7.3L IDI hard starting (always unless been running for a while)
 

okay. let me start by saying i'm sorry for starting another HARD START the.read. i know there are others on here but when i read them they didn't answer my questions and didn't seem to have the same issues.

BACKGROUND: 1989 7.3L IDI; new injectors last year, and glowplugs and relay a couple months ago. new starter week ago and 1 battery was bad. the seals inside the filter housing for the heater have been replaced and i also replaced all the lines for the injectors. i have seen no visible signs of fuel leaks. the IP looks to be working fine as truck runs fine once started. only issue running now is rough idle.

ISSUE: after truck has sat for any period of time is hard to start. when it starts after several minutes of cranking idles real high and blows large amount of smoke. i've had it about 2 years and this just became an issue. i also heard a knocking start the other morning coming from the passenger rear of the motor it sounded like.

i really apreciate any advice. i think i'm loosing prime but not sure where from. i live in tx and have been told GP's are not needed most of the year.

Thanks

My first guess would be return line still letting air in...does it look like this....

This is when my return line cap was cracked....fast forward to 1min

yea that is pretty much what it looks like, but mine idles up alot higher when it starts.

---AutoMerged DoublePost---

mine also doesnt smoke quite that long. just a couple seconds. where is the return line cap located and what does it look like?

I think you have a lazy injestor thats leaking off the pressure after its been sitting and cools a bit they can do that..... I bet money if you had the injectors tested one or more is a leaker..... after they have run and built some heat they might seal up due to natural heat expansion, and when they cool they shrink and start to dribble a bit of fuel and when you go to start there is a bit of a puddle in the quench of the piston or around the rings there is a puddle and it would cause some smoking first thing and possibly a little more crank time at first start... almost like a light flooding issue... but not enough to like hydrolck the cyl or anything extreame.... thats my thoughts on the situation... my truck does that a bit after i have ran it then let it sit for 1 hr or longer then it will make a bit of a cloud and then clear up real quick...sometimes it will stumble a bit then idle just fine also.... not a big worry ... but needs to be fixed either way..:humm:

thanks 4x4.
yea i'm not sure. where would you suggest taking thenm to have them tested?
i have several mechanic friends, but not sure they have equipment to test them.