Hey guys i am here in Georgia with a 2002 automatic 4x4 7.3 f250 Diesel.
It got a little cold here and i started having starting issues. It start 30 seconds later idle rough poof some white smoke then shut off. Id wait a minute then it would crank a little longer then start and be fine for the day. Happened for about a week. Then all of a sudden one night after driving all day wouldnt start at all. Also Check engine/glow plug/abs/battery light/ check gage lights wont go off at all. I did some research and started with my glow plugs, went in took them out tested them with multimeter on ohms and all 8 were bad. showed OL on 20 replaced all 8 then put back together, got 2 brand new batteries and still wont start. The dash lights are still not going out. It cranks but never fires. Sounds like it cranks normal for 10 seconds then continues to crank but sounds a little different. I also replaced fuel filter and there is fuelin the housing. Anything helps! thanks

 

I believe your 7.3 is a powerstroke, not an IDI. Wish I could helps, but it's the wrong forum.

 

Yeah; you need to post this in the 7.3 PSD forum.
This one: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum31/

We are all mechanical IDI guys over here, none of this newfangled computer or HEUI stuff here!

 

Bump to the top.

 

Check your oil level.

Likely 2.5 gallons low.

 

You shouldn't need glow plugs when the engine's been running all day. But as long as you replaced them (not autolites I hope) check the glow plug relay. Stancor relays were a pretty popular upgrade.

Pulling the codes is the best place to start. My guess is a bad CPS. (replace with Ford or IH only).

 

Lots of good suggestions here, and I have a few extra. The order I would do the previously mentioned and new things would be:

1) Check oil level
2) Check fuel level is over 1/4 tank (if not, you may have a broken pickup foot in tank and it is sucking air, so just fill up over a 1/4 and keep it there until you have time to drop tank and fix)
3) Check to make sure the Tinnerman nut is on your IPR or is not loose. If it is missing it will be in the valley possibly along with the magnet that the nut holds on.
4) Replace GP Relay (easy and cheap to do)
5) Replace CPS (also easy and cheap to do)

 

You might consider buying a ScanGuage II. AutoZone has them for $160 and it will pay for itself in cases like this plus monitor live data.

 

have you checked your oil level? this is an HEUI system, and by design (IIRC) if the Oil is 1.5 Qts or MORE low it WILL NOT fire, also if you have an android based tablet that you have no use for you have one now, grab a program called Torque Pro (check my signature for the FAQ, very good read) it will 100% be the BEST $5 you EVER spend in the google store, also grab (if you want a good quality OBD interface) the OBDLink MX (bloo tooth it to the tablet) and there you go you have a full fledge mechanics grade diagnostic suit for the truck, once you have that we can guide you on what to check and what sensors to check and based on given vales better guide you into finding a resolution so were not just throwing $$$$$ at the truck and throwing parts at your truck either.


I understand I am asking you to "throw money" at your truck with my suggestion however Torque pro also allowed you to have a way to monitor your truck live as you drive so in all honesty after the first time of using it to help solve a problem it will pay its self back to you.

another suggestion is to look for any post by Tugly, he does have a few other links that are in his sig that are great reads also

here are a few things that I also will strongly recomend reading so we can at least attempt to better assist you, Welcome to FTE and we hope you enjoy your stay.

Powerstroke diagnosis

No start/hard start? CLICK ME! I am your best friend......No....seriously I will be....

Does your truck have the rumblie in its tumbly? not feeling to good in the stomach, click this, here is one possible cure!!


oK I know it is kinda hokie, but its ment to get a laugh and make this easyier for ya, maybe cheer you up a bit, but the links above are for troubleshooting a sick truck, and right now your truck is sick, its either got a "sick stomache" IE time for a hutch mod and harpooning of the tank (solves the dead truck at 1/4 empty tank problemor clogged pick up screens) or you have some sensor thats failed or some other issue, that is the other links. I know this may seem like a tonne of info being shovled on you in about 2.2 seconds but all this info is here to help you out again Welcome to the brother hood and we will work to get your truck up and running again.



PS: all relivent links can be found in my signature as well.

 

I've been nearly a GALLON low

 

Good point. My Mom's '02 has leaked badly in the past(stupid HPOP O-rings), and I recall being over a gallon low several times and being quite concerned about being too low and damaging something.
This was before I realized that if you ever do get that low, the engine just dies due to no injection... which hasn't ever happened.

 

UPDATE??? Everyone here wants to know how it's going...we truly want to help. Also, if you edit your original post and put your physical location in the body of the text (because you don't have enough posts for it to show up automatically), someone may be in your area who would be willing to help out. It's called the FTE Brotherhood. I can speak from firsthand experience that there are some of the best people on the planet on this website. My first posts on this site were to ask someone to come and help me (I was a complete stranger to the forum), and someone did. He (Mueckster) and his wife are now close friends that I would do anything for.

 

Valve cover gaskets have wires in them...

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...ck-shakes.html

 

Merged multiple posts and moved to related forum.