Extended crank/Hard start when cold

[schoelta]

My truck is hard to start after it sits for sometime, like during the night, or during work. When I go to start it it, it cranks for a long time before it may or may not start. I know it's not a glow plug issue because when I put my amp clamp on the yellow and brown wires, there is over 180amps drawn, and then it slowly drops to about 90amps for about a minute or so, and then turns off when the relay clicks. I know it's getting some fuel, because I see smoke coming out of the tail pipe, a little bluish in color I think.

Here's the kicker. When I park on a slight hill with the engine side down it starts right up. If I'm level or the engine a little higher that's when I seem to have the problem. I was looking on IDENTIFIX, and there it said to overfill the crankcase with oil, and raise the back of the truck, and see if it starts. If it does, then there is a cracked oil pickup tube or pick up tube gasket. I didn't overfill the crankcase, but based on the position my truck needs to start easily, I'm thinking this is my problem.

So the questions are:

1.) How common is this problem?
2.) Do I need to remove the oil pan because I really do not want to pull the engine if I can avoid it?
3.) Is there something else that could cause the same issue that I have overlooked?

Thanks

Tim

 

[Double-S-Diesel]

Ive never seen a cracked pick up tube.
have you checked the oil level in the hpop resovoir,
I have had a few with drain back issuse, caused by a bad low pressure pump.

 

[schoelta]

I drove it to work this morning, and it's been sitting from 7:30am to 2:30pm. I checked the level in the HPOP and it was over 1" low from the fill hole. So I definitely have a drain back issue, but where are the places that it can drain back?

 

[79jasper]

May be a problem in the oil cooler header.

Your hpop could be going.
I believe my 94 has the anti drain back valve in the timing cover.
Yours should be in the hpop reservoir.

 

[Double-S-Diesel]

how many miles, Ive seen the drain back due to a wore out low pressure pump

 

[schoelta]

The truck had 337000 miles on it. I haven't had a chance to check oil pressure. But if I had a problem with the low pressure pump, wouldn't I have driveability issues as well. When it does start, it runs great.

 

[Double-S-Diesel]

lpop wont give a drivability problem, although on a mechanical gauge the pressure will be low. the stock guage is nothing more than an idiot light.
what happens when the lpop goes bad is it looses its prime , but once the prime is established it pump fine
here is a pict of the pump, the clearance should only be 8-10 thous, I have pulled them out with over 25 thous clearance

 

[schoelta]

I think you may be correct, I noticed when I tried to start it that the oil "gauge" didn't start reading right away. It took quite some cranking. However, very shortly after the gauge moved, the truck fired right up. So at 337000 miles, what's more likely the culprit, a bad LPOP or a cracked pick up tube?

 

[mudslut350]

Reading this post it sounds similer to my 97. But I have not tried the hill thing. If temp is below 45 I have to cycle the plugs at least once and below 35 I have to cycle them twice in order to get er to start. I am not sure about hpop or lpop llevl??? How do I check this? Just under the fill cap in the middle?

 

[79jasper]

Reading this post it sounds similer to my 97. But I have not tried the hill thing. If temp is below 45 I have to cycle the plugs at least once and below 35 I have to cycle them twice in order to get er to start. I am not sure about hpop or lpop llevl??? How do I check this? Just under the fill cap in the middle?

Your problem is glow plugs/uvch.
Let them run for a full minute and try to start*it.
Just turn the key on and wait. (Even after the wts light goes out)
Just try it.

 

[mudslut350]

Ill have to give it a shot after work because its currently plugged in. I thought the plugs were only on with the light? Can I ohm out the plugs to see if theyre bad? I feel they are working because if I turn the key right away it will not start just smoke but if I cycle them once right off the bat she fires off. I guess they could be weak but this truck has done this since 97 and has had new plugs since at least once that I know of.

 

[79jasper]

Generally the colder it is, the longer you should let them run.
Mine probably needs new gp's/uvch, but I started it right up this morning at 15°F. I turn the key on, put my seatbelt on, then start it. Lopes a few times, then smoothes right out.

They'll run for two minutes.
And yes, you can ohm them.