It started the other day, I woke up and went out to my truck to start it up. I allowed the glow plugs to go through two cycles. Then I proceeded to crank it. It cranked for about 10 seconds then i let off and let the starter cool down for about 30 seconds. Then i cranked it again, and got the same result. Engine will turn over at around 200 RPM and white smoke would come from the tailpipes and it would continue to crank. I only tried to start it in 10 second turnovers with 30 seconds to let the starter cool off. I did this for about 3 minutes, after that my batteries didnt have enough juice in them to turn the engine over at 50 rpm. It would sit and struggle. So i had my buddy hook his car up to my batteries and it gave me enough juice to crank up the engine within a matter of seconds.

Anyway, its happened again this morning, tried to start, can't start, it throws out white smoke, and proceeds to drain my batteries to where i dont have enough juice to crank it anymore. I already checked to make sure no lights were left on over night. Im waiting on my buddy to get here to jump off my truck again. I know this is going to happen again so im going sometime next week to get my batteries load tested.

 

Sounds like some dead glow plugs. If you have a block heater try using that tonight and see if she starts right up in the morning. In the meantime read the gp sticky at the top of the main page and start testing the system. I bet at the very least you will find 3 or 4 dead gp's.

 

I wouldnt doubt it for a second. The glowplugs have been in there for more than a year

 

as far as my glow plugs, the zd-9s are what I want correct? I was just wondering about the Bosch glow plugs, if their worth anything? I wont have the truck much longer, maybe a month more.

 

NO to bosch or autolite ONLY buy beru zd-9

 

wait, how long do your glow plugs stay on before they start to cycle on and off? 9-10 seconds then they are all fine. the quicker it gets to the cycling the more that are bad.

 

the light stays on for about 2-3 seconds. I found in another forum that means their bad. On top of that I got my batteries load tested individually, they are both supposed to be at 950 CCA. Both are bad. One is at 330CCA and the other is at 350CCA. Well under what they are supposed to be at. At advance auto parts they are $204 after tax, but thats with my 10% discount and turning in the old ones so i dont have to pay a core charge

 

time for gp's and a couple batteries.

 

Well what im saying is should i just go cheap on the GP's and get some used batteries? I wont have this truck for more than a month more. My parents are trading it in so they can get a car, and their giving me their gas guzzling Expedition.

Im keeping the expedition for awhile until i buy my house and can save up to get a new diesel. If im able to im going for a 2011 6.7 PSD. If i don't get something like that then ill go after a 6.0 or 6.4. Either way im using the Expedition as a trade in.

 

I wouldn't go cheap on the gp's... just not worth it. Just get batteries and then use your block heater if you don't want to replace the gp's right away.

 

I have a block heater.....I think? There is a cable in the front of my truck that would plug into an extension cord. Im just afraid of it screwing something up on my truck. I dont want to short anything out. It was installed by the previous owner. Ive looked underneath my truck and it goes to the engine block. I just cant tell if it really is plugged into the block or if its just connected to hanging wires.

 

Block heater should be in one of the freeze plug holes near the starter.

You can check to see if there is any resistance between the two flat prongs on the plug if you have an ohm meter.

How much resistance will depend on what the wattage is.

If there is no resistance, it is burnt out.

 

What should the ohms be, we tested it a long time ago and it had resistance.

 

buy the ford glowplugs only, you will be sorry with anything else. and get your batteries tested before you start replacing them with used ones. batteries im sure will hold you over til you can get new ones as soon as your glowplugs start working right. and if need be, buy one good new battery and save up for the second.

 

i touched a ohm meter to my prongs on the block heater itself as my cord was ripped off by the previous owner and the meter said 0 with any combo's of the prongs is that good or bad?