having trouble starting my 1999 7.3. Problem started as soon as the weather got below 50 degrees. Hard to start, takes two cranks,runs rough for 15sec. Truck has 303,000 but runs good once it warms up. Was told to check cold start relay or solenoid. Any ideas ?

 

Moved this thread to the Ford section...

As for your question, I would start with testing the glow plug relay. Make sure your batteries are good and check all your power cables/grounds especially wiring to the starter...

 

Have you done any upkeep or maintance on the truck over the years? I would bet money the glow plug relay is shot...

 

My buddy has a 99 7.3 w/ 3xx,xxx miles and had the exact same problem. New starter and its a champ. Try testing the starter or replacing it. Funny you post this, almost same truck, miles, and problem

 

thanks, turns out I did two things opened the fuel drain valve for 1 min. and found a video on you tube about draining the upper oil reservoir located front upper section of the engine. Flushed the reservoir 3 times as recommended and the truck
started right up in the morning.

 

you could have had some water in the fuel bowl. that's not a bad thing to do every so often. draining the HPOP res is pointless. there's a easier way, get in and start engine, drive down street, hold at WOT for a few seconds. and you just flushed the HPOP res.

 

The only thing I can think of as to why either of those two things worked is that your HPOP is possibly draining back... Flushing it and adding new oil the the reservoir does nothing. That oil does not stay in the res because it is not a closed system. It is constantly moving through the engine. Everytime you run the truck, the res is filled with new oil. And draining the fuel bowl, all you did was waste a couple cups of fuel on the ground...

Anyways, glad you got the truck running.

 

What I can say about flushing the upper reservoir is I don't think the oil in the crank case is circulating to the upper reservoir very effectively. The oil in the crankcase was recently changed and new looking. The oil I pulled out of the reservoir was black and thick. All I can say is after draining and adding a quart of oil to the reservoir and running the engine for 10 min to circulate the oil in the heads. And repeating this two more times the oil in the reservoir was significantly clearer. I'm not a rocket scientist but the way I see it thats got to be better for your injectors.

 

Hit the gas... Oils changed...

 

Look at CSIPSD's photo carefully... When you change the oil, you dont get every last drop. However, the oil in the hpop res comes directly from the crankcase. If it wasnt getting oil there effectively, the truck wouldnt start because the injectors need oil to operate. Its not a closed system, it all uses the same 15quarts of oil.