Diesel engine having trouble starting

[BenJJ]

Originally Posted by shenrie

maybe it wasn't you, my apologies. I had read a thread that mentioned colors as what to look for. when I get a sec ill search and see if I can locate the info.

I did a little digging. Apparently the black ones are good and the gray ones are the ones to avoid.

[winmag4582001]

Originally Posted by rallypanam

Could be any number of things..

Replace CPS just because, they go out and this could be the cause of it and they're cheap. Buy two and keep the spare in the glove box.

Get it on a good code reader and check codes, and check fuel pressure and HPOP pressure.

+1
7.3 is a great motor, but the sensor can be a PITA. Easy to change on the roadside and best to keep one on hand.

[arctictraveller]

Originally Posted by BenJJ

So i have been on two trips in my van, and both times the when I get in to head on my way home the van struggles to start. Both times I have gotten it started but after 3-4 attempts.

Took 3 tries to get the engine to "turn over"..

It's always good to define "turn over". If the engine fails to spin when turning the key to the start position, it's a much different problem than when the engine spins, but fails to fire. If the engine is not spinning (the starter motor failing to turn the flywheel) the causes can be due to a bad battery, poor connections, worn brushes in the starter, or a bad starter bendix (causing the starter to spin, but not engauge the flywheel). If the problem is the brushes, tapping with a hammer will often times get you a few more starts because you vibrate the brushes into contact with the armature. If the flywheel is spinning, no start conditions can be caused by many different problems. It seems you have issues when it's cold, so I wonder if your glow plugs are working? A weak battery, or bad glowplug relay can cause them to under perform. Starting a cold diesel with out glowplugs can be difficult, but trying once, letting it sit a minute while the heat of compression soaks into the head and block, and then repeating the process until it starts often times works. Best of luck.

[clark]

Mine will not turn over sometimes when the shifter is not fully in the Park position. Something with the switch in the column. I just jiggle the lever and it will fire right up. Sound similar? I'm going to diagnose sometime this winter but am in no giant hurry as I can always get it to start.

[bet on black]

Originally Posted by winmag4582001

+1
7.3 is a great motor, but the sensor can be a PITA. Easy to change on the roadside and best to keep one on hand.

and a 10mm wrench to change it!

[bet on black]

my previous van would sometimes not like to start after sitting all day in the parking lot at the ski area in the cold at about ~9,000' elevation, and sometimes at the house in the morning. I started plugging in the block heater overnight at the house, and that solved that side of the problem. thinking it was glow plug related, but unfortuatnely, i never figured it out before i rolled the van. sound similar to your issue

[kccourtney]

Originally Posted by BenJJ

So i have been on two trips in my van, and both times the when I get in to head on my way home the van struggles to start. Both times I have gotten it started but after 3-4 attempts. Van is a 2003 7.3L PSD with 94k miles

First trip was more of a backpacking trip. Parked the van at a trailhead that was approximately 8000ft in elevation on Thursday night. Went backpacking and got back early afternoon Sunday to leave. Temp was probably around 65 outside. Took 3 tries to get the engine to turn over.

Second trip was just this past weekend up in Lower peppermint campground, about 5200ft elevation. Drove in Friday night, started the van on Saturday in the middle of the day when it was about 80 degrees outside no problem, and then early Sunday morning had a tough time getting it going. It was probably around 55 degrees outside. took 4 tries to get it going and it was a rough start on the fourth try.

I never have issues starting it at home, and usually drive it 2-3 times a week. Even fired it up this morning before going to work to make sure it didn't have any problems. First trip made me thing elevation was this issue, second trip made me think temperature, now I am just confused.

One last note was I was camping with bemerrit's "Clif" on the second trip (1998 7.3) who had no problems starting up in the exact same conditions.


Thoughts, advice, or solutions would be greatly appreciated.

Hey Ben.

My van does the exact same thing. Only at elevation and usually when it's cold out. It is even reluctant to start at my sea level house if I haven't started it for a few days. The 7.3's are notorious for being lazy starters. Your injectors are likely going bad slowly which isn't an issue until the fuel/oil gets a little cold and gummy. Not a disaster though. Just bring some Rev-X with you and throw it into the tank with your last fuel up before you head into the mountains. Totally solved my problem and my problem was BAD. Van wouldn't start at all in the mountains without a shot of starter fluid. Get the Rev-X oil additive also. I also got a beefed up glow plug relay for good measure. With the additive and GPR, my rig snaps to attention. Anyway, cheap experiment that i hope helps.

[BenJJ]

Originally Posted by kccourtney

Hey Ben.

My van does the exact same thing. Only at elevation and usually when it's cold out. It is even reluctant to start at my sea level house if I haven't started it for a few days. The 7.3's are notorious for being lazy starters. Your injectors are likely going bad slowly which isn't an issue until the fuel/oil gets a little cold and gummy. Not a disaster though. Just bring some Rev-X with you and throw it into the tank with your last fuel up before you head into the mountains. Totally solved my problem and my problem was BAD. Van wouldn't start at all in the mountains without a shot of starter fluid. Get the Rev-X oil additive also. I also got a beefed up glow plug relay for good measure. With the additive and GPR, my rig snaps to attention. Anyway, cheap experiment that i hope helps.

Thanks! I will give this a whirl on my next trip

[Gtbensley]

Define crank over? Would the motor spin and not catch? Or only go "click"?

[daveb]

I used Rev-X for a while the switched to Archoil. Additive seem to help with cold weather starts. If it's not cranking over in warm weather I'd suspect it's not a stiction issue but I'd still run additives. It's a little more insurance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWUMIgXS-nE