2003 7.3 cranks and smokes but wont start

73IDI

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My dad just got a 03 F350 166xxx miles 100% stock and is having cold start issues and can't really find any answers in a search so I'm asking. The truck will crank over fast and even sound like a cylinder or more is trying to hit and gets smoke out of tail pipe but will not start if you dont plug it in which led me down the glow plug path but the glow plugs all ohm to around .7, glow plug relay is new and working and new batteries, new fuel filter even took valve covers off and ran continuity check on all the glow plug wires. I also tried unplugging the icp and cranking with no luck because that seemed to be a common thing to try in my searches. Also could be unrelated I dont know but it has no power until it gets up to temperature. What am I missing I got cranking speed air and fuel but wouldn't start with out plugging in.
 

73IDI

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To clarify the smoke is like grey fuel smelling like it's getting fuel but not firing off

UPDATE: Changed IPR and oil temp sensor and made no difference but if you unplug the oil temp sensor it will start after several tries with a very low rpm idle that is very rough and smoothes out the longer it runs and warms up I'm at a loss here seems like its engine temp related or even a timing issue until it warms up
 

SebastIDIan

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Have you checked the glow plug controller with a voltmeter? I've seen new ones be bad right out of the box. Is it a motorcraft unit?

One of the big posts should be hot all the time and the other one should have voltage with the key on engine off if the truck is cold.

Try jumping the two big posts on the controller for about 20 seconds and see if that makes a difference.
 

73IDI

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Have you checked the glow plug controller with a voltmeter? I've seen new ones be bad right out of the box. Is it a motorcraft unit?

One of the big posts should be hot all the time and the other one should have voltage with the key on engine off if the truck is cold.

Try jumping the two big posts on the controller for about 20 seconds and see if that makes a difference.

I have verified that the glow plug relay is working and no it is not a motorcraft unit
 

79jasper

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Injectors are worm. Specifically the armature clearance. You can get a kit to reset them.

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greenskeeper

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Injectors are worm. Specifically the armature clearance. You can get a kit to reset them.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

@ 166k ? That would be low mileage for failure but who knows how the truck was maintained.

smoke out the tailpipe indicates some or all of the injectors are firing.

I'd suggest removing the valve covers, crank the engine over, and confirm oil coming from the spouts on all 8 injectors while cranking. Then I would pull each glow plug and test them on a bench by putting 12v to them. Every one should glow red the entire length within 10 seconds.

I've seen GPs test "good" on a meter but hardly glow when 12v applied to them.

Replacing all 8 (as well as the relay) would give you a good baseline to begin a maintenance long on the glow plug system.
 

dsrace

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may seem like a crazy question but have you pulled the dipstick to check oil level? if your truck is over 2 qts low it may hard start. i know i had a couple bad o rings on my injectors and pushed oil into my fuel system that ran the oil down 4 qts......truck cranked a long time but finally started and idles rough. that was a hot restart though so cold could be different.
 

73IDI

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Do have plenty of oil actually just changed it and got a new icp per a mechanic and am waiting to get time to take it back to him so he can run his diagnostic tool with it getting data from the icp

Thanks for the reply from all will post when I know more
 

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