1999 Ford F350 Will Not Start
 

I recently purchased a 99 F350 Turbo Diesel for my Auto Transporting venture but I am awaiting legal documents to be completed. Anyways I haven't started the truck in about a month. It has gas because I put about a quarter tank before parking it up. I tried yesterday to start it but it just cranked as I if it's not getting any gas. I let it sit for a few minutes and went back again but no luck...just a whole lot of smoke coming from the rear. Seems like something is flooded or something. It worked just fine before I parked it up.

Is there something I need to do being that this is a Diesel? I'm new to the diesel scene so I need some guidance.

Thanks...:sos:

Moved here for exposure

Not a PSD Guy but try to remove the fuel filter and turn it over and see if fuel comes out

Remember all a diesel needs to run is

Fuel & Air

If its got gas , thats your problem right there..:)

Try turning over the engine and opening the injector lines at the injector. I t might Work>

START SIMPLE, LIKE STATED ABOVE

pull the filter and try to start it, if no fuel thats your issue, if you have plenty of fuel to the filter its not the lift pump, now check the filter for blockage, if no blockage it isnt the filter, now do you have fuel going to the injectors, if yes then its not fuel related, unless the high pressure oil pump isnt working, but it sounds to me like you are getting fuel cause of the black smoke, no fuel causes white smoke......

check your air box for obstuctions like a mouse nest or any other blockage, that could be causing your "rich" condition, the truck isnt getting enough air to burn the fuel......

if neither of these, you have a serious problem......

Scan the codes and report back

Also where are you from and how cold has it been? If it has been really cold it could just be struggling to start well even if it hasnt been very cold could be a glo plug problem or a relay. So you could try pluging it in for about a hour to 2 hours roughly then try to crank on it.

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there isnt fuel lines at the injector's. the first thing I would try is plug it in. Also what color is the smoke when these trucks are cold they will dump smoke while trying to start and even after they start.

fuel goes to the front of the heads and the fuel flows to the back of them.....like BIA said, if its cold, you got to plug it in.....

^^^ im almost positive thats how the 6.0 is

on a 7.3 you have one fuel line running to the drivers side head and one line running to the back of the passenger side head.

best way to do it is scrap the factory system and bring a single line to a fuel regulator, split it out of the regulator to each head then return lines off the back of the heads to a T and then back to the tank, keeps the fuel cooler, i cant remember if the 6.0 is the same or if its different than a 7.3..........

Its probally the cam position sensor. If you try to scan it, it will probally say "no communication" and you have to replace the fuse for the diag. connector and the cigarette lighter. The cam sensor is accessable from undernieth with a bunch of extentions, swivel, and a 10mm

I say that because I've run into about 4 of them that have done that EXACT thing. They don't start, then go through what I've said above.

Just my guess.

Yup I seen one do it about 3 times.

Ok...I read the replies and I am getting scared.

To answer several of your questions...

I'm getting WHITE smoke when i'm trying to start the truck so as per LOGANSTANFORTH I may not be getting any fuel. Also the truck's been parked under a big tree so I will have to check for blockage. Also I live in NYC (Queens) and it has'nt really been that cold up here. We had 3 or 4 cold days (in the forties) so I dont think the weather is a factor but I'm the novice here. I'll check the filters in the morning...By the way

1) where is the fuel filter?
2) DO you guys mean "glowplugs" when referring to "plugs"
3) What do you mean by "plugging it in"?

Again I'm a newbie guys...Thanks

It is NOT your cam sensor, a fuel filter, or lack of fuel delivery

It is your glow plug system, as evidenced by your quoted statement of:

I'm not psychic but would bet you $500 that the smoke is white.....white smoke out of a diesel when cranking is raw fuel....you're getting fuel but your combustion chamber temps are too low to fire off.

On the '99 Powerstroke, any 7.3 Powerstroke for that matter, the glow plug relay is located directly in front of the fuel filter housing on top of the engine. It looks like a starter solenoid.

There are two large cables (approx. 6 gauge) on the solenoid, one is hot at all times (12 volt power) and one is connected to the circuits that go to the glow plugs. Any 12 volt test light will be able to check it, or a voltmeter, whichever you fancy.

When you turn the igntion key to the ON position, you should here a 'click' as the relay is commanded on. When that happens, for the next 14 seconds max you should have 12 volt power on BOTH SIDES of the relay. If you still only have power at the one side, your problem is the glow plug relay.

It is possible one or more glow plugs are bad, but you must first elminate the relay from the equation.

A simple way to get around a bad relay is to disconnect the hot-at-all-times cable and just touch it to the other cable on the relay. It will spark just a wee bit, don't worry, it won't hurt ya. Hold the cable on there for about 15 seconds, then remove the cable and have someone crank the engine over. If the glow plugs are good, it will fire right up. You can then reconnect the cable to it's terminal.

Pay no mind to the small (14 gauge) wires going to the relay, if it clicks, they work. All good.

If it does not start and continues to blow copious amounts of white smoke, you have some glow plugs going south--they're under the valve covers and not the easiest things in the world to change. Depending on your mechanical ability....

Try what I said first and report back what happens.

Gimme a call if you'd like and I can talk you through it on the phone.

360-470-8225

Hope this helps,

Dan-

Go Dan Go :)

those trucks are notorious for the glow plugs going bad, how many miles does it have????

Jonesy95...................calm down and take in a few good deep breaths things are gonna be just fine.


I agree with Radioflyer that its yer glowplugs.................we can fix this man

with the white smoke I will guarantee that it is glow plug related, in the past I have had to give our PSD a shot of either and it usually fires right up although either isint the best thing for those motors but it will get ya going in a emergency

If all else fails use Either......:w2:lol.. it works too...... or just listen to radioflyer.. he knows what hes talking about...

Radio Flyer hit the nail on the head. The PSD's are a b!tch to start in the cold without glow plugs. Those glow plug relays can come and go when they are bad, too so check it a couple of times if it tests good. The smoke is a sign that you are getting fuel, and the color, white, indicates that it is raw fuel. Check the GPR, and then we can move forward.

jonesy,


Any updates?

FYI that raw fuel cloud is highly combustible....not sure if you're a smoker or not but don't light anything or use really hot worklights around it.

In a controlled environment it can be fun, but usually isn't otherwise.

(just tryin' to inject some humor)

Still willing to help you out, call anytime. 24/7, all good, everybody else does.

:c:

Good Morning everyone,

I havent had the chance to start her up again...but I will try sometime today. Thank you all again for your help:U:

Well?

This is what the relay should look like... let us know what you've come up with :)

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l1...wplugrelay.jpg

Those GPR's are known to come and go when they fail. So, just because it starts starting good does not mean it is fixed.

TTT

Status?

Back on up - any updates jonesy?

Hey guys...Sorry but I've been so busy with work (9-5) for the past few weeks so I've been getting home really late. I will try as soon as possible to get crackin' again.

BTW I failed to ask this question from my original post....

Why do I have TWO batteries under the hood? Is this standard? I do have airbrakes and air suspension (which I don't know how to use) so I'm assuming there is a relationship.

Thanks again guys.

Diesel's require two (or more/diff batteries for larger engines) batteries because of the cranking amps required for the starter to turn a diesel engine over :)

I bet it is the glow plug relay pictured above. Worked one day and not the next, makes me think the relay.

you do not have air brakes or air susp. (unless aftermarket air susp.)"plug it in" means plug in the block heater its usually in the front bumper

I hope you have it running by now, but in case you don't go for the glow plug relay first. I've had several bad glow plugs and could still get my 99 started down well below freezing. The relay is relatively cheap and it's the most logical place to start. From there, you can ohm out each glow plug at the connectors entering the valve covers. On each connector, the first 2 wires and the last 2 wires are the feed to the glow plugs. Use a meter to check resistance to ground with the plug disconnected (odd little clip is a PITA). All 8 should be between 0.6 and 2 ohms. If you have to go in and change one, change them all ($8-10 ea.)

The plug the others were mentioning is for your block heater. Every powerstroke I've seen has come stock with one, but the plug is usually zip-tied behind the bumper. Dig around in there and you should find a 120vac plug. Even with a dead glow plug relay or many glow plugs bad, it will start after being plugged in over night - even down in the teens.

I'm not too far from you anyway. If you get it running while is warm out (or by plugging it in) drive up and I'll test the relay and glow plugs for you.

--John

Okay guys thanks for checking up on me. I just tried starting my truck today and of course everything is dead. I tried giving the truck a boost with jumper cables but that didnt work-out well.

First of all I have two batteries and wasnt sure which one to hook the cables to. I hooked up the cables to both for several minutes but it didnt work. I get it cranking but it doesnt seem to be enough. I will try to get one of those portable jumpers tomorrow. I gotta get this truck up & running by next month.

I checked the front bumper for any type of plug but i dont see one. Where would it be? It's dark now (plus the Giants are playing) so I'll try looking 2morrow.

It'll be on the driverside behind/around the fog light...I'll get ya a pic tomorrow.

Okay Thanks!

Maybe I missed this somewhere in the thread but I want to add it anyway. The 7.3 and I believe 6-oh-nos are HEUI right, using high pressure oil to make the injectors work? A buddy of mine has a 7.3 and the seal in the turbo started to leak oil. The truck burned off some oil and the next morning the truck wouldn't start. He cranked on it and cranked on it and cranked on it but it wouldn't start. He finally called and had it towed to a dealership. After a couple of quarts of oil the truck fired right up. After that was the 12 hour mechanicing session to change the turbo but hey, thats a navistar for you.

So while this probably isn't your problem, checking the oil is cheap and easy.

A jump pack probably won't do it, but it's worth a try... Most likely, you'll need a good trickle charge. With how cold it has been, you'll need fully charged batteries. My 99 was turning over real slow last night with relatively new batteries (didn't have the block heater plugged in). If you're jumping it, hook it to the battery that has 2 cables coming out of the + post. If you are just trickle charging, it doesn't matter.

any updates?

let me know if you need glowplugs. i just so happen to have a set. but i'd check the relays first and plug that baby up....