I went out to fire up the truck today and although it sounded like it wanted to go it didn't.
It is only -38 this morning and it was plugged in. I think it may be flooded.
I do not want to have to go out there and pull 10 plugs in these temps.
I know my uncles used to light a bucket of oil under the tractors when they got to cold but that trick won't work here.
The kids had to walk to school and its a good thing I didn't have to work today.
Tomorrow is a different story......

 

Did you try pressing on the gas pedal at all while cranking? Your IAC might be stuck - especially at those temps.

Did it start up during the day?

If it won't even start by pressing on the gas, I'd check fuel pressure and check for spark.

The fuel pressure is easy, it's on the fuel rail. The spark, you'd have to remove a COP, leaving it plugged into the wiring harness, put a plug in the end, ground the plug and crank.

If you don't get spark, it's probably the crank sensor.

ANOTHER thing to check : When you turn the key to "run" before starting it, does the Check Engine light come on? If not, the ECM doesn't have power.

 

I can smell fuel so I think its a matter of warming it up. I"m going to put a heavy canvas tarp across and shovel snow on the edges to seal it in. I have a propane fired space heater that I will heat it with.
I think you may be onto something with the IAC as the idle has been a bit up and down lately. If it won't fire up by supper I will be removing that 1st.

 

Try a new set of plugs. Tune it up

 

I put a new set in in the summer.

 

If your smelling fuel ,becareful with the space heater.
Chk to make sure you don't have a busted or frozen fuel line along the frame.
does it crank good ?
you can use starting fluid also ,just not too much.
Rich

 

Key word "starting fluid" ei not ether!!! unless you know what your doing with ether just stick to good ol box store starting fluid. Does the engine turn over very fast?? If not just try jumping it with a running vehicle to get it spinning a little faster, it worked for me this morning when starting one of the work vehicles that hadn't been run in 2 months and it being -20* this morining. How about a block heater, if you don't have one you may want to look into one, there cheap and you can probably have a shop put one in for less then a 100 bones, mine only cost me $65 installed and it makes a huge difference on a cold day! Your Idea of using a tarp and a heater will work just be carefull not to burn anything up, it may take a few hours (3-5) to get the temp of the engine itself warm enough. In know even when I pull into my heated shop it takes 2-3 hours before the sheet metal on the truck feels the same as the rest of the shop! Good Luck

 

We still need you to find out if pushing the gas pedal a little bit gets it to start?!?!?!

Also, is the engine turning over slow?

 

Could very easily be a frozen fuel line or filter. At those temperatures, you don't need much water in your fuel to have problems.

 

Its alive!
And did belch the black sooty smoke. Kind of reminds me of my diesel.
I held the pedal to the floor earlier in the day and I think that is what flooded it so badly. But mine wasn't the only vehicle not running today.
I have a block heater and an oil pan heater to help with the cold we get around here but for some reason it didn't work this morning.
Now that I think about it the jumpy idle may have something to do with this. It didn't spin really fast but as fast as I could expect in these conditions.
I am going to load test the battery also. Maybe a little more spark would have prevented this mess.
Now I have to change the oil as it smells heavy with fuel.
Just glad its running.

 

-38?!? Who the hell lives in that kind of weather??

 

If it does it ever again, try pressing the gas pedal 1/2 to one inch, and see if it fires up.

The jumpy idle is definitely a sign of a sticking IAC. Usually

 

We weren't quite to -38 but we did see -25 the other night with highs in negitive single digits. Just come on up to good ol ND! I guess -38 would make since being sask. is only a jump across the border streight north, heck were only 60 miles from the border!

Beleive it or not ken, I had an uncle (originally from ND) that lived in Hawaii for about 20 years and he's now back here again. 20 years down there and wouldn'tthink the guy is even part of the family by looking at him, kinda looks like an imigrant ROTFLMAO. Nicest guy in the world though, he doesn't have much but would give the shirt off his back if it would help somebody else more then himself!

 

It fired right up this morning. It is warming up at last (-25) and we will get to -17 today.
I have always put the pedal to the floor to start a flooded vehicle so next time I will just touch the gas to get it going.
My friend has a fellow from Pakistan working for him and when he went out in the -30-40 temps on the weekend he yelled "it burns it burns!!!".
He obviously does not understand that -35 and a 40 mph wind means frozen skin in a minute.
So they went out and kitted him up for cold weather........all you can see of this guy is his eyes now.

 

saskdiesel, are you from saskatoon (spelling???) or a different part of saskatuan (spelling??? I can't spell worth a hoot)! Just curious since our cold weather is coming streight down the pike from our norther neighbors! I thought maybe I could ask if you guys up there could turn on some heat, lol. heck even mid teens would be nice at this point.

Also, I take it you're posting the temps in Celcius??? If so, for the rest of us, -38 in celcius is about -36.4 degrees F* (still friggin cold)! On the other hand for us ice fisherman, "were buildin ice now!!!!"