hard starting

[73idi88f350]

so my truck has gotten harder and harder to start to the point ive had to hit it with ether for a few days in the am to get it to fire.. the wait to start light sometimes will stay on for a while sometimes it will flicker.. ive also check it while cranking and it also flickers and stays off sometimes.. so im thinking i got a bad connection somewhere in the glow plug system.. it is on a Manuel switch but only to bypass the key on and off part.. so i could turn them on and off when i wanted...

so if i hit it with a small spray of ether and jump the starter solenoid it will fire and keep running so i should assume i have no fuel issues right? seems as if the glow plugs become no help in starting.. i do know what to look into to fix my issue just wanna be sure im not starting in the wrong direction

thanks!

 

[BIG GREEN 1991]

check your glow plug controller switch and make sure u are getting 1 ohm on each glow plug when the key is on. also since its proggresivly getting harder to start maybe check your lift pump?

 

[73idi88f350]

new lift pump less then a year and not an airtex.... has new beru plugs to.. i think its the controller im gonna eliminate it completely and see how that plays out the glow plugs always been iffy even with a new set its been a back and forth system

 

[BIG GREEN 1991]

check the harness itself too. and have you done a return line kit?

 

[icanfixall]

This sounds like your getting fuel. Just no glow. Check the main engine wire harness plug. The two yellow wires in that plug usually melt the plug and thats because of corrosion getting in there. then it heats up to the point it melts the plastic. Mine did one cold morning start to the point I saw dark smoke come out that side of the hood afte I got started. I thought I just burned up the starter but shut down and restart was fine. Opened hood and looked. Then I saw the melted plug and felt how hot it was. I got some audio speaker wire from a car radio sterio store shop and lugs. Its the good kind with many strands in it. Its either 4 or 6 gauge. Much bigger than the factory ****. I ran the feed directly to the controller. No more factory harness plug. Be careful with this wire. Its always hot with power from the battery. Trace it back from the fender mount solenoid. See that it goes back to the hot of the battery cable. Same with the alternater.

 

[73idi88f350]

This sounds like your getting fuel. Just no glow. Check the main engine wire harness plug. The two yellow wires in that plug usually melt the plug and thats because of corrosion getting in there. then it heats up to the point it melts the plastic. Mine did one cold morning start to the point I saw dark smoke come out that side of the hood afte I got started. I thought I just burned up the starter but shut down and restart was fine. Opened hood and looked. Then I saw the melted plug and felt how hot it was. I got some audio speaker wire from a car radio sterio store shop and lugs. Its the good kind with many strands in it. Its either 4 or 6 gauge. Much bigger than the factory ****. I ran the feed directly to the controller. No more factory harness plug. Be careful with this wire. Its always hot with power from the battery. Trace it back from the fender mount solenoid. See that it goes back to the hot of the battery cable. Same with the alternater.

i just ran a new wire for that tonight ontop of all new power wiring grounds are next the batterys still show above 12.5 but i decided to leave the charger on them all night to see if they come up some more.. little low.... this time i got the short nose starter when i got my switch out... still seems to crank a little slow.. ive got ground cables to make still so i hope that helps other wise im lost... seems to not crank fast enough..

both my batteries are a mitch match agm and regular style.. both same brands tho without spending a lot im trying to find 2 nice newer batteries but no luck in the last few months.. i work at a core place were i find good batteries and the battery guy that buys them from use has been watching for a nice set of new date code matching batteries for me but its been hard. if the grounds dont help after tomorrow im gonna have to break down and just buy 2 batterise before winter hits.

the return kit is new as of last year but it was just an autozone brand so it could be an issue??? dont seem as if tho cuz it runs pretty good right off ether other then your norm lumpy cold start.

 

[japar]

I was having starting issues mostly after the truck has been running for awhile and shut off briefly, well the other day I got stuck the starter went out. I had a new replacment at the shop and swapped starters . No problem now you can just here that starter spin the motor over faster. Was the starter all the time. Seems I only get 2-3 years out of a starter.

 

[73idi88f350]

I was having starting issues mostly after the truck has been running for awhile and shut off briefly, well the other day I got stuck the starter went out. I had a new replacment at the shop and swapped starters . No problem now you can just here that starter spin the motor over faster. Was the starter all the time. Seems I only get 2-3 years out of a starter.

my times been about 6months... this last one was clicking a few times when turning the key before starting and they gave me a hard time about getting it replaced. telling me something else is wrong.. funny it did it for the last month since i had it was just to lazy to take it off and back.. im only 27 i hate when people act like you know nothing. ive been wrenching on cars since i was like 8 years old i know a clean and dirty connection.....

 

[BIG GREEN 1991]

what about your voltage regulator?

 

[73idi88f350]

what about your voltage regulator?

ive got a brand new one im gonna also swap out but that would only reason for not keeping batteries charged. but an alternator isn't meant to fully recharge there meant to maintain the system. the grounds on the engine block side were pretty nasty im in the process of installing the newly made cables. while the batteries get a nice charger over night and topped off threw out the day to see if they ok or need replaced.

 

[BIG GREEN 1991]

autozone will charge and load test for free and only takes an hour too

 

[73idi88f350]

autozone will charge and load test for free and only takes an hour too

true

 

[BIG GREEN 1991]

check the wire going to stater too but im sure u did that already

 

[73idi88f350]

check the wire going to stater too but im sure u did that already

i wasn't having issue with the wiring but i had new wire to make all new wiring from the 2 batteries,starter to battery,battery to solenoid, and glow plug to battery all in 2/0 i just got all the power wiring all done last night soldered all the ends and what not just finished the grounds just gotta get them installed.

 

[73idi88f350]

well i got it running good and turning over really well now.. had 1 glow plug wire fell off 1 broken and 1 bad 1. so 3 glow plugs down. ill post pics of all my wires i made as well