DAMMIT!!!....the week from hell!!

[Goofyexponent]

Ok, so after being stuck in a truck with no heat for 14 hours waiting to be loaded, and getting SICK AS F*** because of that, I get outta bed at 4 am to go get some cold and flu pills and THIS happened!!!

-4*F (-20*C), 8 CONFIRMED working GP's, GP controller working right, 2 BRAND NEW BATTERIES last night, good starter and NO START?! It is getting fuel because it has white smoke puffing from the tailpipe and I confirmed the FSS is clicking by removing the wire. The cold advance is also working, I checked that too. I think it's just too damn cold out to be NOT plugged in, but try telling that to the apartment building managers. I think they will let me plug it in when I let the generator run for 3 hours starting at 2 am lol.

What am I doing wrong here?

No start Video

I wound up letting her sit for a coupe of minutes and giving it a sniff of ether and she fired right off.

 

[david85]

Are you running a fuel antigell?

 

[Goofyexponent]

Howes. People say it's the best?

 

[sootman73]

at the end of the video the engine was not turning over fast enough to start. my truck turns over about twice as fast as that. and hold the throttle pedal to the floor when cranking like this. you can hold on the starter longer than that. especially with those temps outside.

 

[Popeye2347]

Well...my 1994 is basically the same as yours and I had no problem starting during this cold snap, and the temps were about the same. I suspect the reason it is not starting is that you are not allowing enough time for the GP to heat the cylinders. Yes, I know the light went out, but the GP still heat after the light goes out. [Watch the other dash lights pulse in brightness]

Try this method.....when the Wait light goes out, turn the key off and back on, to recycle the GP's. The second time the light will go out rather quickly, and after it goes out, watch the other lights and you will see a pulsing. That is the GP controller still heating the GP's. Anyway, when the light goes out, slowly count to ten, then engage the starter. In warm weather my IDI will start with only setting the fast idle solnoid, but I find in cold weather, like we just had, that it starts easier if I push about 1/2 way down on the pedal after I engage the starter [but not before].

So to recap, give the GP's a count of ten [I estimate a count of three in the video], engage starter, count to two and push the accelerator pedal about 1/2 way down. She doesn't like starting cold, but she has never failed me so far this winter----[knock-on-wood!].

Another thing, I feel it is hard to let it sit and 'warm up', as in 10-15 minutes, as the rpm's are low and the oil is thick [cold]and not flowing real good. I start mine and let the idle smooth out, buckle my seat belt and adjust the radio [clean the windows first in this weather] then drive off. Driving loads the motor and builds heat, which is what is needed. Hope I don't open a can of worms here, but that is how I do it. YMMV

 

[6 Nebraska IDIs]

Actually the GP system has an after glow cycle, that is the "pulsing" you see after the wait to start light goes out. When its that cold I have to do an after glow cycle in my trucks with a manual switch to keep them running. So actually if you count to 10 after the WTS light goes out you're actually trying to start the motor on colder plugs than what they were when the WTS light went out. In that kind of cold with the block heater not plugged in its not uncommon to see the WTS light stay on for over 14 seconds. I'm going to watch the video and post back what I can see with the WTS light.
Okay, now that is weird. Your glow plugs cycled over 14 seconds, which like I said is not uncommon for those temps outside. There is no reason your truck shouldn't have fired off with plugs heated like that. I can't listen to the video right now because I'm at school but it's entirely possible your batteries are just so bad the cold sucks the life out of them and then they don't spin the motor over fast enough to start.

 

[Goofyexponent]

I just put brand new batteries in her last night. It was rolling pretty fast when I first hit the key. I just don't know what her peoblem is. Most likely too damn cold out there.

Just my luck lol.

 

[TWeatherford]

Sounds a lot like my old motor did every time I tried to start it unplugged below about 40 degrees. That motor had issues, and a weak starter and bad cables were part of the problem. But it would crank over that slow and try to fire like yours was, I'd just keep into it for about 20 seconds and it would fire. Bad on the starter but its what I had to do to fire up.

Your components must be in pretty good shape, maybe not perfect, but pretty darn good to be doing that unplugged at -4. Not being able to plug in really stinks, I can't at college but I live in a warmer climate so its not as bad. I think the generator is good, just remove all of the exhaust components first.

 

[65sixbanger]

Maybe yall should all invest in one of the GR starters, If you dont already have one. They spin over a lot faster...

 

[Popeye2347]

Actually the GP system has an after glow cycle, that is the "pulsing" you see after the wait to start light goes out. When its that cold I have to do an after glow cycle in my trucks with a manual switch to keep them running. So actually if you count to 10 after the WTS light goes out you're actually trying to start the motor on colder plugs than what they were when the WTS light went out.........

I don't doubt you word, but that is what works for me and my IDI. I would try her your way however with this heat wave [23F] it is about 30F warmer than just a few days ago. I'll give'er a go and see what happens.

PS Know what causes global warming?.........The sun!

 

[Agnem]

One of the biggest problems I have noticed when it is extra cold out, is that when your glow cycle ends, those plugs cool down really quick. If it takes a second for the fuel to start moving, your plugs may be too cold to support ignition by the time it gets there, since every intake stroke brings wave after wave of feezing air into the cylinder. I'm not sure how to best combat this, but the general jist of it is you MUST have a good spray pattern, and fuel present as SOON as the glow plugs kick off. If you have a bad spray pattern, there is a likelyhood that fuel will not hit the glow plug directly which is pretty much what is needed.

 

[6 Nebraska IDIs]

Ok, well here may be another possibility. After Mel was mentioning fuel. Is your IP old or worn out? My grandpas truck got to the point that it would start like yours, or the lack there of, and we determined the IP and injectors were so worn out that fuel was not getting to the cylinders to start it. Also, if your timing is WAY off you'll be in big trouble in the winter too. Just a couple more ideas.

 

[dyoung14]

my old 89 7.3 wont hardly crank at 50 degrees using glow plugs, but man it will outrun my 6.9 like im setting still, so i kinda figure my old 7.3 is a little worn down

 

[Popeye2347]

One of the biggest problems I have noticed when it is extra cold out, is that when your glow cycle ends, those plugs cool down really quick. If it takes a second for the fuel to start moving, your plugs may be too cold to support ignition by the time it gets there....

So.....my next cold start I will start cranking her just the instant the light goes off-maybe even a touch sooner-and see how she starts then.

We are having a 'heat wave' now, it's up to 34F! No doubt it will drop again, after all I live in Illinois-[if ya don't like the weather, just wait a while and it will change!]

 

[dyoung14]

So.....my next cold start I will start cranking her just the instant the light goes off-maybe even a touch sooner-and see how she starts then.

We are having a 'heat wave' now, it's up to 34F! No doubt it will drop again, after all I live in Illinois-[if ya don't like the weather, just wait a while and it will change!]

for 2 weeks here in tennesse its been below freezing, and finally today its supose to be about 40