02 7.3 power stroke hard/no start cold
 

hi, I have a 2002 F-350 with the 7.3. the truck willk not start below 50 degrees if not plugged in. if i plug the truck in over night it starts up no problme. if it is plugged in roughly an hour before i want to start it in mild temps it starts but skips until i drive it and spool the turbo, leading me to belive a couple cylinders are becoming fluded, the truck also smokes profusly upon startup until spolled and brought to a smooth idel. i tested the glow plugs and found two bad ones, and a bad glow plug relay. i replaced all 8 gloplugs with autolite plugs, under v/c harnesses with delphi harnesses, v/c gaskets with ford gaskets, and glowplug relay. i retested the whole system and all checks out perfectly. truck still does not start well/ no difference. i have load tested both battrys indvidually and both checked out exceptionally, and are only 1 year old. i cleaned battry terminals as well. i did a starter draw test and found everything to be well within spec. also tested resistance in starter wire, 0 oms. the truck is bone stock and has 365K on it original engine and has tones of power once running, turbo works flawlessly. i also checked current from battry to gp relay and found 12+ volts. i previously had a 96 f-350 with a 7.3 and never had a problme with it starting, even started in -20 degree weather off glow plugs multipul times as temps drop that low often in northern Maine, i never used the block warmer on that truck (it didnt work). I am strongly considering an injector problme with this truck, when replacing the glow plugs i noticed two injectors have been replaced befoer. This truck is driving me nuts and killing my electric bill, any help would be greatly appriciated, Thanks.

check your valve cover harness, make sure its plugged in good and snug, just double check everything you messed with, its so easy to skip something or not get it plugged all the way in when your working on something anxious to get it done, do that then post back up and let know what you figured out :c:

:welcome: to the site

yea i have double checked everything, and did once again yesterday. everyhing is plugged in and i also tested the glowplugs and for power to all 8 everything is copisetic. im fairly certant the truck is fluding out on a few cylinders, and am suspect of the injectors. im wondering if anyone else has experienced this kind of issue due to injectors before i go dumping a bunch of money into new (upgraded of corse) injectors.

is the truck throwing any trouble codes?

Do a compression check...

Also, check to insure the GPR is turning on when you turn the key on. Use a test light and just make sure!

no trouble codes. and yea gpr is coming on and even if i cross it it still makes no diffrence.

Sounds like you have an injector issue or compression issue.

i am haveing simmiler problems with my 2000 7.3 however i only have 50k on mine owned since new no problems firein up other then new crank sensors till they got that right.
same problem with my fatherinlaws 7.3 it got cold and they done want to start u can crank and crank wait 10 min and crank and sometimes get it started and it will start fine the rest of the day?
if i plug it in fires right up?
we dont buy fuel at the same place
and dred takeing it back to the dealer to hear the gloom and doom

Glow plugs... You need to check your glow plug relay.

GONNA try that tommorow and see how she goes