Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 03-23-2022, 10:11 AM   #1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Burbank
Posts: 282
7.3 hard start

I have a 2003 E350 4X4 7.3 300,000
new batteries

cranking to start is taking much longer than normal which was a pretty quick turn key and zoom off and running
now I turn the key and it's probably 5 (+ / -)seconds to start

The van has been sitting most of the winter (not much of a winter here in So Cal).

asking for opinions on the possible cause

HighCountry 2003 E350 4X4 7.3 SMB 300,000

HIGHCOUNTRYMIKE is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-23-2022, 11:01 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2020
Posts: 436
Just to make sure: it’s cranking but not firing up?

Any rough idling or so?

A friend had a similar issue on his 1992 7.5 gas. Eventually turned out to be the fuel pump…
Not sure if the diesel might have the same issue though.
E-350 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-23-2022, 11:18 AM   #3
Site Team
 
BroncoHauler's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Southern New Mexico
Posts: 10,177
When is the last time the fuel filter was changed?

When is the last time the oil was changed?


Herb
__________________
SMB-less as of 02/04/2012. Our savings account is richer, but our adventures are poorer.
BroncoHauler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-23-2022, 11:21 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Denver Colorado
Posts: 820
If all is original parts, your are long over due for injectors and wiring harnesses.
Replace for fuel filter recently?
When does start is the exhaust smoke grey or black?
Once warm does start the same as when cold?
__________________
2002 e350 window eb,
7.3
CCV high top
Conversion in process. Lol
Denver, CO
Lilnuts2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-23-2022, 01:28 PM   #5
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Santa Rosa, Ca
Posts: 90
Sounds like a well used motor, last time Glow plugs and or controler replaced?
robertg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-23-2022, 04:29 PM   #6
REF
Senior Member
 
REF's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Boulder, CO.
Posts: 2,552
Send a message via MSN to REF
All of the above plus maybe the diesel is a bit stale and going bad if it’s been sitting in the tank for a while. Add in some fresh diesel and a diesel fuel additive with cetane booster like Power Service Diesel Kleen with cetane boost, run it up to temp on the highway.
__________________
'03 Ford E350 7.3L Diesel
(de)SMB'd Custom RB-50
Quigley 4X4 w/Deavers & Agile Offroad's R.I.P. package
CCV High Profile Pop Top
REF is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-23-2022, 06:28 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
shenrie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: boise idaho
Posts: 2,625
Garage
When it does start does it seem like it’s running on 2-3 cylinders until it gets up in temperature?
__________________
"understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of your car, oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of your car, horsepower is how hard your car hits the wall, and torque is how far your car moves the wall."
shenrie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-23-2022, 06:39 PM   #8
REF
Senior Member
 
REF's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Boulder, CO.
Posts: 2,552
Send a message via MSN to REF
7.3 hard start

I gather what Shenrie is getting at is if it’s really rough at idle, and it sounds like half your bank is shut down, that would mean your under valve cover harness is shot and needs to be replaced, do both while things are apart.
The old design leads to broken wires from heat over time, they have a new design that fixes that issue. Once things are warmed up, the connection sometimes fixes itself and then it runs fine, until one day it doesn’t. This played out for us when down in Baja in 2019 that led us to driving 100 miles on 4 cylinders up the 5 to San Felipe, topping out at 25mph in 100 deg heat, good times…..
__________________
'03 Ford E350 7.3L Diesel
(de)SMB'd Custom RB-50
Quigley 4X4 w/Deavers & Agile Offroad's R.I.P. package
CCV High Profile Pop Top
REF is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-23-2022, 09:12 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
1der's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 3,259
Definitely get a deep reading (more than a scan gauge provides) off the OBD2 to see if trouble codes have been registered. That would be a good place to start.

If you run your block heater overnight, how does it start in the morning? What are the ambient temperatures when you are starting? If all good when the ambient is above 50 you are probably dealing w a sensor.
__________________
Ray
Beastie 3: 2002 7.3 EB Cargo: Agile TTB, CCV High Top, Custom Walk Through, Lots of stuff added. www.BlingMyRig.com
1der is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-24-2022, 11:59 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Burbank
Posts: 282
HARD START UPDATE:
reply to questions 1) it takes 6 seconds to fire up, no rough idling
2) fuel filter and oil filter changed 10.06.21 300,000 service
3) injector service 10.13.16 injector control pressure regulator, left &
right glow plug replaced, no smoke of any color
4) it was running on all cylinders and very smooth

I called my diesel mechanic and he said his 1st impression is is bad fuel or a air issue.
Recommended: POWER SERVICE/CLEAR DIESEL FUEL & TANK CLEANER add half of the bottle to the tank and go for a ride.
I drove 23.3 miles local streets and 210 freeway up to 65 mph. Returned home let it set for half an hour.
Bingo: instant start. Before the treatment it took 6 seconds to start. The real test will be in the morning after it has rested in a cool SoCal night.
Thank you all for your suggestions.
P.S.: 12.04.14 I had to replace Turbo Union and 2 supply pipes and reprogram the PCM.
11.19.16 Replaced intake and exhaust pressure sensors. 10.06.21 2 AGM Interstate batteries. I am very punctual about air, oil and fuel filters. The last fuel I purchased was in Bishop, CA and Independence, Ca 130+ days ago. Not sure what the shelf life of diesel is but it's obvious that it's less the 130 days. This won't happen again. Again thank you all.
HighCountryMike 2003 E350 4X4 7.3 SMB 300,000 (next mission has already been planned).Going to burn all that fuel as low as possible before I refill my tank.
HIGHCOUNTRYMIKE is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off

» Sportsmobile Registry

Yeti

ACTNPKRYETI

Biggie

Berta
Add your Sportsmobile
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sportsmobile SIP or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 10:11 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.