Cranks like mad but no start. Please help

[DieselFam]

So last week I d
Had a shorted out running board light wire. It managed to blow the fuse on all the interior stuff, lights, radio, instrument panel, overhead consul,etc. the truck started and ran fine. When my wife got home I started checking blown fuses. You guys on here told me about the metal studs on the end of the fuses and I was able to locate and replace. BIG THANKS!

Since then the electric seats haven't been able to move. But they have been in consistent since we bought it. If you push the plug in good and tight it works fine. Now though, nothing. The temperature out here has been in the high 80's and my wife tried to turn on the AC. Blows great but not cold air.

Now today she was out running errands with no problems. Came home shut it down and then an hour or so later went back out to leave and the truck won't start. Just cranks and cranks.

Any ideas on where to start. I'm not an electronics wiz at all. Not much of a diesel wiz either. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

2002 excursion 7.3 4wd 180,000 miles.

[kaya@bernhausen]

when cranking, does the tach move at all? or is it dead still? if it is, check to see which color CPS you have. a dead still tach is indication of no signal from CPS. check oil level. if that's good, pull the fuel filter and cycle the key on. see if fuel is reaching the bowl. if it is, remove the oil pressure sender from the reservoir and look to see if the reservoir has oil. it should be roughly 1/2"-1" below top.
those are some minimal preliminary checks. if you can check for codes first, that would be great

[DieselFam]

OK, so while I was waiting I wanted to check the fuel filter bowl. It was full. In fact fuel sprayed out while I was in screwing it. Weird thing was the flat gasket that came with the filter was too big to install back in the grooved slot on the housing. Like it was stretched out. I cleaned it and put it in the freezer for 15 minutes. Took it out and it fit perfectly??? I do all the maintenance and I know it fit when I put in in.

Anyway, I decided to check some of the big fuses (left hand side of fuse box) and replaced the #105 fuel injector fuse. It looked ok, but what the heck. Then I read your post. Went out to check the tach when cranking and it fired right up??? I shut it down and checked the oil. It was almost a gallon low. Again, I do the maintenance and I know I filled it up. It does drop a spot or two every now and then but not enough for a gallon. I am going to replace the injector driver relay just for kicks.

This thing has been really reliable except for the fuel bowl o ring. Right after we bought it and the low sulfur diesel came out it started leaking like mad. I bought the good o ring kit from the guy on here ( Guzzles????) and it's been a great excursion ever since.

Should I look for anything else? Maybe get it in to a mechanic to see if it is throwing any codes. I don't have a reader.

[kaya@bernhausen]

does it blow any blue smoke?
no oil in coolant?

[DieselFam]

Only smokes under hard acceleration. The coolant doesn't look contaminated but how would I know for sure. I am taking it in to a local mechanic tomorrow morning to see if it throws any codes.

Is there somehow I can check the coolant?

[NoRalPh]

Originally Posted by kaya@bernhausen

when cranking, does the tach move at all? or is it dead still? if it is, check to see which color CPS you have. a dead still tach is indication of no signal from CPS.

Not on an '02.....

Sometime during the '01 run there was a major upgrade of the electrical system ('01s with a digital OD and Trans Temp Gauge in the cluster got the upgrade) and since then the Tach isn't supposed to move when cranking

To the OP, if you haven't had the CEL light come on lately, there are probably no codes that would help you. Keep a close eye on the engine oil from now on, you could have other problems

[DieselFam]

Will do. Thanks for the help. I have said it before, and I'm going to say it again. This site is absolutely the best. thanks guys.

[kaya@bernhausen]

Originally Posted by NoRalPh

Not on an '02.....

Sometime during the '01 run there was a major upgrade of the electrical system ('01s with a digital OD and Trans Temp Gauge in the cluster got the upgrade) and since then the Tach isn't supposed to move when cranking

To the OP, if you haven't had the CEL light come on lately, there are probably no codes that would help you. Keep a close eye on the engine oil from now on, you could have other problems

hey, that's very good to know. will remember that .

to the op, you'd know if you had oil in the coolant just by looking in the tank. would be very evident.
if you're not leaking it externally (i'd assume you'd notice the puddles), it must be going somewhere. with the engine running, pull the oil filler cap off. see if it huffs.
if not, could be worn injector o ring(s), among other possibilities

[DieselFam]

OK so it has been running fine. My mechanic had it for a day and drove it around multiple times trying to get it to not turn over after shutting the engine down. Wouldn't you know it, it worked great all day. He did notice that there was oil leaking from the icp valve. He replaced it and the harness.

Just got a call from my wife and it won't start. Same thing. Just cranks and cranks.

No oil in coolant, no oil puddles under it, fuel bowl is full.

[atvrider93]

have her check the oil level I guess