Intermittent hard start cold

[L.I.P.COLL320]

This is driving me nuts! I have been searching the web for a year now trying to find a solution to my intermittent hard start cold issue with no success. Heres the symptoms, they could happen 3 weeks apart, they could hapen 3 days apart. Outside temp is no factor, however if I dont plug the truck in it seems to start quicker. It happens when the truck sits overnight or at work all day. I turn on the ignition and hear 2 different buzzing sounds under the hood. If I wait until all buzzing has ceased, the truck fires right up. If I try and start the truck before the buzzing stops, it could take 3-4 times of long cranking to start. When the engine is warm it starts right up everytime. No power loss, no smoke, no leaks..nothing. Checked the FICM, 48V. Now, not to start the Wix vs Ford debate, but I had headstuds installed and the shop used a Wix oil filter. Accompanying the hard start, I had a problem that once the truck fired, in a spilt second it was almost like it was starting on 1 cylinder at a time. When I changed the oil I always use Ford filters and once a new Ford oil filter was in that issue went away leaving only the intermittent hard start. I would think that an STC, Dummy Plug or HPOP issue would be more consistant and have nothing to do with the buzzing selonoids under the hood. I have ARP studs, Onyx gaskets, EGR block and SCT X3 w/ Innovative Diesel street tune. Sorry for the long winded description, trying to give as much info as possible. Hopefully someone can shed some light on this

[dannyboy950]

What year and how many miles on the truck. Ya say if you wait for the buzzing to stop it always starts right up. So that could be the glow plugs cycleing or the injectors.
I would lean toward the injectors maybe haveing a striction problem, and when they self test [cycle] it loosens them up so they work correctly. Just a guess tho without actual data.

[L.I.P.COLL320]

2006 F-250 with 45000miles. Yes if you let it cycle it fires right up.

[Chad29860]

take it to someone with a computer and have the glow plug relay checked. My 03 did a similar thing and that is what was wrong. Your 06 should set a check engine light though if it sees a problem with the glow plugs. My 03 didnt set the light just a code.

[L.I.P.COLL320]

I'll check that. I have a snap-on solus at my shop.

[Lilfarmrboy]

If you don't get any codes and your FICM is good then its probably with the injectors... did you ever try a bottle of Rev-X with an oil change? Seems like every body on this site swears by it... might be worth a shot.

[L.I.P.COLL320]

Originally Posted by Lilfarmrboy

If you don't get any codes and your FICM is good then its probably with the injectors... did you ever try a bottle of Rev-X with an oil change? Seems like every body on this site swears by it... might be worth a shot.

It's worth a shot at this point. I would be a little angry if something that simple fixed it after all this time

[PowerstrokeTech82787]

http://www.alliantpower.com/pdf/APTB...-watermark.pdf

[Cowboy Cadillac]

I have a 05 with 113,000 mi and I am seeing this Hit and Miss Long start Stuff too.
I recently had my FICM replaced at 110K and was wondering if it could be acting up.

PSTech82787: Thanks for posting the bulletin, I thought is had some good info in there, esspecally for me.

[PowerstrokeTech82787]

if i had I net explorer i would have pulled that TSB up... Pretty much what happens with that inductive update is to cycle the injectors longer to aid in cold starts. Read the alliant power post and its spot on. Whenever i bring trucks in the shop in the middle of winter i dont care if its -10 and windy as hell. I cycle the key til the injectors stop and cycle it back on immediately after until they stop. The truck will always fire up. Providing it has enough juice in the batteries to crank it.