Starting woes...

[philly2430]

First and foremost, gotta say that I love this site! Lots of great info here.

I have a 2001 F350 with 217,XXX miles (7.3). I've had a run of bad luck with my rig in the past 6 months; the issues kept stacking up but i'm only down to one issue at the moment. She doesn't like starting after sitting overnight.

I'm from Michigan, moved here to Arizona and it ain't cold here. I'm having "cold" start issues though. I checked out NCHornet's post on GPR troublshooting and replaced that when i found that my GPR was bad. I took some resistance readings from the glow plugs to see if they were bad (checked out 0.8-2.0 ohms), but i didn't do the Idiot check by pulling the glow plugs out to see if they get cherry red hot, i just replaced them. Still got starting issues. If i plug in my block heater for an hour or so (depending on temp) she starts right up BUT definately not running on all 8 cylinders. Takes a good while for her to run on all 8; at least a good 10 minutes. I typically work about 10-12 hour days; so i was having to bring my extension cord to work to plug her in about an hour or two before i left work. This time of year, the high is about 90° and she'll start up when i'm leaving work without plugging in, but same sh!t, not running on all 8.

I'm not sure if this is GP related, HPOP, or lazy injector(s), what do you guys think? Also, this issue definately did not stem off of one of the others, it is the longest existing issue i'va had with my rig.

[ridiculously_necessary]

could be starter, injectors, ipr, ipc, etc.

find someone with a ford scanner, and run a buzz test. my first guess is there is something funky with the injectors or injector solenoids.

[philly2430]

Are there other types of scanners that also help diagnose? The damn stealership is quoting me two hours labor to hook up a scanner!

[philly2430]

I havn't done a thing about this issue since my last post. Now that it's starting to cool down at night, i have to plug the block heater in about a half hour before i'm leaving for work. I live in Arizona and the low at night is only like 70 degrees....I have a theory about my starting issue and would like to see what everyone thinks.

Is it possible that a leak in the fuel system can develope such that it sucks in air when the engine cools down after sitting overnight? If so, how do i troubleshoot this? I should not have to plug in the block heater in this kind of weather. What are the first steps you would do to troubleshoot this (without a scanning tool)?

[ridiculously_necessary]

did you replace the GPR? how fast does your starter spin? this seems to be a stater or glow situation. worst case scenario a compression or injector issue. did you find anyone with a scanner to run a buzz test?

[Zaairman]

This is not a glow plug issue. You don't need glow plugs to start when it's 70* outside.

[ridiculously_necessary]

good call, i read that wrong. i dont usually need mine til its about 50*.

if you have to use a block heater at 70* though, that leads me to believe its a starter or compression problem, (pissibly injector but thats the least of the three). also at 70* the fuel and block heater wouldnt be related, so while it could be, i doubt its fuel related. So far every time i see this, post or in person its been starter or compression related.

[philly2430]

The starter and compression are fine....this issue either stems from temperature change when cooling down or from sitting overnight. My issue is i do not know how to narrow it down by troubleshooting the fuel systme and the HPOP system

[ZachBoyer]

I dont let my truck cycle glow plugs here in florida I get in and crank when its 100 degrees out. In the morning I will give it a second the crank and just let it run for acouple minutes to get warmed up but when its cold I definatly use the plugs.

Doesnt sound like a Glow Plug or Starter issue.

I would say check your valve cover harness but it doesnt really relate to the heat/cool problem that you have.

Has this problem just started happening or has been going on for awihle. If its been going on for awihle I think I would say that fuel is probably ok. but a problem with injectors.

I would have your truck tested. buzz / contribution / balance etc. at a shop.

Do you have any dash lights or a Chip?

[philly2430]

I replaced the valve cover gaskets about 3 months ago, the connector was bad. This "cold" start issue has been around a long, long time. The truck has the stock tune. The reason I'm thinking it is a fuel related issue is because a friend of mine had to work on his buddy's 7.3 (1990) which had the same symptoms as mine (extended cranking, rough idle at start up, not firing on all cyclinders until it's warmed up and all of these issues are avoided by plugging in the block heater). I know those older 7.3's had a different low pressure fuel system setup, which consisted of rubber fuel lines and plastic "Ts" in between the lines. They ended finding that the low pressure side was sucking in air so they replaced all of the lines and T fittings; problem solved. I'm not sure if this is the same thing or not.