Cold start issues.

[Flockmaster]

Sorry, I originally posted this in an existing thread in the 6.0 forum. I thought I'd re post here to get some more help.



Boy am I glad I found this place.

OK I have a 2000 F-350. I bought it about a 9 months ago. Always fired right up and runs great. First time with a deisel truck. I have a deisel farm tractor but it's an old air cooled job so the difference in technology is about that of a bicycle and the space shhuttle so I need some help with my problem.

We've had some very cold weather here as most everyone in the northeast this winter. I had some issues with cold starts, as in the truck not starting untill I found out that I had a block heater but someone had cut the plug off. I replaced the plug and it was basically smooth sailing for a while. Then we had an extremely cold night a few weeks ago and when I went out in the morning the truck started right up but after a while died. I called AAA and they sent out a deisel guy. He got me going with a little ethanol and said that the Powerservices deisel additive I was using was crap and the best way to prevent this problem was to add 5 gallons of kerosene to the fuel. He said that the fuel lines had likely gelled up and that was my problem. The truck burned the warm fuel from the fuel filter and was getting no new fuel from the gelled lines. OK so I add the kerosene and was trouble free for a few weeks. Then last night the temp dropped to -25 with windchill. BTW I keep my truck outside cause I have nowhere to park it indoors. I went out in the morning and had to charge the batteries cause they were very borderline (replaced them today). Turned the truck over and it started right up. Then again, after a couple minutes same problem, it started chugging and died. I figured I was having frozen fuel lines again so I warmed them with a propane torch and after turning the truck over for quite a while with the accelerator pinned I got it going. (Yes, bad, I know but I can't be stranded here) Then later in the day it sat for about 3 hours while I was visiting a freind waiting for the batteries I ordered to be deliverd and same thing! It started much quicker though after the stall out and luckily my old batteries had enough juice left in them for one more start.

Any idea whats going on? From my experience with deisel engines it's simple, engine not ruinning means no fuel. Like I said though my experience is limited to an old tractor, which BTW starts every time even when it's really cold and runs without issues. I stopped by my local Ford dealer who sells a ton of these trucks and he gave me a whole list of possible problems. I'm a sheep farmer and not what you would call wealthy so I'm trying to avoid paying hundreds of dollars only to find out they couldn't find anything wrong.

I guess I should tell you that I reprogrammed the computer with a Superchips programmer to performance mode too. Dealer said that it could be the problem.

One more thing, I also saw a post about exaust whistle. Is that the hissing sound the truck does once in a while while idling and or taking off momentarily before RPMs pick up, accompanied by a little lag? What causes this and is it a reason for concern?

Sorry for the long winded post guys and thanks in advance.

[purduefarmboy460]

The noise in the exhaust is the Exhaust Back Pressure valve closing to help the engine warm up faster. It sounds like you are experiencing some of the same problems as the rest of us.

Are you running any Ultra Low Sulfur Fuel yet?

[Flockmaster]

Originally Posted by purduefarmboy460

The noise in the exhaust is the Exhaust Back Pressure valve closing to help the engine warm up faster. It sounds like you are experiencing some of the same problems as the rest of us.

Are you running any Ultra Low Sulfur Fuel yet?

It's all that they sell in NY state unless I run off road fuel. It's cheap but I get horrible mileage. So This is happenning fruequently? I didn't see much else around here that looked like the exact same issue. What is the general concensus on the cause? The local Ford shop said that my truck should start in up to -40 without even being plugged in.

[vitalidle]

Sounds like it could be gelled fuel. Are you using the powerservice in the white bottle or the grey bottle? The white bottle is the antigel formula. I have been using it all winter without any probs yet. We have seen 30 below here a few times this winter. Supposed to be 15-20 below tonight.

[Lord Tauk]

Originally Posted by Flockmaster

It's all that they sell in NY state unless I run off road fuel. It's cheap but I get horrible mileage. So This is happenning fruequently? I didn't see much else around here that looked like the exact same issue. What is the general concensus on the cause? The local Ford shop said that my truck should start in up to -40 without even being plugged in.

-40 Fahrenheit? That's insanely cold for any diesel?

And I plug in when it gets below 32?

[99Smokin73Stroker]

There's a couple of videos i've seen online of 6.0s starting in very low sub zero weather and they really don't like it. Most diesel's dont, but the additives they use really help prevent gelling. I've never had a problem up to 10 below. Where are you buying your fuel though, I've always felt truck stops are the way to go.

[Flockmaster]

Originally Posted by vitalidle

Sounds like it could be gelled fuel. Are you using the powerservice in the white bottle or the grey bottle? The white bottle is the antigel formula. I have been using it all winter without any probs yet. We have seen 30 below here a few times this winter. Supposed to be 15-20 below tonight.

I was using the Powerservices in the white bottle the first time I stalled out after starting and would not start back up. The guy who cam out from AAA was a deisel mechanic for 20+ years and he said that the additive stuff was garbage and didn't work. He told me to use 5 gallons of kerosene.

[Flockmaster]

Originally Posted by Lord Tauk

-40 Fahrenheit? That's insanely cold for any diesel?

And I plug in when it gets below 32?

Thats what the ford mechanic at the dealer said. I didn't beleive him for a second though. I plug in when it's below 32 as well.

[Flockmaster]

Originally Posted by 99Smokin73Stroker

There's a couple of videos i've seen online of 6.0s starting in very low sub zero weather and they really don't like it. Most diesel's dont, but the additives they use really help prevent gelling. I've never had a problem up to 10 below. Where are you buying your fuel though, I've always felt truck stops are the way to go.

I buy my fuel at a truck stop on an indian reservation near me. Trucks come from everywhere to go there cause the fuel is about .40 a gallon cheaper. This morning it started fine. I plugged the superchips flashpaq in though last night and changed back to factory settings. You guys think it could have been the tuner? It's hard to really make a fair comparison though since last night was only about 9 degrees and the night before was -20

[Powerstrokin']

Originally Posted by Flockmaster

It's hard to really make a fair comparison though since last night was only about 9 degrees and the night before was -20

Friend I don't know where you are at but I'll tell you i'm dang glad I ain't there! I plug my old rig in when it gets under 32, and dang all that minus #'s stuff.

Rob