I have followed the recent no start threads with interest since my '95 PSD F350 started giving me some trouble. Friday night I tried to start it and it wouldn't start after several tries for over ten minutes. The tach showed a few hundred RPM throughout the cranking attempts and has never failed to work when the truck was running. I saw one cloud of white smoke pass me by on that occasion. It was dark so I couldn't read the smoke signals reliably.

Saturday morning I checked the batteries and found them to be at 12.5 volts. I checked the crankcase oil level and it was right on the full mark. I checked the HPOP reservoir and found it empty and the fuel filter bowl was full of clean diesel with the filter the normal color. I drained some fuel from the filter canister and I put the filter back in slowly and it pushed fuel out the top of the canister as I secured the lid. I would call it full.

After many attempts it finally cranked and ran fine. Fuel pressure while running was 46PSI using a stick tire gauge. Mu fuel gauge hose connector won't fit in the space available. The pressure jumped up to about 40 PSI and then built in stages over a few seconds to 46. It would accelerate throughout the RPM range smoothly and drove fine on a test drive through the neighbor hood.

I let it run about 20 minutes, turned it off and tried to restart. No start after several attempts. HPOP reservoir was still full. No smoke this time.

My good scan tool isn't compatible with this truck so I checked it with the tuner's built in code reader. There were no codes. The tuner set to the Tow Safe mode is the only modification from stock on the truck and it has been that way since I bought it.

I had a chance to work on it a little bit again today so I started with the HPOP oil again. It was down about 1/4" from the top. I didn't top it up but the truck started up ok. I let it run about 15 minutes, turned it off and tried to restart. No start after several attempts. I waited several hours and tried again. It started right up again. I let it run again, turned it off. No start.

I just cranked it again and let it run for 30 minutes. Same story. When I try to crank it, it sounds like it is trying to hit on a few cylinders but no start.

The rest of the story.

There is a small fuel leak in the valley. I could see a small stream coming out of the banjo fitting on the back of the fuel pump on Saturday but haven't seen it since. During the winter it was hard to start. Likely a glow plug issue. Relay works fine but it would make a lot of white smoke. It would crank fine if the block heater was plugged in. I haven't fixed it yet. Also I bought a new CPS for it last year right after I bought this truck because it had a few drop outs on the freeway. When I went to install it I found the head of the bolt stripped off. I've tried a bolt extractor and even vise grips but I can't budge the bolt. The sensor hasn't shown any further signs of trouble so it moved to the back of my to do list. I'll probably have to weld a nut on the head of the bolt to have any chance of getting it out. I also have a small exhaust leak at the outlet of the left exhaust manifold that is robbing some power and fuel mileage but I doubt that it has anything to do with my present problem.

What do you think? Especially about the failure to restart after it has been running fine.

Sorry for the long post, but that's the whole story.

Gene

 

I'd put money on the IPR orings being bad. When they go bad they allow hot hinner oil to bypass and not build pressure. But when its cold the thicker oil wont go through the bad orings as much therfor letting it start. This is a very common problem.

Here is a link with good info on IPR repair.

http://cw-diesel.com/LuxSite/IPRInfo.htm

 

That is a good post. It has all we need. I found it odd that the HPOP reservoir was empty the first time. I bet filling it up at that time would've started it. As far as the no start after warm up Not sure. Recheck the HPOP Reservoir again. Also try a new fuel filter. Is the oil old? My instinct is to change fuel filter and oil first. Then see where that leaves you.

 

ltfox you are fast and I type slow. That is a good point. Still new filters can't hurt. If for nothing else just to eliminate the question.

 

Thanks for the quick replies Gentlemen.

Itfox,

That was one of the things that I was considering after reading the other threads but I couldn't make sense of the hot/cold issue. You linked it together in a way that sounds reasonable. I'll try that tomorrow.

Neal,

Everything is reasonably fresh. The oil and filter are about 2000 miles in and the fuel filter is at about 5,000 and looks good. I do have a long trip planned in October so I will go ahead and change them anyway as well as try to catch up the rest of the neglected items mentioned above.

Thanks again,

Gene

 

If it is a warm (hot start ) problem ,It will be oil related ...Could be IPR orings or an injector o ring or an injector poppet screw... you need to get a guage to isolate the IPR & then the heads one side at a time.....Guage instructions here....Scroll down...


Good reading.....

 

Good luck keep us posted.

 

Rick,

That was a good link. Very informative.

Thanks for posting it.

Gene

 

You're Welcome.....

 

Sorry to be so long getting back to you guys with a follow up.

Lacking a scan tool that is compatible with my truck, I took it to a local diesel shop for diagnosis. They said that it was the CPS and that the starter wasn't turning fast enough. They welded a nut on the buggered up bolt for the CPS and were able to get it out and installed my new CPS that I already had. I also swapped out the starter and she fired right up and runs fine. Cranks fine when hot as well.

The funny thing is that aside from the few drop outs that it had during the winter it hasn't shown any other signs of CPS failure. If the check engine light ever lit, I missed it. The tach never failed to operate and the Mickey Mouse code reader built into my tuner said there were no codes. Maybe it set a code on the way to the shop.

I also got the exhaust leak fixed and the fuel leak in the valley, so after a few more minor items and a new CPS for the glove compartment, I should be ready to hit the road next month.

Thanks again to everyone for your help.

Gene