Help needed starting my truck?
 

I have a 1984 f-250 with a 6.9L and all my glow plugs test good and the controller works fine, I just re did the fuel lines so they don't leak anymore but it won't start without a little starting fluid. Does anyone know why it's not wanting to start?
P.s. It was setting in a feild not started for almost 8 years but it runs great once it starts
Thanks for any help

How does it run as it cold starts? (Smooth or Rough)
What color is the smoke as it's cold starting?
How long does the WTS light stay on for a cold start?
How did you test the Glow Plugs?

-Enjoy
fh : )_~

Medium grey to black and it runs smooth. The WTS light stays in for no more than 30 seconds and we used a test light on the glow plugs. It's been upper 80s to low 100s around where I live and it still has trouble

are you getting power to the glow plugs?

Strange my truck starts without glow plugs cold, when the ambient temp is above 15 degrees of celsius. Try to make marks on the timing and advance it. If it does not help, I would make compression check and injector spray pattern and pop presure test. If your glow plugs work, either the compression is low, or the spray pattern sucks. Plus is it spinning fast or slow?

That pretty much leaves three things ...
Slow Cranking RPM, needs to be > ~200 RPM
Compression
Leaky (or bad) injectors

Sounds like a bottle baby ... To much ether!

Because I have a compression gauge that would be my next move providing it is turning over fast enough ... If that checks out I would start pulling the injectors and see if they are leaking, it's basically free!

WTS on for 30 seconds ... There is something wrong here, they should be on ~10 seconds.
30 seconds very likely will burn the glow plugs out. Never tried to burn one out!

-Enjoy
fh : )_~

It's got a brand new starter, and I have a flatbed on it so I have to use a funnel to fill it up so it takes about 20 minutes to fill up but after I fill it up it starts right up real quick and it's still cold because I only drive it about 1 mile before I get to the gas station

It was setting in a feild for years with a bad starter and glow plugs but after I put a new starter and new glow plugs in it it started just fine for about a month and that was after using a little ether to start it every little bit for a few months... And now all it takes is .00001 seconds of pressing the nozzle on the can of ether before it will start

Glow plugs is your problem.
Check that they aren't burned. If they were Autolites, they are shot.
Test one (in the engine) using a piece of wire from the battery + terminal and touch it to the glow plug terminal. You should get little sparks when you touch it.
If one seems suspect(no sparks), pull it and test it by using the same test wire to touch the tip, but hold the body of the glow plug on the negative terminal of the battery.
(i.e. complete a circuit from battery to glow plug). It should heat up and start glowing within a couple of seconds. Once it starts glowing red, disconnect it so as not to overheat it.
But that'll tell you 100% whether it is good or not. I've heard of test-lights showing one as being good when it was bad(probably high resistance but not broken internally), but this method won't be confused that way.

exactly. i have seen way too many glow plugs "test" good but not light up.
when i come across a no start situation, the very first thing i do is check for power at the glow plugs. i never ever trust the WTS light. if i have power to the glow plugs, then i change them.
if no power to the plugs, then i go back along the line into the system until i find the problem.

Post 8 says it all ... A Month, Whats that say ...

Autolights or Bosch!
We all know where that leads ...

EDIT
Especially with 30 second WTS ...

-Enjoy
fh : )_~

I used motocraft glow plugs and they are all the glow plugs are working fine

Are you getting power to the glow plugs?
You might try rigging up a push-button override on the relay; hold it for 8 seconds and see if she starts.

I'm impressed and relieved!

Don't know if you know this but new glow plugs a month old and the truck won't start ... is scary, then add the old school controller on top of that is horrifying!
That typically means Autolights or Bosch and they swell and break off in the head, unlike the Motorcraft/Beru glow plugs.

You say you used Motorcraft and I'll say THANK YOU for doing so! :)

So with that said ...
You tested them with a test light, that is not a definitive method ... Pull them and test them on a battery ... Remember they get hot so hold them by the hex with vice grips!
Use something like Jumper cables for power source so the wire don't burn ya if it's too small. Obviously body to ground, connector tip to positive. No longer then 10 seconds and only until you see them getting red.

I would do this before Compression testing, Injector pulling because it is easier ...

-Enjoy
fh : )_~

Oh, Yea, I keep forgetting about this being an 84, It has the connector between the RF fender and motor that overheats and fries!

Check that connector to see if it's getting hot or damaged, that connector will cause voltage tests to pass, but not drop tests!

-Enjoy
fh : )_~