Fuel doesn't stay waiting at the injectors?

[Brian VT]

I usually hold my manual glow plug button for 6-8 seconds and then try starting for 3 seconds. Sometimes it starts, more often I have to repeat and then it starts. Tonight, at 29 deg. and the block heater not having been plugged in, I decided to not use the glow button for the 1st starting attempt. I turned it over for about 2 seconds and then did my glow routine. It started almost immediately.
So...I guess the fuel must be falling away from where it needs to be when the truck sits for a day or more. Is this normal or might I have a small air leak somewhere?

 

[IDIBRONCO]

With the engine cold, meaning block heater not plugged in, 3 seconds on the starter very well may not be long enough.

 

[Brian VT]

I have held it longer and it'll jump a bit but doesn't quite start. Seems like by the time the fuel gets up to pressure the glow plugs might have cooled off?
I guess my new routine will be to turn it over for a few seconds to get the fuel pressurized at the injectors before wasting battery on the glow plugs. That seemed to work great tonight. It started almost instantly with that method. Even at 29 degrees without heating the block. And, FYI, I often have to do a 2nd starting attempt even in the summer (after it has sat for a day or more).
I guess I'm just wondering if the system is supposed to hold pressure for longer periods of time or is my truck acting normally.

 

[MJGenay]

Two theories here as I have found a similar starting procedure works best.

First, maybe its putting some fuel into the cylinders and preheating that a little bit.

Second, you and I may both have a really minor fuel drain back issue, so were bringing the fuel up to the injectors so it's ready to go.

I lean towards the second.

 

[Brian VT]

I'm sure finding the source of a minor drain back is near impossible since I've read about so many here pulling their hair out trying to find major leaks.
I guess just I'll put this minor issue out of my mind.

 

[The_Josh_Bear]

Rather than a drainback issue, I'd suspect that the injectors are dripping down when the truck is off. Meaning they don't seal perfectly and the fuel leaks into the cylinder over night and whatnot.
So cranking it over a couple seconds re-primes the lines of the tiny amount of fuel they lost and then it fires up nice. I should try that with mine as I'm sure it does the same.
Do you have a smoky start up?

 

[Brian VT]

The Russ injectors are less than a year old so I don't suspect those.
I do have some smoke but I suspect that is engine related and not fuel supply.

 

[Black dawg]

Pretty normal behavior. On my trucks that have been manual plugs, that is the way I would start them when it was cold out. Always figured there was fuel smoking in the cylinder by the time I quit cranking the first time, and glow plug heat warmed that up even more.

 

[SouthernIDI]

Have you checked for air at the schrader valve?