Trouble starting!!!!

[COON555]

I've had no problems at all with my truck until recently. I just turned over 98000. I tried to start it one day and it would almost start but it took forever! Once it did, allot of white smoke came out and it ran fine. 2 weeks later I had the samething happen as I was getting ready to leave work. It was cold that night, so I thought it was that, but the next night I had to get a friend to give me a jump for it to start. From what I've read, it's the glow plug relay, the glow plugs, battery, alternator, starter or a fuze somewhere, right??? Also, ever since I've owned the truck the wait to start light on the dash has never came on? Where is the fuze for it or could it be just the bulb in the dash? Thanks for any help I can get!

[ridiculously_necessary]

iirc if the relay is out the wts wont come on, but i could be wrong. either way i would test the glows as well. there is a sticky in the 99-03 section on using a multimeter to ohm the glows to see if they are bad. if you have the cash i would replace the relay when you replace the glows anyway if its old.

Motorcraft glows only, $50 - $90 on ebay. stay away from autolites.
stancor 586-902 relay preferred over stock

[COON555]

Also I found #16 fuze was blown and it keeps blowing. The fuze panel says it's for cigar lighter; (Diagnostic Tool Power). My cigar lighter still works so I have no idea what going on with that?

[dannanw]

check ur wires under the dash and see if some one added/tapped power off of that, it is a comon place to get a power lead from and could of shorted out. also agree with checking GP's and their relay cheaper to check then just start throwing parts at it lol.

[COON555]

I checked all the wires and I could not find/see if anyone tapped into it. I got the "wait to start" light working. I guess it was a bad bulb. I changed the GPR and it starts up fine, but that's with it sitting in the garage. I'll have to check it when it's sitting out in the cold for a while. My cigar lighter is not working (I said it was before and I was looking at my aux). I don't know why it's popping fuses? If anyone knows, please help!!!