A bit of back story:

I had to make an emergency trip from the great white northlands of Alaska, to my hometown of Phoenix AZ cause my dad had a stroke...he gave me a vehicle that I have to tow home. So I found a 95 f250 4x4 7.3 psd E4OD(good old farm truck) for relatively cheap ($2500) and being so happy with my 94.5 f250 7.3 4x4 5 speed, I couldn't pass it up.

I knew going into this the previous owner plugged it in when they would need it and let the failed glow plug relay collect dust in the engine bay, and also knew that it had a broken 1-2 accumulator spring in the tranny.

I went through the usual PSD pre purchase checklist. And found nothing serious and bought the truck.

I changed all the glow plugs to zf-11, replaced the glow plug relay, replaced the broken accumulator spring and changed the tranny fluid and filter. Changed the oil and filter, replaced the air filter and fuel filter.

I didn't drive it at all while doing this.

Now it has a hard time starting in the am, night time temps have been between 40-50f

Fuel pressure 45# at the Schraeder valve on the bowl

Hpop reservoir stays within 1/2" of the top

Glow plugs on for correct time and draw 200-140amps on the circuit

Tack works properly

WTS light works properly

No codes stored in comp



I found the following that seem sub par to the recommendations

Sometimes lots of white smoke while cranking, sometimes none
- this leads me to believe it's a fuel delivery issue due to too thick of oil and probobly worn injector popets

(Thinking back, I was getting white smoke prior to replacing the glow plug relay-so I think my assessment here may be incorrect)


New oil was delo400 15/40
- I should have used lighter oil from what I've read

Cranking rpm 100-200
-should be 900 according to what I've read- although batteries are less than 1yr old according to the sticker


I'm looking for any advice for other things to check and recommendation for oil to use. I've always used delo400 15-40 in my 94.5 but it's a garage princess and never gets left in the cold other than the grocery store parking lot for an hour or so.

I'm at my Whigs end w this, and my wife is starting to go a bit crazy home alone in Alaska. I'm pretty sure the problem is weak batteries and too thick oil but just wanted to see if anything comes to mind from you who know more than I.

Thanks for any help

 

15-40 oil should be fine at 40-50 degrees. I use it year around and it gets a lot colder here. Does the engine spin over fast? If not the starter may be getting tried. What are the CCA on the batteries? You should have 850 CCAs in the truck. The battery cable connections need to be shinny clean on both ends. If the fuel pressure was 45 lbs. while running, that is a little low, it should be around 60.

 

Most PSD's will only read 200 RPM while cracking over. I run 15-40 up here in frozen Fargo ND.

If you drive it does the smoke go away??

The smoke sometimes and not others leads me to think your GP's aren't always turning on or there not all working. You can ohm then out with the VC's on. Think the gp's are the outside pins on the vc plugs.

 

The smoke was only present while cranking and not starting. Once it starts it runs just like my other truck. Once I replaced the glow plug relay that symptom went away, although tomorrow morning I'll have another opportunity to double check that.

I am at a loss here, if 15/40w should work...the only thing I know to do is replace my batteries on a hunch, although I've read more "cranking rpm" posts that say 150-200 is normal...the guy that said 900 must have slipped a finger...

I think in the morning I'll put my dads battery booster on it when I try to start it, if that helps i think I'll have found my problem...although if that does not help I'm tempted to take it to a shop in a town where I don't know anybody...potentially big $$$$$$$$!$

I'd rather not go that route, I haven't paid a mechanic to do my dirty work in over 20 years

 

Try bridging the two big posts on the glow plug relay for 30seconds and try to start it, if it does start suspect relay.