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Old Oct 10, 2004 | 01:21 PM
  #1  
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difficulty starting

over the past 2 weeks or so, my '95 has had trouble starting in the morning. it will crank and crank, but just won't turn over. the engine has 195K on it, and i don't have a clue as to its repair history such as glow plugs, injectors or anyhitng else like that. when i crank it, it blows lots of white smoke. if i cycle the ingition switch enough times and crank more, over the next couple of minutes, it will eventually start...still more than a bit disturbing. any ideas? changing the glow plugs was suggested, but i'm lookin for any other ideas.

thanks
 
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Old Oct 10, 2004 | 01:57 PM
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From: STEPHENVILLE,TX!!!!!
have you tried plugging in your block heater in the mornin before you go?
how cold is it there? checked your glow plug fuses and relay?
 
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Old Oct 10, 2004 | 02:00 PM
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i'm lucky if it hits as low as 70 degrees here when i leave at 7.... heck, my mom keeps it like 82 in the house....but thats a different story.....the relay (i'm guessing thats what a replaced, it was on top of the engine under the cover) was replaced a couple months ago and i don't have a clue as to where the glow plug fuse is...
 
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Old Oct 10, 2004 | 03:24 PM
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Originally Posted by RedStroker6
over the past 2 weeks or so, my '95 has had trouble starting in the morning. it will crank and crank, but just won't turn over. the engine has 195K on it, and i don't have a clue as to its repair history such as glow plugs, injectors or anyhitng else like that. when i crank it, it blows lots of white smoke. if i cycle the ingition switch enough times and crank more, over the next couple of minutes, it will eventually start...still more than a bit disturbing. any ideas? changing the glow plugs was suggested, but i'm lookin for any other ideas.

thanks
Real hard to start (insert any brand here) diesels blowing smoke during cranking and difficult cold start is 99.5% chance of being burned out glow plugs and/or power to them. Don't look anywhere else until you have verified good glow plug operation. You're just wasting your time until then.
 
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Old Oct 10, 2004 | 04:23 PM
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how would i go about checking to see if any of my glow plugs are burned out/not recieving power? i've seen a couple sites on here about how to change them, but it was vague on how to check them before pulling everything apart
 
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Old Oct 11, 2004 | 07:58 PM
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You can check the resistance of each of them at the connectors on the valve covers. should be somewhere from .6 to 2.0 ohms.
 
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Old Oct 12, 2004 | 08:27 AM
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hard start

Originally Posted by Kwikkordead
Real hard to start (insert any brand here) diesels blowing smoke during cranking and difficult cold start is 99.5% chance of being burned out glow plugs and/or power to them. Don't look anywhere else until you have verified good glow plug operation. You're just wasting your time until then.
I own a 1996 F250 powerstroke ive changed glow plugs replaced batteries, and still have trouble starting same senario as above please is there any info on this thanks ...
 
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Old Oct 12, 2004 | 08:49 AM
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I had same problem last year. Turned out to be bad glow plug relay. If the relay has two big terminals and two small terminals on top, use a wrench or screwdriver to jump the two big terminals for about 30 seconds or more. Then try it, if it works, bad relay.
 
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Old Oct 13, 2004 | 07:54 PM
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This just happened to me and I was going crazy I went to the remote starter company and asked them what they did wrong oops,what I had not realized is that I had a battery go bad and replaced it the week before the inspection window was red on the battery but the other one was green the guy explained to me that the battery showing green was bad and I said how can that be he said that the window only shows the one cell and that when one battery goes bad sometimes it melts the lead together in the good battery killing it too and the vehicle needs 24 volts to start I replaced the 2nd battery and it is fine now I'm not saying that this is the problem just another option.
 
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Old Oct 13, 2004 | 10:06 PM
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the truck does need a lot of power to start, but it starts just fine after its run or in the afternoon after work or any other time. but if its the slightest bit cool (maybe, 75 degrees, in texas, gimmie a break), it has trouble starting. i cycle the plugs a few times and it eventually starts....so i'm guessin i get to change the plugs when i get around to the 80$$....what are the best plugs to use and where to get them?
 
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Old Oct 13, 2004 | 10:12 PM
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Originally Posted by RedStroker6
the truck does need a lot of power to start, but it starts just fine after its run or in the afternoon after work or any other time. but if its the slightest bit cool (maybe, 75 degrees, in texas, gimmie a break), it has trouble starting. i cycle the plugs a few times and it eventually starts....so i'm guessin i get to change the plugs when i get around to the 80$$....what are the best plugs to use and where to get them?
Beru brand. I have no idea where to get them in Texas.
 
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Old Oct 14, 2004 | 11:23 AM
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Originally Posted by Kwikkordead
Beru brand. I have no idea where to get them in Texas.
Autozone carries the Beru/Motorcraft GP's.
 
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Old Oct 14, 2004 | 05:00 PM
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From: China Grove, TX
is Beru the same as motorcraft? because o'reilly's, advance and pep-boys all had motorcrafts, (no Beru) but only 1 guy had ever heard of Beru...and he suggest Napa (but i got issues with them). thanks a bunch cookie

adam
 
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Old Oct 14, 2004 | 06:16 PM
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just so you guys know,if one battery goes bad you are supposed to replace both my ford tech told me just a quick FYI.because the old one will suck the life out of the new one and he also said that if one battery is off on it's charge the vehicle won't start just in case anyone ever comes accross this one.
 
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Old Oct 14, 2004 | 10:31 PM
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Beru is who or where the plugs are manufactured, Motorcraft is the seller. I had a similar problem with my truck, hard start when luke cold, white smoke, cycling the plugs way too many times. It turned out to be the starter, it seemed to be working O.K. but it was drawing too many amps and starving the GPR. I installed a rebuilt from Ford and now it starts fast every time and the plugs don't cycle as long as they used to.
 
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