Diesel cold start issue
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Diesel cold start issue
Having a cold start issue with my 89. 7.3 stock engine.
When the ening is cold (sat over night ) come the morning it is hard as heck to start. Let the glow plug light go off and still wait a few seconds before turning the key.
Turn the key and she can crank for 30 seconds before it might start. There is white smoke coming out the tial pipe. Adventiually she starts and runs like a champ.
A work around the the hard starting has been before to squirt a tiny (very tiny) amount of starter fluid before cranking. If doing that and going through the glow plug cycle she starts right up.
The question. Is there something that people can point me to to make it easier to start without having use the starting fluid.
Ken
When the ening is cold (sat over night ) come the morning it is hard as heck to start. Let the glow plug light go off and still wait a few seconds before turning the key.
Turn the key and she can crank for 30 seconds before it might start. There is white smoke coming out the tial pipe. Adventiually she starts and runs like a champ.
A work around the the hard starting has been before to squirt a tiny (very tiny) amount of starter fluid before cranking. If doing that and going through the glow plug cycle she starts right up.
The question. Is there something that people can point me to to make it easier to start without having use the starting fluid.
Ken
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,908
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From: West Mansfield, Ohio
Check to make you don't have a leak on the back of the injector where the lines bolt up. I've seen O rings go bad and will cause the lines to lose prime, which will make it a bear to start. I've also seen the glow plug relay go bad a time or two. Have someone turn the key on while you hold a test light on the terminal of a glow plug just to make sure they work.
One more thing you could try, is to turn the key on, and listen for the glow plug relay to kick off, or the "wait to start" light to kick off. Turn the key off, and then turn it right back on. Basically cycle the key to keep the glow plugs on for a little longer. Don't do it more than 3 or 4 times b/c the wires leading to the plugs will start to get hot.
One more thing you could try, is to turn the key on, and listen for the glow plug relay to kick off, or the "wait to start" light to kick off. Turn the key off, and then turn it right back on. Basically cycle the key to keep the glow plugs on for a little longer. Don't do it more than 3 or 4 times b/c the wires leading to the plugs will start to get hot.
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Joined: Aug 2004
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From: West Mansfield, Ohio
Well, it really makes me wonder. Usually if it's blowing smoke out the tailpipe, that means it's getting fuel, just not igniting it. But if you shoot it with ether, and it starts right up, that sounds like a fuel problem. Man this one has me puzzled haha.
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Joined: Oct 2004
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From: arizona
replace the injector return lines and cap fittings. you prolly have a leak. tight system makes a big difference. also, when you turn the key on, does the ammeter pull down and stay until the gp's are hot or does it jump around? if it jumps, something is suspicious in your gp system.
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From: arizona
the injectors are fired by pressure and if the fuel system bleeds down due to a leak they won't squirt til the pressure builds back up
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From: Sidney, Ohio
I just had to replace a head gasket and several valves on a 60 Series Detroit Diesel due to the driver starting it with ether because it had a loose fuel line and would lose its prime. Be careful with that stuff, its hard on diesel engines. I usually soak a rag in gas and hold it up to the air intake while the engine is being cranked, gas isn't as hard on diesels as ether is. You probably have a loose fuel line somewhere. At least your trying to find a fix instead of just shooting ether till you have bigger issues.
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Joined: Aug 2004
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From: West Mansfield, Ohio
Good point Tennesseeduck. However, I don't think that Ken is shootin a whole lot in there. Will just a little tiny bit per start cause that much harm? I'm not doubting you one bit my friend, just curious for my own knowledge!
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Joined: May 2006
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From: Sidney, Ohio
A little every so often probably isn't too harmful but I have seen engines get addicted to ether over time. Over time it causes a loss of compression so the engine won't start without ether, hot or cold. The engine I just replaced the valves on looked like the valve seats and valve faces had been beat on with a hammer, the driver claimed he had only been using ether to start it for 2 months, not every day and just enough to start it. Drivers never lie, just ask them. The root of the whole problem was a loose fuel return line on the back of the head, a 15 minute job. His way took 3 days including waiting on parts.
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Joined: May 2006
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From: Sidney, Ohio
It sure does but a rag soaked in gas isn't always practical. Ken is doing the right thing and trying to find a fix for the problem, I really just wanted to caution to be careful with the use of ether. We had a Cummins throw a rod thru the block because of ether. Cracked liner let the cylinder fill with water and it was real hard to start so rather than wait to get the truck fixed where it was he decided to shoot the ether to it to get it started so he could drive it back and be home while we fixed it. We figured it sat long enough to fill the cylinder with enough water that the ether start killed it, it also cracked the head and of course killed the crankshaft.