cold starting your truck

[IH_444]

Mine starts hard all the time, even at 60 takes a full 10 seconds of cranking. I got told my starter is weak, but I have seen IDI's crank even slower than mine does and still start. If it' below 20 out, good luck. It will start, with 2 10 second cranking cycles.

I have a starter I wanted to try but I want to replace my non working block heater while I have starter off so I've been putting it off but I should really do it SOON.

 

[WrickM]

in any temp one glow plug cycle and she cranks within two seconds. I am braggin on the old girl a little. you understand.

 

[dyoung14]

My other 86 the white one i use to have, any temp one gloe period would fires as soon as i touched the switch it was great still not surte why i sold it

 

[snicklas]

This is just something I saw once, and I am not sure the condition of the fuel or glow systems, but


I know Daves farm, don't shoot me...... but this has to be the ultimate cold start.....

A video from Daves Farm (does have a couple of explatives in it)on youtube shows Dave doing a cold start on his IDI that he has thrashed on the farm. He hooked two batteries to it, and showed under the hood, and the snow was drifted in solid around the engine. Climbed in and cleaned snow off from the seat and under the dash (snow was as deep as the seat). Turned the key on, and tje controller ran the glow plugs for at least 25 seconds. He hit the key and it cranked for a few seconds and cycled the plugs again, and it started, it was rough but it started.

So they will start cold........

 

[mrbrink]

about a month ago in 45* weather here, and probably 4 bad glow plugs I ran my batteries dead trying to get mine to start. I now have all new GP's and with 6 seconds on the button it'll fire right up even in 20*, usually doesn't get much colder around here.

 

[ghunt]

With functioning GP's, I swear mine starts better sometimes in the cold than it does when it's around 70.

Last winter I had several times where I had to start the truck in the teens, I generally glow it for 15 seconds and crank and it fires up pretty quick.

2 years ago, before I had the manual pushbutton on the truck, a couple of the GP's crapped out and it wouldn't cycle the plugs properly, and I had to start the truck in mid 20 degree weather. That was fun. Took quite a bit of cranking but it did finally fire up.

 

[FordGuy100]

Here is a cold start with a basically dead starter. Listen to how it cranks. Also, I was an idiot with glow times. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz-D9hxgZWc

Here is a video of a 14* cold start down here in Texas. Good glow plugs, good starter, good batteries. 8 second glow.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrfftNsl5dI

Oh here is a PSD that started right before mine on the 14* start. I had to show him what an IDI will do!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZX2fkgHV4w

 

[MR.T]

Black_Dawg: Don't know how much good it does, but the heater element in the top of the fuel filter housing might be worth checking if you haven't done that already.

 

[Black dawg]

Black_Dawg: Don't know how much good it does, but the heater element in the top of the fuel filter housing might be worth checking if you haven't done that already.

I dont think the heater would have any affect, as 20* is when this thing wants to give up. but to answer the question my heater does not work.

did a compression test on a few holes today and got 320 by the 4th puff and 220 on the first. 1 year ago compression was 375-400.

 

[Rot Box]

Mine lit off with no stress tonight when I got off work. It was -6*F and I did not have it plugged in running Delo 15w-40. I'm hoping to find the limit this year

I didn't think I would ever say this but I'm convinced that a healthy IDI will start just as good (maybe better) as a Cummins 12v in the cold stuff... So far I'm believing it That said it is much easier for an IDI to NOT start in the cold stuff if things are neglected though

 

[RLDSL]

I dont think the heater would have any affect, as 20* is when this thing wants to give up. but to answer the question my heater does not work.

did a compression test on a few holes today and got 320 by the 4th puff and 220 on the first. 1 year ago compression was 375-400.

If you've lost that much compression, I would suggest running a couple of treatments of Auto Rx and seeing if cleaning out your rings does anything to help that compression out. You may very well find that the problem is nothing more than packed up rings. Extrodinarily common on diesels, especially ones that reside in cold climates.

 

[FordGuy100]

Second the auto-rx, it truly works! I think running a dose every other year is a good idea for these motors.

 

[fuzzydog]

I am soooooo spoiled, and I don't take any credit for this at all.
Bought my 91 IDI in Jan 2007 - my first ever diesel.

Temps down to -30 Celsius since then (plugged in) and she has always fired right up and ran pretty smooth right from the start. temps down to -20 or so (not plugged in) and I can only remember one time when I had to crank twice.
I bought the truck from a diesel mech and he really had her dialed in. Everything is original and works like it should. (except the fuel filter/water separator, which is CAT)
key to on, when the 'wait to start' light goes out, I crank and it starts - always.

 

[Black dawg]

If you've lost that much compression, I would suggest running a couple of treatments of Auto Rx and seeing if cleaning out your rings does anything to help that compression out. You may very well find that the problem is nothing more than packed up rings. Extrodinarily common on diesels, especially ones that reside in cold climates.

well I soaked the cylinders for 24 hours with a mix of atf and gm top engine cleaner. gonna run it a few days and recheck. blowby is already reduced.

 

[RLDSL]

well I soaked the cylinders for 24 hours with a mix of atf and gm top engine cleaner. gonna run it a few days and recheck. blowby is already reduced.

If you are already seeing some results from a cleaning procedure like that, then you need to get on some of that Auto RX. You will be amazed at what that stuff will do for that engine Don't do anymore of what you did and make sure you get all of it flushed out. ATF has no business in your engine. THey used to use it for cleaning out engines before teardowns, and then someone on the internet started spreading the rumor that it was OK to use it as a flush, big no-no.