cold start issue

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Mar 14, 2020 | 10:04 AM

ballbandit

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Joined: Apr 2006

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From: grorgetown,in

cold start issue

2000 7.3. new glow plugs. harness and relay. truck wont start unless plugged in for an hr in 55 degree weather. no white smoke qhen cranking. has a lil bit of blackish coming out pipe. hpo goes to 1200 when cranking. i just cant grasp why plugging it in it will start. batteries are good and cranks over fine. rpms are coming up also. once it starts can start like nothing long as its warm.

Mar 14, 2020 | 11:04 AM

Wes444

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From: Muskogee, Ok

What brand glow plugs?
Relay tested good?

Mar 14, 2020 | 11:39 AM

arto_wa

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From: Southwest WA

Here is another thread on the same subject.

Pretty good reading I think:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...550-7-3-a.html

Mar 14, 2020 | 11:47 AM

arto_wa

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From: Southwest WA

As you can see in the post #9, I switched many years ago from 15W-40 dino oil to Shell Rotella T6 5w-40 Synthetic due to similar problems, after being up in the mountains overnight at around 20F.

No issues since so far...

Couple of old threads discussing switching to lower viscosity synthetic for a similar reason:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1283854-changing-over-to-synthetic-oil-for-cold-start-issues-how-many-miles-before-its-working.html

And here:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...hetic-oil.html

Mar 14, 2020 | 04:24 PM

ballbandit

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From: grorgetown,in

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wes444

What brand glow plugs?
Relay tested good?

motorcraft and reay is good

Mar 15, 2020 | 06:42 AM

ajbrown208

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From: North East Arkansas.

Load test your batteries individually. There is a difference between good batteries and fully charged load tested batteries. Then double check and clean your main battery connections. There is no need to check anything else until this part is 100%. Always start at the source.

Mar 15, 2020 | 11:26 AM

arto_wa

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From: Southwest WA

No harm doing so, but please note the OP said:

"batteries are good and cranks over fine. rpms are coming up also"

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Mar 15, 2020 | 12:37 PM

ajbrown208

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From: North East Arkansas.

Quote:

Originally Posted by arto_wa

No harm doing so, but please note the OP said:

"batteries are good and cranks over fine. rpms are coming up also"

Thank you for your participation in this thread. I think we can get this guy going again. I have read the thread carefully. The first and foremost test of any no start scenario with these 7.3 is battery voltage. You need three voltage readings. Battery voltage with key off, key first turned on (Listening for the GP Relay), and voltage while cranking. Many have bypassed this step; myself included, because after all the engine is turning over...…
I had a cold start situation this past winter. The engine block heater had to be plugged in when the temperature dropped below 45*F. Or it was going to take forever to start, if it started at all. The problem turned out to be ONE and I repeat ONE dead cell in ONE battery. My last cold start was at 12*F without block heater plugged in. So any thread I respond to in a no start scenario, always starts here. Thanks again.