Cold start problems 95 7.3
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Cold start problems 95 7.3
So my truck hates t start in the cold. I have replaced glow plugs and under valve cover harnesses. My truck will struggle to start until it either starts or stops smoking. I have had this problem a few different times. I have the AE scanner I’ve played with it here and there. Recently my tach stopped showing my rpms while trying to start I replaced the cps the other day and no change. When it starts she runs great and has no trouble accelerating or idling. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Just picked up a new ipr but I’m hesitant to install it in case it’s not the problem
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 11,267
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From: Las Cruces New Mexico
Weak batterys, bad grounds/battery cables or a bad starter would cause hard cold starts, why? It's not spinning the engine fast enough it wont read the correct RPM not allowinh it to start.
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 9,498
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From: North Texas
THIS.
Make sure batts are 850CCA. Do the Stancor glow plug relay, takes about 5 minutes to install as the OE units are pretty crappy.
Knottyrope has a thread with tons of info on diagnosing weak starts. Check it out!
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 5,098
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From: western SD
When you first turn the key to the run position and the wait to start light comes on, does the volt gauge drop to around 9 volts +or - a little? If not,try jumping the 2 large bolts on the glow plug relay with a screw driver being careful to touch just the 2 bolts. Hold the screw driver on them for about 30 seconds then try to start. If I fires up the relay is bad, and needs replaced.
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Volt meter hasn’t worked since I got it. Last guy had an ambulance alternator on it said it took it out. Still running the same alternator. Charging the batteries now. They’re rated for 850 but pushing 590 and 568 at 12.2 volts. Gonna pick them up in the morning and try testing that relay
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2002
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From: North Texas
Pick up a cheapass Harbor Freight voltmeter to help test stuff, unless you have a better unit around.
Truck will charge low when GPs are lit for up to two minutes, depends on the oil temperature. It will be easy to tell if the relay works or not.
Truck will charge low when GPs are lit for up to two minutes, depends on the oil temperature. It will be easy to tell if the relay works or not.
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I have a good one lying around I’ll test everything tomorrow when I get my batteries back from the parts store. Gonna see what I can narrow it down to
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From: Sault St.Marie
A volt meter can tell you many things:
Get a 12 volt power adapter plug with about a 2 ft. cord. Cut off whatever is at the end and splice a small butt connector on each wire. The butt connectors fit tight on my volt meter test probe ends. Place it in view while in driverseat.
1). You can now, sitting in truck, test the resting voltage.
2). You can now test the glow plug activatived voltage.
3). You can now test the running voltage while glow plugs are still activated, up to 2 minutes on a cold engine.
4). You can test the cranking starter voltage.
All these tests are a load test which tell you the health of the charging & battery system.
My volt meter never leaves the truck.
Good luck, Bob
Get a 12 volt power adapter plug with about a 2 ft. cord. Cut off whatever is at the end and splice a small butt connector on each wire. The butt connectors fit tight on my volt meter test probe ends. Place it in view while in driverseat.
1). You can now, sitting in truck, test the resting voltage.
2). You can now test the glow plug activatived voltage.
3). You can now test the running voltage while glow plugs are still activated, up to 2 minutes on a cold engine.
4). You can test the cranking starter voltage.
All these tests are a load test which tell you the health of the charging & battery system.
My volt meter never leaves the truck.
Good luck, Bob
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 9,498
Likes: 2,020
From: North Texas
A volt meter can tell you many things:
Get a 12 volt power adapter plug with about a 2 ft. cord. Cut off whatever is at the end and splice a small butt connector on each wire. The butt connectors fit tight on my volt meter test probe ends. Place it in view while in driverseat.
1). You can now, sitting in truck, test the resting voltage.
2). You can now test the glow plug activatived voltage.
3). You can now test the running voltage while glow plugs are still activated, up to 2 minutes on a cold engine.
4). You can test the cranking starter voltage.
All these tests are a load test which tell you the health of the charging & battery system.
My volt meter never leaves the truck.
Good luck, Bob
Get a 12 volt power adapter plug with about a 2 ft. cord. Cut off whatever is at the end and splice a small butt connector on each wire. The butt connectors fit tight on my volt meter test probe ends. Place it in view while in driverseat.
1). You can now, sitting in truck, test the resting voltage.
2). You can now test the glow plug activatived voltage.
3). You can now test the running voltage while glow plugs are still activated, up to 2 minutes on a cold engine.
4). You can test the cranking starter voltage.
All these tests are a load test which tell you the health of the charging & battery system.
My volt meter never leaves the truck.
Good luck, Bob
AWESOME IDEA. I never considered that before!
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Thanks for the advice everyone. Update i checked the hpop Reservoir it was bone dry. Picked up some oil and filled it. She took a bit but started. I did try jumping the gpr it worked the first time but the second time I tried didn’t seem like it was doing anything. Showing oil pressure and tach is working again. Engine sounds a bit loud. Going to test gpr today and hook up the scanner will be back with more details. My question now is what would cause the hpop reservoir to drain like that
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Here’s the update for the day. After filling the hpop I ended up changing my oil since it needed to be done anyways. Ran the truck all day and she seems to be doing fine as she was before. Tested my gpr and it all looked to be fine. I already replaced glow plugs and the under valve cover harness. So tomorrow I’m going to rebuild the wiring harness from gpr to glow plug harness
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From: Sault St.Marie
One of my favorite mods ever was wiring in a manual momentary switch to activate the glow plugs.
1). Turn key to run position. Activate glow plugs depending on temps for X-amount of time.
2). Release switch.
3). Turn key to start. Starter with out glow plug has a lot more volts. Faster...
Wiring in the switch is simple.
Just another small piece to the 7.3 puzzle.
Enjoy. Bob
1). Turn key to run position. Activate glow plugs depending on temps for X-amount of time.
2). Release switch.
3). Turn key to start. Starter with out glow plug has a lot more volts. Faster...
Wiring in the switch is simple.
Just another small piece to the 7.3 puzzle.
Enjoy. Bob
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