Cold start advance

[nic55kel]

My truck is getting harder to start as it is getting colder (-5 C ~20 F).
15 -20 second cranking.
Just discovered my block heater does not work so will be installing lower rad hose heater.
My cold advance does not work (missing switch). Can anyone give me an idea as to how much difference
in starting the cold advance makes?
Don't really want to buy a switch if not much improvement.
Thanks.

 

[FordGuy100]

A little improvement, but it wont be an insane amount IMO. Might shave a second off your cranking times, but its not magically going to make your truck start in 1 second from what its doing right now.

Hows cranking speed? Your truck should be able to start relativaly easily given it has low miles.

Glow plug function, battery condition, battery cables, starter speed, compression, no air in the lines, good atomization from injectors, timing. Thats the recipe for a good cold start.

Mine at 14*F

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrfftNsl5dI

 

[texcl]

Wow your truck cranks alot faster than mine in that cold, good thing I'm getting new batteries tomorrow.

 

[nic55kel]

Batteries are newish, cranking speed okay, glow plugs seem okay. Return lines resealed and not leaking, starts quickly at 50F. I am thinking my injectors are probably worn out, the truck always leaves a trail of black smoke. Not real heavy but quite visible.

 

[texcl]

If your timing is off it will cause hard starts.

 

[ghunt]

Yeah, how's your glow plugs? I started mine a few times when the weather was in the teens and it had been sitting all day, when I had the GP's on a manual pushbutton. Glowed it for almost 20 seconds, kicked on the cold advance and it actually started pretty quick, cackled a good bit though

I will tell you that after I swapped IP's, it was way easier to start ALL the time. When it was hot outside I could start it dead cold without glowing it at all.