A coworker of mine has a 2004 F-350 psd that crank's real fast cold but wont start. When warm it crank's normal, and start's right up.
He said he has to plug it in, or it wont start, but when he does get it started it runs great. Local garage tells him the HPOP is shot.
He has recently bought an FICM from Ed, a DC alternator from ed, and had 2 injector's replaced, and 2 new battery's. This truck only has about 40-50,000 miles on it. It has the ICP in the valve cover.
What do you all think?
Ironically, He uses it to plow snow. So not starting in cold is a bit of a problem!
Edit: He is very garage reliant, which is fine, but we don't have a good diesel tech locally. The reason he put 2 injector's in was because the dealer broke the FICM harness installing his FICM, and rather than double check it, he (The tech) pulled the injector's.

 

No start cold but start hot sure doesn't sound like an HPOP problem to me. That's exactly reversed. Sounds more like a glowplug issue to me, but that normally gives a CEL. Truck needs to be code scanned and ICP/IPR values monitored. Does it smoke while cold cranking?

 

Sounds like a FICM power or FICM synch issue.

One thing to check is to re-seat the FICM connectors.

Josh

 

Or maybe a FICM relay sticking??

 

Thanks Fella's. I will tell him to double check the FICM. He has no engine light's. He asked me about it friday, and I too thought it didn't sound like oil pump issue's. I was wondering if it was IPR/ICP related, maybe.

 

That's certainly possible.

Either way, I highly doubt an HPO issue at this point. Most likely electrical.

Josh

 

I would also check both ECT and EOT and TFT readings after a cold soak. If one sensor were showing an incorrect temp it could effect glow plug cycle time. Otherwise while the GP light is on see if the battery voltage drops about a volt and time how long they stay on with a cold engine.

 

Make sure your oil filters housing fills up as well. Oem oil filter and cap??? Oil may be draining back down after a cold soak.

 

A redneck way to check the FICM is to use a hair dryer or heat gun on the FICM then do a cold start. If it starts better the FICM is bad.

You sort of see that with the better starting with the block heater plugged in. The heat soak also warms up the FICM allowing it to work better cold.

The temp sensors, nor the glow plugs are not the issue with this engine.

Josh

 

I have a friend that has a 6.0 and is having a same issue........replaced the glow plugs .....still will not start .....so I asked him what type of oil he as using......mind you the temps here have been below 32.....so he says ......rotella t 15-40.......could that be the problem ?

 

I wouldn't rule out the GP's....


Last winter I would have to plug in my block heater if my EOT and/or ECT dropped below 40 degrees and after a glow plug change this summer I have started with no problems as low as 10 so far.

I wasn't getting any cel codes either.


side note.... 100 bucks for the plug wire pulling tool and the plugs and took me 2 hrs start to finish for all 8 plugs on an august afternoon has made my winter so much easier


~Josh

 

Shouldn't use 15/40 below 30 degrees.

Should still start "ok" down into the 20s with 15/40 though.

Josh

 

I agree with Josh. 15w40 wont keep it from starting but the colder it gets with it in there the more the truck will complain to you about it.

 

Thanks fellas......I told him I would check here and see what everyone thought......he replaced the gp's.......all of them.....keeps it pluged in everyday @ work....starts right up......but keep it off the block heater and hard to start

 

FICM... Nuff said

Josh