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Cold Start, ideas for resolving

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Old Mar 14, 2026 | 05:56 PM
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Cold Start, ideas for resolving

I love my 2006 F250 SD 6.0L, purchased brand new. After 20 years, I'm having my first operational problem (I've had lot's of proactive maintenance done by Pro mechanics, as recommended by the Pros here on Ford-Trucks.com.

Cold starts were growing worse and worse... took the truck to Alamo Ford in Alamagordo (see PDF attached). I don't understand much of this, but hopefully some of the Pros here in FT-Forum can read the work to date and offer ideas.

They worked on it for 3 days trying to resolve the issues... great people, especially the Diesel mechanic (Cory). Per the attached writeup, installed a new GPCM and replaced one glow plug... inspected & tested all control wiring, all electrical values measured correctly, but still getting new "mystery codes". I opted to take the truck as a test... yesterday, still a very slight cold start... today a bad cold start, long revolutions, HUGE white smoke.

We are headed back to Alamagordo. Any and all ideas will be much appreciated.
 
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Old Mar 14, 2026 | 06:32 PM
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Originally Posted by billder99
I love my 2006 F250 SD 6.0L, purchased brand new. After 20 years, I'm having my first operational problem (I've had lot's of proactive maintenance done by Pro mechanics, as recommended by the Pros here on Ford-Trucks.com.

Cold starts were growing worse and worse... took the truck to Alamo Ford in Alamagordo (see PDF attached). I don't understand much of this, but hopefully some of the Pros here in FT-Forum can read the work to date and offer ideas.

They worked on it for 3 days trying to resolve the issues... great people, especially the Diesel mechanic (Cory). Per the attached writeup, installed a new GPCM and replaced one glow plug... inspected & tested all control wiring, all electrical values measured correctly, but still getting new "mystery codes". I opted to take the truck as a test... yesterday, still a very slight cold start... today a bad cold start, long revolutions, HUGE white smoke.

We are headed back to Alamagordo. Any and all ideas will be much appreciated.
There were codes for 7 glow plugs, but he changed only one?
 
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Old Mar 15, 2026 | 09:30 PM
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Yes, only 1 changed... I didn't realize there were codes for 7 glow plugs... I am meeting with the mechanic again tomorrow, I'll let him know... Thanks!!
 
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Old Mar 15, 2026 | 09:57 PM
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My 50 plus years wrenching , if 1 is bad , replace them all . It sucks having to remove all the accillaries multiple times as they all begin to fail. .
 
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Old Mar 18, 2026 | 10:37 AM
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Thanks Ashley. The tech here in NM decided to change the GPCM, just in case the new one is bad. Once they confirm the GPCM is not the issue, then they will replace all the glow plugs. Next, I guess they are looking at PCM and FICM... they will also be speaking with Regional Engineering (the Big Guru's in the West). There are two diesel mechanics here with a LOT of experience... I trust they are doing everything correctly.
 
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Old Mar 18, 2026 | 06:16 PM
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I've been through this scenario before. If the glow plug resistance, measured at the control module connectors, is close to out of spec and the meter has some inaccuracy, the meter can show the glow plug circuit as in spec while the module flags it as bad and refuses to power the circuit.
 
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