Hello everyone, I just joined FTE and was told about the AZ Chapter.
I just purchased an 01 PSD and I'm having an issue with it.
It refuses to start when the engine is cold and I haven't plugged it in.
Please read my other thread here so I don't have to repost.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...se-help-2.html

I've been working on it non-stop since Sunday morning (ok I slept for a few hours and only eat while I'm on the computer looking for more information).

The thread tell about everything I've done so far, and I update it everything I go out and do something then come inside.

Thanks all!

CrazyKen

 

Hi Ken, there are more than a few people in the chapter who own/drive diesel trucks, sorry to say I'm not one of them. someone will stop in and help you out, but there's not much action here at night so it might be tomorrow.
Good luck with it.

 

Hi Bill,
Thanks for the reply, its funny because I'm on a Jeep forum and most of our activity is at night.
I appreciate the kind words. Have a great evening, and stay dry out there with all this wet stuff falling from the sky!

 

Ken, I have had that problem with my 95 PSD twice now. The first time one of the batteries went bad. I tried to jump start it and it still wouldn't start. I then hooked up jumper cables from two trucks(one to each battery) and it still would not start. I then had it towed to the dealer and they put in 2 new batteries and the problem was solved.
The second time that I had problems with it not starting was when it was cold outside. If it sat outside at night, it wouldn't start but if I had it in the garage it was warm enough to start. When it sat outside, I would plug it in at night and then it would start in the morning. I had to replace the glowpugs and the problem was solved. Now I very rarely let my work truck sit outside at night. I like it better with the cab being warmer at 5:30 in the morning.
I would start with the batteries. The Autozones near me have a bunch of idiots working at them and don't have a clue how to check a battery. If they are over 2 years old, you can probably bet that one of them is bad or will be soon.
When I have 1 battery go bad, I always replace both at the same time. I depend on my truck to start and don't want to mess with replacing one now and one later.
With it starting when it is plugged in, maybe you have a couple of problems(batteries & glowplugs)????????????
I hope that this might help.

Kevin

 

Thanks Kevin,
After doing all the research I've done (over 12 hours and counting on this problem sitting at the computer alone!) I figure I'll go out in the morning after cleaning and fixing the battery terminals and see what happens.
The batteries are the Duralast Gold from Autozone and have a 3 year free replacement on them and I have the information on the warranty so I should be able to get them replaced if I can prove they're bad.

Thanks again!
Kenneth AKA CrazyKen

Kevin what area of Glendale do you live in? I'm near 67th and Camelback.

 

I quit buying AutoZone batteries a few years back because they always seem to find that are are still good enough until they get out of free replacement then they end up being bad. Huh, how does that happen?
Go to a different AutoZone and maybe they will test them differently and say they are bad.
These deisel's need both batteries i good condition to get them to start. The batteries should be tested with them seperated from each other.
If you need to have the glowplugs replaced, check pricing at a couple of different places. I had mine replaced at Lou Grubb Ford and a couple of weeks later I got a flyer in the mail from Sanderson Ford that had a special price of about $250 less money.
I live at 43rd Ave and Bell Road, NE corner. I actually live in Phoenix but we have a Glendale mailing address.
If I can be of assistance let me know.

Kevin

Kevin

 

I used to work for Autozone and Checker before that. Between the two I saw the least amount of battery returns with the gold series from Duralast. They still aren't optimas but they are/were the least of the evils.
If I need the glowplugs replaced I will do it myself. I'm not mechanically inept and used to do it for a living so I'd rather get my hands dirty than pay the stealerships (I used to work at one, I understand completely what they do).

I think if it doesn't start in the morning I will have then tested while they are cold and out of the truck!

 

not much of that down here yet! I was watching Barrett-Jackson earlier and it looked like it was pouring!
Kevin, How is the slick comming along?

 

I have even had problems with Optimas lately now that they are made in Mexico, but they are probably still the best battery out on the market today. I agree with you on doing most of my work myself but I don't want to work on my vehicles that I have to make a living with. I would rather pay somebody to do that and go out and make the money to pay for their work instead of losing a day or two of pay by working on my trucks. I still do a lot of work myself. I have done the r&r on the trans to save a dollar, changed the primary injector pump to save a dollar and much more.
I would rather save as much spare time as I can for working on my 63 F100. My 63 is in my profile under My Garage.

Kevin

 

I just looked at your garage. I love the delivery sedan!
Very nice looking vehicles, and garage. I wish I had that kind of facilities!
I understand about saving the time when it makes you money, but mine is simply my truck and for now doesn't make me any money so I have to keep it up on a budget.
I didn't realize that Optimas are made in Mexico now, no wonder they are all over at every store now when before they were harder to find and more expensive.

All legacies come to an end eventual, some due to the demiss of the founder, others due to greed.
I think I'd rather go out with a bang personally. (Still have the money rolling until I'm gone and don't care)

 

back on track
if your truck won't start cold but will start when plugged in it is a glow plug issue,
now that can be the glow plug regulator, the engine harness the valve cover harness the under valve cover harness or the glow plugs.
my money is on the glow plugs!
as for batteries, the autozone batteries are made by the same company that makes interstate. if one is week change them both! if your store won't warranty them find another store.
these trucks need 1500 to 2000 amps to get them started, clean cables is a must!

if all else fails my shop is in Chino Valley, PM me for my shop rate if needed. If you don't want to come this far call Nate at Strictly Diesel 480-922-8768. his shop is by the Scottsdale airport. tell him Bart from Diamond K sent you. he is top notch and honest!

 

p.s. on checking the batteries, if you don't dis connect one battery and have them load tested in the truck it will pass with a bad battery. you must un hook one negative terminal and than test them. if one fails make them change both of them, remind them that you bought a set of batteries and they will keep them matched.

 

Bart,
Thanks for the information! I'm going to go out very shortly and see if cleaning/replacing cable termials yesterday had any effect.
If I get all the glow plugs to check withing OHMs range would they still not heat up?
I know the previous owner told me yesterday that he replaced them about 60K miles ago/2 years. With as little as we need to use them here (to start up) I'd think they'd last longer but I really don't know.
What is the glow plug regulator? That is one I haven't come across in my searching. Where is it located and how do I test it?
Thanks a ton!

 

the glow plugs should be good for over 100,000 miles in the valley, the gpr is on the passenger side of the engine, behind the fuel filter. the front relay is intake air heat and the back one is glow plug regulator. to check the gpr just take an old big screwdriver and short out the 2 BIG terminals for 30 seconds and then try starting truck. if it starts the relay is bad (unless it is a pcm problem) if you replace the gpr I use ford parts! they last longer.
at 60k miles the glow plugs should be good if they installed motorcraft (beru)plugs. if not get them out,
also don't be fooled by the wait to start light on a ford it is just a light bulb on a timer! this morning my light went out at the same time as always but I waited 45 seconds and it fired right up. it will not start when the light goes out when it is this cold.
you can watch your volt meter and see how long the glow plugs cycle.
also too thick of oil will make it hard to start cold, it will take longer for the HPOP to build up enough pressure in the oil rails.

 

also I can't stress good batteries enough, I change mine every 3 years. I run the autozone gold batteries. they are interstate batteries! just have the autozone name on them.
but regardless I change them every 3 years and use them in older trucks and tractors until the die.
these trucks need enough amps to heat the glow plugs, and than have 1,500 amps to spin the engine fast enough for the HPOP to build 900lbs (iirc) of oil pressure before it will start