glowplugs

[whitelightning]

Finally got cold in texas and the truck will not start unless it is plugged in... none of them are working and i know they are not all bad and having to always plug it kinda sucks. Does anyone know what would cause this. its like 25-30 degrees right now and its hard to start even being plugged in and im afraid if it gets any colder its not going to start. any information would be really helpful. thanks

[Dave]

test the glow plug relay there is a thread in the tech files on how to do it

[n1njazx7]

When mine acted like that it was my batteries. When my dealer told me to replace them I told them "WHY, IT CRANKS FINE". But it fixed it.

[bdigiovine]

My truck had cold starting problems as well, turned out it was the FICM, It was replaced under warranty (luckily)

brad

[sldghamr]

your rig should start fine when it's in the 20's outside. i have a 96er, it's fine at that temp. if you had teens, then worry..................

[WTexasRN]

Ya know, now that ya mention it, mine doesn't start all that well when it's close to 30. I have found, and maye this is my imagination, that turning the key on until the little coil light goes out and then switcing it back off then on again, in otherwords running the glow plug cycle twice before actually cranking it, seems to help a lot. When it's cold, (20s) if I don't do this, it will start but it will not run well at all. It coughs and knocks and puffs white smoke bad enough to scare me into shutting it down and trying again.

Just my 2 cents

Doug

[n1njazx7]

I took my to the dealer and they reprogramed it. Now the glow plugs run about twice as long. Now mine runs great, hot or cold!

[sldghamr]

Originally Posted by WTexasRN

Ya know, now that ya mention it, mine doesn't start all that well when it's close to 30. I have found, and maye this is my imagination, that turning the key on until the little coil light goes out and then switcing it back off then on again, in otherwords running the glow plug cycle twice before actually cranking it, seems to help a lot. When it's cold, (20s) if I don't do this, it will start but it will not run well at all. It coughs and knocks and puffs white smoke bad enough to scare me into shutting it down and trying again.

Just my 2 cents

Doug

i had an 89 years ago, it would blow white smoke and run rough as well when in the temp was in the 30's. don't worry too much about it, just let it idle and it'll level off.