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Rough Cold Start

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Old Dec 26, 2021 | 03:27 PM
  #1  
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Rough Cold Start

Any idea on what causes this? Is it just a single bad glow plug or 2 maybe? The 1st winter I had it I could just wait for the wait light to turn off and it fired right up. The last couple winters it does this in the video below. I've learned to wait until the battery voltage comes back up letting me know the glow plugs turned off and then cycling the key again. It seems to start better if I try with the glow plugs active. When it's even cold it will lug so low on those revs it dies a couple times.

https://youtu.be/3lPf-zVN9Ik
 
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Old Dec 26, 2021 | 04:03 PM
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The start sounded weak. Load test the batteries. How's the oil level? 15W-40? 5W-40 will be easier on starting if you don't plug it in. You can check glow plug resistance to see if you have a bad one(s).
 
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Old Dec 26, 2021 | 04:24 PM
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Originally Posted by Bitterroot Diesel
The start sounded weak. Load test the batteries. How's the oil level? 15W-40? 5W-40 will be easier on starting if you don't plug it in. You can check glow plug resistance to see if you have a bad one(s).
I put the batteries in just over 2 years ago. I felt like it cranked about the same as it always does.

I'd have to check it but I typically check it every couple weaks and keep it closer to full than low. I'm running T4 so 15W-40.
 
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Old Dec 26, 2021 | 04:28 PM
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Worn injectors can cause issues in winter also. I'd recommend plugging it in or switching to 5w-40 for the winter.
 
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Old Dec 26, 2021 | 04:41 PM
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It will definitely fire off better if the glow plugs haven't timed out.
What happens when you cycle the glow plugs on for a minute. Then key off and back on again for 30 seconds? Does it fire stronger?

To check your glow plugs set your multimeter on ohms. Take your reading from the 9 pin connector right outside the valve cover. The outer 4 pins are your glow plugs. 2 on the left 2 on the right of ea 9 pin connector. Connect one lead of your meter to one pin and the other lead of your meter to a good ground, shiny bolt or upipe. Should read right around 2ohm for good glow plugs.
 
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Old Dec 26, 2021 | 05:55 PM
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I'll second switching to 5W-40 synthetic. If winter is cold in your area that will be a big plus.

 
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Old Dec 26, 2021 | 06:41 PM
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5w40 will help the romps. Do you have a chip? I had one tune that would do that even with 5w40 and new injectors. Found a different tune and it starts great now.
 
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Old Dec 26, 2021 | 09:17 PM
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Originally Posted by T-wood
It will definitely fire off better if the glow plugs haven't timed out.
What happens when you cycle the glow plugs on for a minute. Then key off and back on again for 30 seconds? Does it fire stronger?

To check your glow plugs set your multimeter on ohms. Take your reading from the 9 pin connector right outside the valve cover. The outer 4 pins are your glow plugs. 2 on the left 2 on the right of ea 9 pin connector. Connect one lead of your meter to one pin and the other lead of your meter to a good ground, shiny bolt or upipe. Should read right around 2ohm for good glow plugs.
I turn the key on for 2-3 minutes and then turn it off and back on again for about a minute and start it. If I don't usually do that then it will die several times after starting it.
Originally Posted by kbeefy
5w40 will help the romps. Do you have a chip? I had one tune that would do that even with 5w40 and new injectors. Found a different tune and it starts great now.
I hadn't thought about the tune. I had the chip the first winter but I was running the PHP tunes. I have 1023 tunes now. I run the daily driver/fuel economy tunes for both when starting. I can't recall for sure but I think I did have these tunes last winter so maybe that is the cause. I'll have to turn the Hydra back to 00 and try starting it to see is that changes anything. Thanks!

I'm sitting on a set of glow plugs and some Rotella T6 5w40 but I only drive the diesel once every week or 2 so I haven't put enough miles on the T4 to swap it out yet and there's no point in plugging it in since I don't drive it every day.
 
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Old Dec 27, 2021 | 10:31 AM
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Originally Posted by kbeefy
5w40 will help the romps. Do you have a chip? I had one tune that would do that even with 5w40 and new injectors. Found a different tune and it starts great now.
This morning it was 17 degrees out. I cycled the glow plugs three times with the Hydra set to 00 and it seemed worse. I started it 3 times and it kept dying after a few seconds. I switched it back to my daily 1023 tune and it stayed running on the first try but still ran rough like in the video. May have been a 4th time is the charm thing though.

Later today or tomorrow I'll try the PHP 65HP daily tune and see if it changes anything.
 
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Old Dec 27, 2021 | 10:49 AM
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It likely won't. Change that oil to 5W-40 as the guys here have suggested, and that romp will go away. I had the same thing.

Healthy GPs only need 5-10 seconds of on-time to light off the fuel/air mixture. It's not about heating the cylinder. It's about having a hot tip for the mixture to swirl around and ignite. Save those wasted amps for the starter.
 
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Old Dec 27, 2021 | 11:42 AM
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Originally Posted by BradyT88
I turn the key on for 2-3 minutes and then turn it off and back on again for about a minute and start it. If I don't usually do that then it will die several times after starting it.

I hadn't thought about the tune. I had the chip the first winter but I was running the PHP tunes. I have 1023 tunes now. I run the daily driver/fuel economy tunes for both when starting. I can't recall for sure but I think I did have these tunes last winter so maybe that is the cause. I'll have to turn the Hydra back to 00 and try starting it to see is that changes anything. Thanks!

I'm sitting on a set of glow plugs and some Rotella T6 5w40 but I only drive the diesel once every week or 2 so I haven't put enough miles on the T4 to swap it out yet and there's no point in plugging it in since I don't drive it every day.
I know you said there's no point in plugging it in but if you plug it in the night before and try to start it the next morning for diagnosis purposes that would be helpful. If all your glow plugs are in spec and the truck starts right up ( or much better) after being plugged in for a while then you may have some worn out injectors. I'm dealing with the same issue so I just put my extension cord on a timer and plug it in the night before which definitely helps with cold starting. In my case it's time for new injectors but definitely want to verify that your glow plugs are good first
 
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Old Dec 27, 2021 | 12:22 PM
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Timer is the way. Max temp is usually obtained after 3 hours.
 
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Old Dec 27, 2021 | 12:56 PM
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Brady thats a faily low mile truck isnt it?
I think i would try jumping the solenoid. This has saved me more than once. It can tell you quite a bit quickly. With the key on hold a screedrivrr on the two large terminals on your gpr. Hold it there 15-20 seconds. Then quickly jump in the cab and fire it up. If it doesnt grab a testlight and confirm that your gpr is cycling on.


 
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Old Dec 27, 2021 | 05:27 PM
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Originally Posted by T-wood
Brady thats a faily low mile truck isnt it?
I think i would try jumping the solenoid. This has saved me more than once. It can tell you quite a bit quickly. With the key on hold a screedrivrr on the two large terminals on your gpr. Hold it there 15-20 seconds. Then quickly jump in the cab and fire it up. If it doesnt grab a testlight and confirm that your gpr is cycling on.

If I turn the key on and quickly put a voltmeter across the 2 large terminals I should see 0 or close to 0 volts right? Although I suspect checking for 12 volts to ground on the load side of that relay would accomplish the same thing.
 
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Old Dec 27, 2021 | 05:33 PM
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You want to check the switched side of the relay while the relay is powered. Positive lead on relay, negative lead on ground.
 
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