hard to start when motor is cold

[tntf250]

My first thread,this is a great site. I have a 2005 6.0L when the motor is cold not air temp (florida ) it cranks for a while before it starts. But when the motor is warm it fires right up. I had the batteries replaced a a few days ago they were bad. And it still does the samething. I took it to the ford dealer and they couldn't find antyhing wrong but replaced the glow plug relay just in case. That wasn't the problem either. I have just over 80,000 miles on it. Does anybody have an idea what it might be. THANKS

[redstroker_2002]

no clue but here is a bump for the techs!!

[Rescuediver]

First welcome 2 the ORG... I vacation in New Smyrna every year & dive with Sea Dogs. Have to look you up in May. Any way when you say cold do you mean 60 deg weather or 20 deg weather. My 05 starts hard when it gets below 30 or so, I just plug the block heater in and she starts like a dream every morning when its cold. I'm in South Carolina so it's like FL not real cold around here...

[Abrannan19]

how long is "a while" 10 seconds, 20 seconds? does it turn over fast or slow? what oil are you running? how long has it been since your last oil change? have you changed your fuel filters?

[tntf250]

It's warm 60 deg. it takes about 10 seconds,and turns over fast.I run rotella 15/40 and change it every 3000 to 3500. Fuel filters have been changed. Thanks for your help

[bigcountrysg]

When the engine is cold it takes more to build up heat. The cylinders are cold so they will require more time to build up the heat to burn the diesel. After the engine is warm the cylinders are warm and require less time to build up the heat to fire.

When you are saying it takes longer to start when it is cold. What exactly do you mean. Like do you mean 5-10 seconds of cranking before it fires. Or do you mean like 10-20 seconds of crankiing before it fires. If it is taking 10-20 seconds of the engine turning over, then you may have a problem. If it is 5-10 seconds of the engine turning over, then I would say that is pretty much normal.

Up here in the north with temps below freezing and engine been sitting over night. With out having the block heater plugged in my truck still fires up with in 10-20 seconds of the engine turning over.

[tntf250]

The truck started doing this a few months ago it cranks for about 10 sec before it starts.It always cranked right over thats why I'm concerned. It even does it when it sits at work for 8-10 hrs.

[bigcountrysg]

Originally Posted by tntf250

The truck started doing this a few months ago it cranks for about 10 sec before it starts.It always cranked right over thats why I'm concerned. It even does it when it sits at work for 8-10 hrs.

Well if the glowplug relay is working. I would check the glowplugs out then.

[tntf250]

Yeah I guess I'll take it back to the dealer I've been looking to see if anybody on this site has had this problem but nobody has just my luke.

[vitalidle]

Yeah 10 seconds seems a little long but not really excessive should be 3-5 seconds if everthing is working normal. I would try plugging it in to see if it improves the start time.