Hard Start Issue

[BlueBayou]

Hi folks.... I have been doing some searching and I think I may have narrowed it down but I want to run this by all of you do see what you think.

The issue is now that the weather is cooling down my truck is getting hard to start. First thing in the AM I will crank for about 10 seconds once the glow plug light goes out and there is nothing but cranking. After about 10 seconds I will cycle the key, wait for the light again then crank away and after a few seconds it will come to life with a HUGE puff of white smoke. Its just one big puff and then clears right up. Once the truck has been started for the day I don't have an issue again. It will fire right up every time later in the day with no smoke.

The only other known issue is once in a while the truck will idle rough like it has a cam but a few seconds later clear up. I have been told that may be the exhaust pressure sensor and I am going to order a new one next week.

I do not know the FICM voltages and I have no easy way to test them at the moment, I will check battery condition this weekend when I am home but at the moment unknown. And there are no codes being thrown.

The truck is a early 2004 F250 PSD CC SB and only things done to the motor since birth other than maintenance are EGR delete from Sinister, tuning via SCT from Sinister and muffler delete.

Thank for the help in advance

[southend]

You need to get a monitor. Load test batteries and perform ficm check procedure.

Sent from my phone that somebody didn't help me get.

[BlueBayou]

I have been trying to save for a monitor but it seems to be a bit harder than I thought. Had the cash but the EGR cooler was giving me fits, then had the cash and ended up replacing the water pump, belt tensioner and belt as well as coolant flush. Had the cash again but tags were due an CA loves to hit us hard so there went another $430. Now Turkey day and Xmas so it will be after the first of the year before I get to buy one.

I will load test the batteries this weekend when I am home and try to check the FICM but I guess I was hoping someone could just chime in and say oh yeah had the same issue and it was part xyz.

[southend]

I'm chiming in, sounds like ficm.

Sent from my phone that somebody didn't help me get.

[BlueBayou]

Originally Posted by southend

I'm chiming in, sounds like ficm.

Sent from my phone that somebody didn't help me get.

Thank you southend..... I will be saving for not only a monitor but an FICM now. Such is the life of the six oh

[southend]

Originally Posted by BlueBayou

Thank you southend..... I will be saving for not only a monitor but an FICM now. Such is the life of the six oh

I hear ya brutha, hard to save for anything these days, look at the scanguage II, for the money it can't be beat. You could check it with a volt meter for now, just not under a load. If you do, do it cold. My monitor alarm just went off on mine, ficm voltage hit 45.5v, ugh, batteries are bad too. I'm joining the club, lol.

Sent from my phone that somebody didn't help me get.

[Jdb2201]

Hey guys I'm having the same problem with my 05 f250 but it doesn't get any better throughout the day. Actually it gets worse. Yesterday I didn't think I was getting home. It takes a good 60+ seconds for my truck to start. Do you think I am looking at the same problem?

[southend]

Originally Posted by Jdb2201

Hey guys I'm having the same problem with my 05 f250 but it doesn't get any better throughout the day. Actually it gets worse. Yesterday I didn't think I was getting home. It takes a good 60+ seconds for my truck to start. Do you think I am looking at the same problem?

Sounds like you may be looking at a hpo leak. You need a monitor.

Sent from my phone that somebody didn't help me get.

[BlueBayou]

Well I got it figured out for anyone following this thread. I bought a monitor and my FICM voltage was just fine. 47v was the lowest I saw but one day the truck just went into a no start condition with still great FICM voltage as read by the CTS. I was stumped so I sent it to Country Ford in Ceres CA and they call me 10 min later and said they found the issue.... Guess what, it was the FICM!!! I was confused and they told me that what happened was the logic board was dead but the power board was fine. I had them replace that as well as my glow plug control module since that was giving me fits and sure as hell, all is well in the world and the truck runs great. Only down side is that they reflashed everything so now I have to have my tunes rewriten.

[southend]

Glad you got it fixed, and thanks for the update. Don't hear about logic boards going bad very often.

Sent from my phone that somebody didn't help me get.