my 97 ford f-250 HD 7.3L has trouble starting, even when warm, so i got the starter and alternator rebuilt. Now, the first time i try and start it, it takes about 12 secs to start, even when its warm, even if i glow it more then once.
But when i crank it over for a second or two, then stop, then crank it over again, it starts right up after about 2 seconds? Could this be cam sensor (i know there is a recall but haven't called ford yet).

When i bought the truck a few months ago, the previous owner replaced the fuel pump, fuel bowl, fuel lines, glow plugs. Batteries are both still good (got them tested).

ANY HELP IS GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!

 

Any smoke, codes, rough idle/skipping etc? How is it in flight?

 

runs perfectly, no codes. When you rev it a bit, and then let off, there is a little puff of smoke, i think it gets a little worse as the truck warms up

 

I called ford and they said that the cam sensor recall didn't show up on the computer, only a recall for the cruise control. I asked the guy at ford what he thought it could be, he said it might be a sand clutch????, but said it was hard to tell without seeing it

 

That's about true... easier to hook it up to a scanner and see what's going on than guess. But from what you said, that could be glow plugs or fuel. Fuel could be that the fuel syetem is leaking down while it sits, then has to prime to get pressure. Could be that the injectors are weak and leaking down.

Could be a lot of things. But if it's hard starting when warm... that's going to be multiplied when cold.

Mine acted like that... and after testing it, it was 3 injector coils that were weak... So it was trying to start on 5 cyl's instead of 8.