Truck will not start when cold

[RossWM]

i have a 99 powerstroke with a 7.3L the truck starts just fine when its been plugged in all night or on a nice warm day but it absolutely will not start when its been sittin out in the cold fore 12hrs while im at work, i have to use starter fluid to get it running every night when i get off and when it starts cold it blows a lot of white smoke, i changed the glow plugs thinking that must be it but it did not fix the problem
anyone have any idea what is causing this?

[jesilvas]

Good thing your GPs probably aren't working or you might've blown that sucker up.

Go look in the 7.3 general section and look for the sticky about testing the GPR and GPs. Also check the under valve cover harness cause they supply power to the GPs.

[RossWM]

thanks i'll do that

[goldgoose]

I might be stating the obvious but, have you checked the glowplug relay (a test light hooked up on the "driver side" connector and to ground and turn key on and see if it lights up which it should and stay on from anywhere between 30 seconds to 2 minutes even after "wait to start" has shut off), also your fuel heater inside the fuel filter housing (filter removal required, if it has the small wire style with a screwdrive look at the heater and very lightly plut a small amount of pressure on wire and see if it moves, it should not, if it does this means the sodder has become undone replace). Hope this helps a bit

[jesilvas]

The fuel bowl heater will not aid in start ups. The only thing it really does it short out, blow the fuse that also has the PCM on it, and will require unplugging and replacing of fuse to start the truck.

[goldgoose]

Originally Posted by jesilvas

The fuel bowl heater will not aid in start ups. The only thing it really does it short out, blow the fuse that also has the PCM on it, and will require unplugging and replacing of fuse to start the truck.

Agreed, about it not aiding in start up, I believe it helps once the engine is started.

[jesilvas]

Not really. I don't know what conditions it takes for it coming on, but if you don't have proper fuel for your area or aren't putting the proper additives in for extreme cold, then it'll only un gel the bowl and not the tank.

[RossWM]

i put a voltmeter on the GPR (red lead on the test terminal and black lead on ground) turned the key and got no voltage so i replaced the relay and did the same test again and again got no voltage so i assume that means theres something wrong with the circuitry telling it to turn on?

[dmdillinger]

ross having the same problem,got power on the constant side but no power to the gp side what would be the cause, another relay somewhere else? i would love to know tire of being stuck after work with a dead truck. Also when i do get mine running when its cold it leaks oil but only when it cold starts i'm assuming b/c of the thickness of the oil, or should i say im hoping

[jesilvas]

Do you have voltage across the small terminals? If no voltage, see if they're grounded cause idr if the PCM uses ground or 12V to close the solenoid.