Another HPOP/LPOP question

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Jan 12, 2014 | 11:16 AM

#16

madpogue

Lead Driver

Joined: Oct 2003

Posts: 8,476

Likes: 37

From: Madison, WI

Quote:

Originally Posted by powerstoked!

I will cycle the GP's a couple times before I even crank,

You realize that's about FOUR MINUTES of glow plug run time, right? If it requires anything close to that, something else is wrong. We started our truck on New Year's Eve after being parked for three days, +5F, not plugged in (off the grid cabin), I gave it about an extra 30 seconds of GP time, cranked an extra maybe 3 seconds, and lit.

Re. the "fire in the hole", a relatively safe way to do that is with charcoal in one of those flat camping charcoal grills. Once the coals have gotten red hot, there's little to no flame. You do have to watch for oil dripping off the engine and flaming up on the coals, just like when cooking.

Jan 13, 2014 | 12:16 AM

#17

mt96f350

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Joined: Jan 2014

Posts: 6

Likes: 0

From: Southern MT

Quote:

Originally Posted by powerstoked!

I have found that even when the motor sits and gets down into the 30's, you're going to experience at least a little harder start than normal. If it's a REALLY cold day (in the 20's for us California folk), I will cycle the GP's a couple times before I even crank, get them suckers and the combustion chamber good and warmed up. Then my truck cranks up fine.

If you still have a hard start problem in the cold, check and see if you have a block heater, and if you don't, install one.

Note:Start a SMALL fire in a trashcan lid or a bucket. Once the fire is going, plop that sucker under your oil pan.

I am very familiar with these trucks, I have had 2 Powerstrokes over the last 9 years and I know they are cold hearted. I thought my problem was something more serious (like the LPOP) because even plugged in my truck would not start. I realized that my block heater cord is shot, so the combination of no GPs and no block heater meant she wouldn't start for *****. I have started this truck down in the single digits without it plugged in, but that was back when the GPs were working.

Quote:

Originally Posted by madpogue

Re. the "fire in the hole", a relatively safe way to do that is with charcoal in one of those flat camping charcoal grills. Once the coals have gotten red hot, there's little to no flame. You do have to watch for oil dripping off the engine and flaming up on the coals, just like when cooking.

A version of this is actually how I got it started so I could move it to the garage to work on it. I used one of those contractor propane heaters blowing on the engine for about 45 min and then she fired.

About the glow plugs, I guess the previous owner only replaced the driver's side... (don't ask me why). But of the 4 Autolites he put in about 5 years ago, 3 were bad. On the passenger side where Motorcraft that have been in there at least 8 years and only 1 was bad. Says something about Autolites...