Towing Nightmare!! 7.3 Help Needed??

QCAuto

Observer
My 01 was cranky to the point of almost dead before starting, then one day cranked to no start, was the pos terminal on chassis mounted battery, even though I used a wire type terminal cleaner, there was a coating I had to file off, after that boom instant starts again, also the CPS code can appear from extended cranking with no start. Last I have found all my diesels start better if I count to five after glow plug light goes out
 

djbonsu

Adventurer
Last I have found all my diesels start better if I count to five after glow plug light goes out

Indeed. Sounds crazy but I do my best to wait up to 2 min once I turn the key before I start cranking. Works good in really cold temps and overall.
 

Ozrockrat

Expedition Leader
Glow plug relay would be the first thing to check replace. If it has not failed yet it will soon.

Put a voltmeter on the batteries. If you get a drop as soon as you turn the key on and it jumps back up a little while after the "wait to start" light goes off then there are at least some glow plugs working. If not then the relay is the first suspect before diving into the glow plugs.

If you are getting the voltage dip then just try toggling the key through a few on off cycles waiting for the "wait to start" light to go off each time. It may be enough to get the cylinders that have working glow plugs hot enough to fire.

You can use a voltmeter to test the glow plug relay but if you are deep enough into the bowels of the beast to get leads on the relay then you may as well have another one there and change it out.

Try never to use "start you bastard" (ether, but that is the real name for it in Australia). If it is an emergency and you are going to use ether make sure you know the glow plugs are not working and after spraying cycle the key straight to the start position. Do not wait for the heat cycle.

Also the white smoke is normal. It is atomized unburned fuel and will disappear as soon as the cylinders get hot enough to work properly.
 

QCAuto

Observer
I had a customer with hard start, glow plug light on right amount of time, found the output wire of the relay didn't have power, relay was working just no contact
 

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