No start woes

[mr_smith]

I replaced all the return lines in the engine compartment, did caps and o rings, switched to 6.9 fuel filter head, new filter. Still won't start after a few hours. Maybe I did the glow plug test wrong..

I used the screwdriver looking tester and hooked it to the pos battery terminal. Then I touched it to the glow plug tops (didn't remove the wire) and it lit up. Unless you have to remove the wire and touch the glow plug itself, I thought this means they are good. I have put almost a full can of starting fluid through this new truck in the month I have owned it. It has a push button glow plug thingy.. as soon as I push it the wts light turns off. Any thoughts ?

 

[franklin2]

You have to remove the wires on each glowplug. They are all tied together. One good one will make all the others read good unless you pull each wire off.

 

[Zaggnutt]

x2 on what franklin said. There are several possibilities here... I would start by testing the glow plugs.... Also, plugging in your block heater should help at least a little if it's just gp issues. Next, we should probably address the manual gp switch and make sure it's functioning properly.

 

[mr_smith]

I'll test the gp's tomorrow. I don't know if the block heater works.

The truck came with a coolant heater/circulator so I was just using that but it didnt help and now it keeps not staying on I think I need a new electrical plug for it. How do I test the gp switch? When I hit it I hear a click and the wts light shuts off.

 

[Zaggnutt]

I'll test the gp's tomorrow. I don't know if the block heater works.

The truck came with a coolant heater/circulator so I was just using that but it didnt help and now it keeps not staying on I think I need a new electrical plug for it. How do I test the gp switch? When I hit it I hear a click and the wts light shuts off.

Can you please give more details on the truck starting? Is it cranking but no start? Does it sputter and sound like it is trying to start or just cranking with no change? Is the starter fluid doing anything? Please detail exactly what happens when attempting to start. Also, after 15 seconds of cranking you should allow a cool down period for the starter.

Did you fill the filter with fuel? Did you purge air from the Shrader valve? DETAILS my friend, we need DETAILS!

If starter fluid is doing nothing then you have problem/problems other than glow plugs, but these are the most relevant gp voltage threads I have regarding testing, voltage, etc.
http://www.oilburners.net/forums/sh...gp-info-in-one-thread&highlight=glow plug mod
http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?35369-How-to-test-glow-plugs&highlight=glow+plug+mod
http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?8578-Glowplug-Tick-tock&highlight=glow+plug+mod
http://www.oilburners.net/forums/sh...e-at-glow-plug-connectors&highlight=glow+plug
http://www.oilburners.net/forums/sh...idi-HARD-cold-start/page2&highlight=glow+plug

These threads below are two ways of doing the manual bypass. I would go through these to check the PO's (previous owner's) wiring.
http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?36169-How-To-Manual-Glow-Plug-Switch
http://www.oilburners.net/articles/glowplugbypass.htm

 

[mr_smith]

Can you please give more details on the truck starting? Is it cranking but no start? Does it sputter and sound like it is trying to start or just cranking with no change? Is the starter fluid doing anything? Please detail exactly what happens when attempting to start. Also, after 15 seconds of cranking you should allow a cool down period for the starter.

Did you fill the filter with fuel? Did you purge air from the Shrader valve? DETAILS my friend, we need DETAILS!

If starter fluid is doing nothing then you have problem/problems other than glow plugs, but these are the most relevant gp voltage threads I have regarding testing, voltage, etc.
http://www.oilburners.net/forums/sh...gp-info-in-one-thread&highlight=glow plug mod
http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?35369-How-to-test-glow-plugs&highlight=glow+plug+mod
http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?8578-Glowplug-Tick-tock&highlight=glow+plug+mod
http://www.oilburners.net/forums/sh...e-at-glow-plug-connectors&highlight=glow+plug
http://www.oilburners.net/forums/sh...idi-HARD-cold-start/page2&highlight=glow+plug

These threads below are two ways of doing the manual bypass. I would go through these to check the PO's (previous owner's) wiring.
http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?36169-How-To-Manual-Glow-Plug-Switch
http://www.oilburners.net/articles/glowplugbypass.htm

When cranking it does nothing.. no change. I know to let the starter cool down. With the starting fluid, the first shot will get it to try to start, it doesn't start until the second shot. After I did the caps/orings, I left the first injector cracked and purged the air w the schrader valve. I filled the new fuel filter with seafoam and atf. The batteries are less than a year old as well.

One thing I forgot to check this morning was the fuel filter, I should probably see if it is still full..

I didnt test the gp's yet but I did order a new set from ebay.. $40 couldnt pass it up! Now that I ordered my set, here is the item, I think he has 4 left at that price. http://www.ebay.com/itm/251454814468?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

[rockbender]

That's a great price for glowplugs. If I wasn't a ZD-1A guy, I'd order a set in a heartbeat to keep as spares.

 

[Zaggnutt]

When cranking it does nothing.. no change. I know to let the starter cool down. With the starting fluid, the first shot will get it to try to start, it doesn't start until the second shot.

Okay, so after the second shot it starts and runs? Are you then driving it with no issues?

I would start by first unscrewing and checking the fuel filter before and then after cranking. Check the level and report.

Symptoms sound more like air intrusion/blockage.

 

[laserjock]

When cranking it does nothing.. no change. I know to let the starter cool down. With the starting fluid, the first shot will get it to try to start, it doesn't start until the second shot. After I did the caps/orings, I left the first injector cracked and purged the air w the schrader valve. I filled the new fuel filter with seafoam and atf. The batteries are less than a year old as well.

One thing I forgot to check this morning was the fuel filter, I should probably see if it is still full..

I didnt test the gp's yet but I did order a new set from ebay.. $40 couldnt pass it up! Now that I ordered my set, here is the item, I think he has 4 left at that price. http://www.ebay.com/itm/251454814468?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Make that 2 sets left. Wow, if half of them are bad for some reason I'll still come out good. Thanks for the tip.

 

[mr_smith]

When cranking it does nothing.. no change. I know to let the starter cool down. With the starting fluid, the first shot will get it to try to start, it doesn't start until the second shot.

Okay, so after the second shot it starts and runs? Are you then driving it with no issues?

I would start by first unscrewing and checking the fuel filter before and then after cranking. Check the level and report.

Symptoms sound more like air intrusion/blockage.

Yes after it is started it will run all day with no issues (pre- caps/orings) im not sure about now, I haven't tried yet. I screwed up and bought a ****** cap/oring kit, hopefully thats not the issue.

 

[franklin2]

I don't think it's air intrusion. If it was, it would try to start right after you glowed the plugs, and then it would crank and crank and then finally try to start. When air gets int he lines, there is still a little bit of fuel in the hard injection lines, so at the very beginning it will try to run on that till the air gets up in the hard lines.

 

[laserjock]

Bad lift pump maybe? Are you electric or mechanical? Leak somewhere else in the fuel system so it's draining all the way back to the tank? It would take a lot of cranking to pull fuel clear from the tank.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mr_smith]

Its mechanical, but definitely working. I didn't have the fuel filter on tight enough when I went to fire it up after I did the caps and it shot fuel everywhere. It had some power haha

 

[Zaggnutt]

I don't think it's air intrusion. If it was, it would try to start right after you glowed the plugs, and then it would crank and crank and then finally try to start. When air gets int he lines, there is still a little bit of fuel in the hard injection lines, so at the very beginning it will try to run on that till the air gets up in the hard lines.

I considered that, but I recently had a no start issue that turned out to be a hole in the fuel line pre-lift pump and a blockage/malfunctioning FSV. The combination would drain fuel from the filter but not start. It would kinda skip and huff a little but only briefly and then just crank and crank. There were other contributing factors though.... it was colder than a witches ***, and my starter and batteries were sluggish.

Once I realized (with help from OB pros) that the problem may be isolated to the front tank, I switched tanks but still no start. I had to crack injector lines and cranked several times after to get it to start. That's why I asked "mr. smith" to crack the filter and peak in before cranking and then immediately after. I think it is worth it to rule it out given the simplicity of the test.

 

[mr_smith]

I only had a few minutes to look at the truck this morning but I did check 2 things

1. The fuel filter was completely full
2. I did the screwdriver test light on 5 of the GP's and it lit up on all of them (which I was suprised to see due to the amount of starting fluid used)

So I just need to figure out how to check the manual GP switch and see if thats working. If it is, I will be pretty lost

Thanks to everyone that has contributed so far!