Hello Bombers!
I found your site while doing google searches trying to figure out why my 'new' 88 Ford F350 with a 7.3l wouldn't start. I recently bought it through a trusted friend. But when I bought the guy selling it told me a 'trick' to starting it in a hurry. 'just a couple shots of starter fluid into the air intake' and if fires us if you're in a hurry. Now, the truck fired right off, no fluid needed. But it was a sunny 70*. I drove it home, and couldn't believe how bad the mileage was, but it seemed reliable. The next time I went to start it, a couple days later. It would crank, but didn't seem to want to start. I noticed that the 'wait to start' light just barely flashed on and then I would listen to the relay. And start cranking. nothing. I gave it a shot of fluid and it started right up. I told another friend about it, who told me NEVER to use ether.
That I could blow the engine. So, now I'm frustrated, it wouldn't start without it. First start of the day. Once it had run, it was good, as long as it was above 55* or so. Below that and it needed ether each time to start. I ran a charger on the batteries and then had them tested. Which leads to my first outstanding question about a diesel...

Q: When testing the batteries on a diesel, do you isolate the batteries? Or just test them hooked up? The mechanic that tested them just left em hooked up.

Moving on, after reading through SEVERAL posts on this great site, I decided to join, because once I have the basic reliability issue solved, I'm going to want to find as many ways to improve it's reliability, driveability and just general performance. It's a farm work truck for me and a back up vehicle for when my wife's car is gone with her.
So I decided my best plan of action will be to replace the glow plugs, glow plug relay and controller if needed. I found a kit on ebay that had a new relay that has a momentary switch with it, to replace the controller. I figure it's one less part to fail.

Q:What do you think of these kits?

And bought a set of glow plugs off ebay. A local mechanic is replacing them for me.
I will definitely need to rebuild my tool collection, but that's a whole other story for another post.

So as an introduction, that's what brought me to the forum, and it was the great replies and TONS of info that made me want to check it out more.

As to who I am, I'm a husband, father of two little girls and a I live in a rural area in the high desert between LA and Palm Springs. Because of our elevation we actually get 4 seasons, and just had 20 inches of snow. During which time I couldn't get the truck to start at all! Oh, and it was after that, that I found the block heater cord zipped tied up in the engine. It would at least start without ether if it was plugged in I discovered.

I look forward to learning, thank you!
Robert

 

When load testing batteries, need to isolate them. Otherwise, it'll give an inaccurate test, oh it also helps when they've sat over night. Unhook the grounds off both batteries then test each one.

Easiest way I've dealt with glow plugs, is bypassing all the controllers and stuff and run a momentary switch to the relay.


BTW, welcome to DB!!

 

Thanks WildBill,
That's what I thought. I'll unhook the batteries and take them in after sitting and have each tested individually.

And I also figured bypassing the relay controller with a momentary switch was the best solution, that's how tractors work! Anything I can do to simplify things makes them more reliable. The only vehicles I've worked on are VW's. They don't get much simpler than that!

 

Relay controller by itself is upwards of $300.

Having a switch that bypasses all of it, reduces the chances of something sticking on, causing drained batteries and burnt out glow plugs.

 

Hey wildbill, in your truck info it says you have an 06 Dodge Cummins. A friend has one, that he ordered new and later was told it doesn't have a block heater in it. He wants to take it hunting, ironically in MT. I was looking online and found that they sometime install the element, but sell the cord seperately. Where would I look on his engine for the element?

And if it's not there, how difficult is it to install one on that engine?

 

WELCOME TO DIESEL BOMBERS

 

 

 

 

WELCOME TO DB