fuel flow with the key in run position and fuel drain valve cracked?

1a:you need HPO Oil/Oil: check the level in the HPOP by pulling the allen bolt in the top. It should be an inch or 2 down.

You need air: Did you leave a shop rag in the turbo or something......I can't think of a way to choke off a 7.3 well enough to keep it from staring on accident.

Compression: I doubt this is the issue, it was running so...

Exhaust: Even with a plugged exhaust most diesels will start and then blow whatever it is out the exhaust.

 

no one I know with an AE around me. I'm not getting any check engine lights if that helps. I went out this morning and checked the HPOP oil level and it was about an inch from the top, should be good. I also checked fuse 30 under the dash and it was good. I then put a test light on it and it never lit up. I even turned on the ignition switch with the wait to start light illuminated and the test light never lit. The wait to start light will go out a couple of moments later and it still cranks with no starting. I also opened the fuel valve to empty the fuel bowl and turned the ignition switch on and it started pouring fuel out and I could here the pump working. Before I opened the fuel valve there was a little puddle of fresh fuel in the valley of the engine and I noticed that there is a very slight drip (less then 3 drops per minute) coming from something below the fuel valve (might be the fuel valve, I don't know) I am now going to remove the whole fuel bowl and clean it up and replace the filter. I will then see if I can find out where that small leak is coming from.
Anymore suggestions? I'm at a loss. Before I remove the fuel bowl I will check the valve cover electrical connections to make sure they are tight and in good shape.
Side note: This is the first winter I have owned this truck and the first of the cold weather finally hit us here while I had the truck down, do you think I need any anti gel solution or anything like that?
Thanks again,
Crazyotto1

 

On most trucks, the fuel bowl valve will dump out of a tube running down the front of the engine. If yours doesn't, something is mis-plumbed. The small leak probably means you need a fuel bowl rebuild kit. Oh the fuel bowl valve dumps fairly quickly...

 

You could try pulling the ICP plug off then try to start it.
pulling the plug will default the fuel pressure.
Also while you have the plug off it. look in to the plug side of the relay its self and look for oil in it. if it has oil in it,
if so it will go out soon. this may not be your problem but it is part of a quick diagnosis for fuel pressure problems.

like said above, take the 42 pin plug off the driver side valve cover.
twist it over and look to see if the lower wires are starting to rub through. it may have just started and with you laying over the engine may have grounded it out.

 

What concerns me is that your wait to start light is not staying on very long. What about testing the GPR and ohming the glow plugs? If you find a bad GPR use can use the intake heater as a substitute and I would recommend getting the beefier GPR than the OEM type. If you find a bad glow plug, change them all with the Motorcraft ones.

You can take a heavy gage wire, 6 ga, and connect the two large connections on top of the GPR and see if it starts, holding the wire on the GPR for about 20 sec.

Like Lartross said Replace all the orings on the bowl including the drain valve. If one leaks the rest are soon to go and go they will.

 

Have you checked your voltage on your batteries ? What all plugs did you unplug , There are two plugs that are the same and can be accidentally interchanged and if they are it will not start.