Slow start at 47 °F ... Glow plugs?

[andrewbourdeaux]

Here is a cold start I recorded a few minutes ago. Outside temperature is 47 °F, I have Opti-Lube Winter (blue) anti-gel in the tank and I haven't run it in 24 hours. Didn't run block heater. Anyone think this is glow plugs or something else?

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Cold start at 37 °F after sitting for 12 hours, cycling glow plugs only once.

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[miles1400]

@andrewbourdeaux i think it might be your glow plug controller because it is making your volt gauge move too much. if i am wrong someone will say im wrong lol. the gauge needle should go down and stay there till the glow plugs turn off. next time you start your truck pay attention to the Wait To Start light. if it goes out then blinks/flashes that means you have 2 or 3 or more bad GPs

 

[snicklas]

Try starting as soon as the Wait To Start light goes out. At ~50 degrees, that 10ish seconds is correct. Once the light goes off and you see the sweeping of the voltmeter, that is doing the afterglow, which is perfectly normal... My opinion is you are waiting too long after the WTS goes out... on my IDI's, my 6.0 and the IDI VW Jetta, I hit the key when the light goes out, and they would fire up well. With it starting and running what sounds fairly smooth, I don't think you have any bad glow plugs....

If you turned the key on and the WTS only flashed or stayed on 1-2 seconds, and then went to the sweeping volt meter, then I would say you had a bad plug(s)....

Next time, turn the key on, when the WTS goes out, try and start.... also per the manual (and on the back of the sun visor) Ford's starting procedure is 32 degrees and warmer, depress the accelerator to half throttle while cranking, and release as soon as the engine starts. Below 32 degrees, depress the accelerator to full throttle while cranking and release as soon as the engine starts.

 

[Farmer Rock]

I agree with @miles1400 ,The glow plug controller is likely causing your problems.I see a potential manual gp conversion .I got diagrams if you want em'.The conversion makes things much simpler and will save you money,as well as give you better control.

And I also agree with @snicklas starting procedures.Many people over look giving throttle when starting an old mechanical diesel.




Rock

 

[andrewbourdeaux]

@Farmer Rock and @snicklas

I had the throttle depressed halfway in that video and let off as soon as it fired. I will record another video in the morning (supposed to be 38 °F at 8:00 AM) and turn the key after the WTS light goes out the first time. I was unaware of giving full throttle under 32 °F, so thank you for that, that is helpful!


Andrew

 

[The_Josh_Bear]

I agree with @snicklas, sounds great once it catches and there's no lope at all...better than mine for sure. Your starter is nice and strong too, which was my first guess before I watched the video, but no worries there.
And as he said your voltage gauge is doing what it should, it's rock steady on the low side during "wait to start" then cycles as it should for the "after glow" cycle.

So two thoughts:
1. Your idle seems really low for a cold start-- does it drop down after a few mins of driving?
If it doesn't drop down ), your cold start advance is busted. If it does drop, what is your idle speed?

2. Your timing seems retarded for a cold start to me. I dunno if the OBS cabs are better insulated than my 89 but you should sound like a powerstroke at 47* with that diesel rattle. Then it would go away once the idle kicks down and drops timing 3*.
For example if you open the hood and stand in front of the cold running engine it would hurt your ears if you have normal hearing.

Hope that helps, and man do you have a smooth runner!
Happy wrenching!
-Joshua

 

[andrewbourdeaux]

@The_Josh_Bear Thank you for your detailed reply.

First, you are correct regarding the starter. It's brand new as of last year. Magnet broke free inside and seized her up! Two new oversized ambulance batteries from Interstate as well.

A few things to note as far as sound... I recorded this with a newer GoPro camera which seems to picks up a lot of the low end tones and less higher tones. This thing rattles... as it should! Haha!
I also deleted the muffler, so it's got that lower, deeper idle sound in the cab.

After it sits and idles cold for 5-10 minutes (depending on how cold it is outside) the idle RPMs sounds like they drop. I'm not absolutely sure though as I don't have a tach.
Also, what do you mean by "drops timing 3*"?

Tomorrow I will record another cold start in the morning, only cycling the glow plugs once, then pop the hood so you can hear outside.

Thanks again,
Andrew

 

[andrewbourdeaux]

Hi everyone again.

Here is a new video of another cold start this morning at 8:00 AM. Outside temperature was 39°F and, as requested, I only cycled the glow plugs once this time. Same delay...

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Also, does anyone know if this part is okay hanging where it is or should it be zip tied or clipped elsewhere? Thank you everyone who has given their input!


Andrew

 

[MtnHaul]

That's a lot of cranking before ignition. While cranking do you get any white-ish smoke out the exhaust pipe? Fuel could be draining back and the pump needs those extra cranks to actually get fuel to the IP. Does this hard start only happen when it's cold? Or would it happen the same if you waited
until the day had warmed a bit--I do realize it's winter and your location says Colorado so warm is a relative notion.

 

[andrewbourdeaux]

@MtnHaul Haha yes warm is very relative! I prefer 70s!
Let me mention... this is a very new thing that it is doing. I went on a road trip from CO to NM to CA and back to CO (total 2,600 miles) last week and it was since then that I am starting slow. Yes, when it cranks, I get white fuelly smoke. After it starts, I get bluish smoke idling. Two weeks ago neither were an issue.

 

[MtnHaul]

Well shoot. The only time I had a lot of white smoke before start was with an effed up glow plug system.

 

[rhkcommander]

Probably air intrusion.

Easy test, after starting immediately turn it off and try again. If it pops right back on you purged the air. Same stumbling means it ain't that.

No fuel no smoke. White fuel is cold or unburnt, black means its burning. I had an old engine that would billow black and not start but that was a combo of low cranking rpm, air intrusion, and having 1+ bad plugs on a manual setup so not all 8 were contributing. Low compression from a worn engine can also hurt, blue smoke can be indicative of that because you're burning oil excessively. So back then I would floor it and crank before trying to glow, just to prime it up.

 

[Farmer Rock]

Pull the fuel filter off after sitting overnight, and if it's full,it's the GPs causing this,and if it's just a little low,it's air intrusion.



Rock

 

[andrewbourdeaux]

@Farmer Rock What would cause air intrusion and what would be a fix for this?

 

[RSchanz]

@Farmer Rock What would cause air intrusion and what would be a fix for this?

could be several areas. I think the most common are return lines and water separator.