I posted this in super duty not realizing I wasn't in the diesel section but oh well

1999 7.3 Doesn't like to start
I have this 1999 f250 lariat with 165,000 miles that I need some help on. I've left this truck plugged in for 3 winters now and I'm tired of it. Basically I have read 50 threads about other people's trucks but I have more questions than answers. So year before last I found the glow plug relay and glow plug harness was fried. I replaced those, glow plugs and the crank sensor. When it didn't work I took it to a truck shop.
He recommended replacing the battery harness without doing anything but opening the hood.. So I redid the wiring and replaced the batteries(one was bad), to no avail. All summer it worked great until fall. When it hit 50 degrees I started over. I changed the oil replaced the batteries again(autozone garbage) and a week later the starter died. I replaced that also. I that point I just left it plugged in.
So this year I had an issue at 55 degree day and replaced the fuel filter. I opened hpop and oil is 3/4 up. I have no engine light, rpm is fine and oil level is half up the stick. When cranking the truck will puff white smoke and when it first starts it blows white. It runs great when it warms up ands starts perfect when plugged it. On a very rare occasion it will start cold after 5-10 tries and run very rough for a few minutes. I have to keep the gas pedal pressed to keep it going. During cranking it will half turn over, blow a cloud and stall. Once it's started it will restart easy within the next few hours.
Personally I believe it's fuel delivery but I'm not an expert.
Any suggestions as to where I should start? ID like to avoid the ford dealer to save money but if it comes to that I will bite the bullet. Thanks everyone

 

With those symptoms, I'd double check the glow plugs and relay, and run an injector buzz test with a cold engine.

 

I did what you said and the glow plug relay was bad again. I replaced it and it still took forever to start. It appears I will have to get my hands on a scan tool to do the injector buzz test. I will have to look into that

 

Did you use OEM glow plugs? If the relay stayed on it will burn out the glow plugs in minutes. Use OEM parts on this kind of stuff.

 

No I didn't buy oem. I bought off advanced auto and I didn't get the cheapest but not the most expensive either

 

Where are you located?
Maybe one of us could stop bye and scan it for you.

 

You may want to read my cold start thread linked in my signature. It's a lot of stuff, but I had all my stuff like yours start at about 155-165,000 miles. Mine ended up being injectors...I am just saying.

 

I'm in king of Prussia, Pennsylvania. I will read your cold start thread. I fear bad injectors.

 

With stock injectors and only 165K I would say glow plug system. Its easy to ohm out, like I said if your relay is out again then you replaced it, if it stuck on for any length of time it would burn out the glow plugs. If you have more then one not up to stuff it won't start. And if there not motorcraft plugs you could have even more problems. Anyway report back when you find the problem. This is a learning site and most guys here are very good on knowing what there talking about.