For the past few months, my truck has required a lot more turn overs before it finally starts. When the weather is cold, the batteries usually die before it cranks. I can even drive it for half an hour or more, with it being plenty warm, shut it down, try to crank it up within 5 minutes, and it still takes a lot of turn overs before it will crank. What can be the problem?

 

weak batteries, bad battery cables, corroded connections, or possibly the starter.

 

Connections are good, I cleaned those when the problem started, and again a few weeks ago. It starts out strong, but after about 5 to 10 turn overs it starts getting weak. Which is that more likely to indicate?

 

bad glow plugs or glow plug relay??

 

Sounds like bad batteries to me. If you have access to a meter, test each battery independently - Remember there are 2 batts and are paralelled so you need to test each battery on its own or you'll get ralse readings. A battery in good working order should read 12+ volts when the truck is not running.

 

He said it does it even when warm. If it were just a cold start issue than we'd definitely be looking at GP or GPR.

 

I'll do that this evening after work. I will pull them out and take them to Autozone or somewhere like that and let them load test them for me.

I have a volt meter, but from my limited experience with batteries, the 12 volt reading doesn't say much about the cranking ability of the battery. I like to get them load tested to know for sure. Just my opinion.

 

I had the same problem with my 7.3 some time back. Turned out it was the alternator. Dealership went thru 2 batts before they figured out to check the charging system and found it to be the alternator. Just food for thought.

 

I too had some starting problems this past fall, my issue ended up being my starter...however, he needs to know how good his batteries are before he gets any further on the path of discovery.

 

Ok, bad battery replaced. Now it turns over strong and quick. The problem now is that it still takes forever to actually crank. After about eight to ten turn overs you can hear it start to fire. It will do that for another 4 to 6 times, firing more and more, then it will crank. What would cause it to do this? It used to start after two or three turn overs.

 

cranking good but not starting, sounds like GP not working correctly

 

Does it do this cold or warm, or just when it's cold? I second the opinion on the glow plug relay. It's easy to test. The next time you have to cold start it, have someone help you. Have your helper turn the truck over while you "jump" your GPR with an insulated screwdriver, large post to large post. Let us know if you need help finding your GPR.

If it starts, you have a bad relay there. They go bad often.

 

Well, after it cranked, we drove it around for about 20 minutes. We turned it off and tried to crank it back up about twenty minutes later, and it did the same thing. It is starting, but just taking a lot of turn overs.

Ok, I'll check the GPR. I think I know where the GPR is, but I'm not sure. So, if yall don't' mind, where exactly is it? Thanks

 

If its doing it HOT or COLD, it's not the GPR. How many cranks are we talking about here?

 

just an off the wall question
you stated you had a bad battery,did you replace a battery or two batteries