99 7.3 hard to start..........glow plugs????

[CrawlerCraig]

I have a 99 F250 and on saturday I went out and started it and no problem at all temp was about 20 outside then sunday I went out to warm it up and it would not start temp was around 25..... I turned the key on and back on and waited till the "wait to start" light went off I had to do that about 8 times and then it started up ran the entire day fine......Monday morning came around and it did the same thing temp was about 25 again.........I have not tried it since.......I only use the truck 2-3 times a month so I don't plug it in.......(i know i should but it cost about 50 $ a month) I had the glow plugs replace at about 55,000 miles and the truck only has 88,000 on it now.....If i remember right it was doing the samething then.....

if it is the glow plugs can you give me a link on how to change them or test them.... (the dealer changed them last time under warranty)

Thanks for the help.

[samiam]

Do a search on the site for Glow Plug Relay, maybe that's your issue. It was definitely my major issue. It was simple to test the relay, and simple to replace. I learned that the GPR might have failed, but it really has no relation to that Wait To Start light in the dash, and it doesn't throw a check engine light. I will test mine every Fall from here on out. Cost me about $50 for a new GPR. I asked the local diesel shop to test my glow plugs, and for about 30 minutes labor they told me I had one bad glow plug, and it would be about $450 to replace all eight. I figure for those extra cold nights around here which only happen about 20 nights a year, I'll just plug her in overnight.

[mschn99]

Originally Posted by CrawlerCraig

I have a 99 F250 and on saturday I went out and started it and no problem at all temp was about 20 outside then sunday I went out to warm it up and it would not start temp was around 25..... I turned the key on and back on and waited till the "wait to start" light went off I had to do that about 8 times and then it started up ran the entire day fine......Monday morning came around and it did the same thing temp was about 25 again.........I have not tried it since.......I only use the truck 2-3 times a month so I don't plug it in.......(i know i should but it cost about 50 $ a month) I had the glow plugs replace at about 55,000 miles and the truck only has 88,000 on it now.....If i remember right it was doing the samething then.....

if it is the glow plugs can you give me a link on how to change them or test them.... (the dealer changed them last time under warranty)

Thanks for the help.

Check out the tech files.....it sounds to me like your glow plug relay is bad....and there are instructions there on how to test it....u only need a test light to do it!!!

[CrawlerCraig]

went out today to check the GPR and it tested good so i went to start it and it fired right up! The key was on for about 45 seconds so do you think leaving the key on longer then the "wait to start light" indicates .....before trying to start it helped?

[mschn99]

Originally Posted by CrawlerCraig

went out today to check the GPR and it tested good so i went to start it and it fired right up! The key was on for about 45 seconds so do you think leaving the key on longer then the "wait to start light" indicates .....before trying to start it helped?

that is never a bad idea if its really cold. Below 30 degrees the glow plugs should stay on for about 90 seconds...

It could also be your GPR is going and its working some of the time and not all of the time...