My 89 F-250 will start and run for about 10 seconds and then die. After that, it will crank several times but has always started until today. I have seen the other threads regarding starting problems with the 7.3. Tonight I cranked it without success until the batteries began to go flat. Not so much as a "pop". I checked for water, but the separator was clean. I guess I may have a drainback problem or maybe something else. I haven't had the truck for long, and don't have an owner's manual so maybe I'm not using the proper method for starting. All I usually do is wait for the glowplug light to go out and then crank the engine. Should I be giving her any throttle too? Thanks for any help or suggestions.

 

my 89 diesel states in the manual to "half throttle when cranking the engine during warm weather and full throttle during cold weather" sounds kinda dumb, but I do it now and it does start better for me.

 

Thanks Jeff.

I'll give that a try tomorrow morning after the batts have had time to recharge overnight. Also going to use a test light and check each glow plug. I'll post back with my results. Fingers crossed!

 

When it runs for 10 seconds and then dies, you have a fuel bleed off problem. If you see no fuel on the engine it may be the check valve in the pump return line at the filter. Lots of people are blocking the return line off and eliminating this problem.

Do you notice any difference if you park it nose up the hill or down the hill?
Usually when it is parked with the front downhill it is not as bad.

 

not sure, could be a bleed off problem, talked to several of my shade tree mechanic friends, my 94 had a similar problem, the truck would just crank and crank untill finally running down the batteries. They said fuel pump selonoid had to have 12 volts to activate fuel pump and continuous flow to engine, which made sence since I jumped with key on glow plug light out for about 10-15 min and volt guage read approx. 13-13.5 volts, truck started right up smoked like he-- but started none the less. See if this process helps if so, your batteries may have a dead cell, if not check the cross over wire connecting the two batteries and see if it is corroded or broken, sometimes batteries can be good but if the wire is damaged in any way, may be drawing power to starter off of only one and if this one has a bad cell, your voltage will drop and the selenoid will not activate system to engine.

On the other hand, if all this checks ok,
check for fuel on intake underside back, may have a fuel line rupture and bleed off, fuel filter housing at bottom, check to make sure bleeder is closing all the way, and that the gasket on top is dry and not pouring fuel out. If there is a active (not Disabled) in return line check valve, it coull be obstructed or faulty and letting fuel pressure bleed off or potentially siphonage to tank and when you crank the motor, could be airing up the injectors. Try this and let me know how it comes out.

Mark

 

Well,
After recharging the batteries overnight and checking the glowplugs, I tried to start the beast. She went around about three times on the starter and then lit off. Ran a little rough, so I decided to let her run for a while and then went for a good long drive to be sure the batts were topped off. Using Jeff's suggestion of half-throttle when cranking seems to have done the trick. I drove the truck several times yesterday, so I had a number of opportunities to start her back up. Each time using half-throttle, the engine would light-off in 1-2 revolutions. Now it is starting better than ever. Amazing what proper technique will do. I'm not out of the woods yet because there is a small fuel leak somewhere near the rear tank. Probably spend a good portion of the day tracking that one down, and hopefully correcting the problem. Thanks to all who offered suggestions and advice. I'm sure I'll be back again with more questions.

Cheers,
MaxQ

1989 F-250 Extended cab 4X4 7.3L w/ 306,000 miles

 

There is a fast idle and timing advance on our engines which does the same as a choke on a gasser, gives more fuel for starting cold. I would not disregard the thought of air intrusion though........visit this site for all the air leak points possible on jut the fuel filter and header....... http://www.intellidog.com/dieselmann/idi2.htm

 

PLC7.3

Good advice. I'm by no means convinced that everything is fine just yet. I do have one injector which "weeps", and the previously-mentioned leak at the rear tank. Air intrusion is a very real possibility, however, I think my lack of knowing thr recommended starting procedure was compounding the problem. Thanks for the link too.

 

when I try the links you are posting, I always get redirected to motorhaven.com homepage. Am I doing somehting wrong ?

 

Open another browser window and copy and paste the links to the new window.