99 & up 7.3L Power Stroke Engine and DrivetrainDiscussion of the 99 & up 7.3L Power Stroke diesel engine and drivetrain in the 1999-Up Super Duty trucks and Excursions. No gas engine discussion allowed except on transmissions and drivetrain that pertain to all models. Please confine discussion of topics in this forum to those items that are specific to the 7.3L Power Stroke engine.
OK, here is the deal. I live in Scottsdale AZ and we are at about 1500 feet above sea level. I went to a friend’s place near Flagstaff AZ and that was at about 6800 feet above sea level. The truck just would not start in the morning unless I cycled the ignition 10 plus times without actually cranking it over. I could hear the fuel pump running, so i assume it was getting fuel. What’s the deal? Is it the cold (40 out) compared to 60 or so where I live, or is it elevation, both or what? I had a 96 that would not start until I bled some fuel out of the line, but the 2001 you can’t do that. It is a little weird because we did go to Flagstaff during the summer and it started right up in the AM.
I did the whole take the gas cap off thing. I go north often in the winter and I don’t want to have to deal with this every time. I would love some thoughts.......
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2001 F-250 Lariat, Super Crew, Short box, 7.3L, 4X4, 4R100 Trans, 4.10 gears with limited slip, 3.5” Fabtech Suspension leveling kit, 315 75 R16 Dunlop M/T, 16” Unique black wheels, MBRP 4" turbo back exhaust, ceramic coated bellowed up-pipes, GPR LED, Dieselsite.com EBV+, Turbo Master mechanical wastegate controller, Ford Severe Duty AIS w/ foam fender sleeve, ZOODAD Mod, Snowman Koozy Mod, Door Seal Mod, AIH deletewith a Riff Raff Diesel plug, Kickin stereo with JL speakers and a DP-Tuner F6 SMARTCHIP with the following tunes....
Position 0 : No-Start
Position 1 : Stock
Position 2 : Hi-Idle RPM - 1600 - for Warmup, Boost A/C output, Running a Winch, Jump Starting
Position 3 : 60hp Codes Tow - recommended for towing 9K to 13K at sea level and altitude - no 1211, 1249, 0478
Position 4 : 60hp Codes Econo - Daily driving for mileage - no 1211, 1249, 0478
Position 5 : 140hp Codes Extreme - no 1211, 1249, 0478.
Once you start, you just cant stop!!
OK, here is the deal. I live in Scottsdale AZ and we are at about 1500 feet above sea level. I went to a friend’s place near Flagstaff AZ and that was at about 6800 feet above sea level. The truck just would not start in the morning unless I cycled the ignition 10 plus times without actually cranking it over.
I'm not sure why elevation would be the culprit. I live at 6300 feet and just go up from there. The glow plugs cycle longer at higher elevations, but the truck should still start when the light goes out. I was just at 11,000 feet a couple weeks ago camping in the cold and snow, and had no problems at all. If you had to cycle it several times, perhaps the GP's?
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2001 F-350 Crew Cab XLT PSD 4x4, Long Bed, 6-speed, 3.73, Manual Transfer, Power TTT Mirrors, 122k miles.
1989 Toyota 4x4 xtracab SR5 V6, Beat to heck with 200k+ miles and still running strong.
Went to Flagstaff again this yesterday. Truck was good while we were up there. I went out to start the thing again this morning (about 20 degrees out) and no joy. it took almost 20 minutes before i got it to fire up. i had to cycle the ignition on and off 20 plus times before i got her fired up. Why does this happen? I never ever have issues where i live, even when it is in the 30's out first thing in the am. So if it is not the cold, the only thing left is the elevation. Scottsdale is 1500 feet, and Flagstaff is 7000 feet. Why in the heck wont the truck start after the light goes out? why do i need to cycle the ignition (to get the fuel pump to run it 20 second cycle) a billion times to get her to fire? Does cycling the ignition to run the fuel pump even have anything to do with it? (it must since thats how i get it started after my ass is frozen into the seat)
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2001 F-250 Lariat, Super Crew, Short box, 7.3L, 4X4, 4R100 Trans, 4.10 gears with limited slip, 3.5” Fabtech Suspension leveling kit, 315 75 R16 Dunlop M/T, 16” Unique black wheels, MBRP 4" turbo back exhaust, ceramic coated bellowed up-pipes, GPR LED, Dieselsite.com EBV+, Turbo Master mechanical wastegate controller, Ford Severe Duty AIS w/ foam fender sleeve, ZOODAD Mod, Snowman Koozy Mod, Door Seal Mod, AIH deletewith a Riff Raff Diesel plug, Kickin stereo with JL speakers and a DP-Tuner F6 SMARTCHIP with the following tunes....
Position 0 : No-Start
Position 1 : Stock
Position 2 : Hi-Idle RPM - 1600 - for Warmup, Boost A/C output, Running a Winch, Jump Starting
Position 3 : 60hp Codes Tow - recommended for towing 9K to 13K at sea level and altitude - no 1211, 1249, 0478
Position 4 : 60hp Codes Econo - Daily driving for mileage - no 1211, 1249, 0478
Position 5 : 140hp Codes Extreme - no 1211, 1249, 0478.
Once you start, you just cant stop!!
Hook-up an LED light to the glow plug side of your GPR and install it somewhere inside your cab. I bet you'll find that the PMC is not actually turning the glow plugs on when you think it is. Especially if you think the "wait to start" light is telling you anything useful.
Inside the PMC there is a barometric sensor that is supposed to help with elevation. When it fails the unit defaults to standard atmospheric, something like 14.5 psi, which equates to 59 degrees Fahrenheit and 29.92" at sea level. Not very useful at 6,800' elevation and 20 deg.
If you install the led, you can see if the glow plugs are actually getting power and when. Mine acts like yours does. Since installing the light I have learned that the colder it gets the longer it takes for the PCM to light the glow plugs; can be up to a minute delay. As long as I know when the plugs actually have power heating them it fires right up. I swapped my relay with no change, and my glow plugs ohm out within specs.
I am getting a new PCM this week which should fix the problem.
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2002 F-350, 4X4, LONG BED, CREW CAB, LARIAT (7.3 POWERSTROKE OBVIOUSLY)
GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO
Have you opened the filter housing to see if the fuel is gelled? I'm not sure, but your probably fueling down south and may not have the same additive package as the higher elevations/colder areas have. Just a thought. When your engine is warm, if gelling is the culprit, no problems... sit over night and warm, no start until the puny heater in the bowl melts the fuel.
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Early 99' Upgraded to 99.5' F250 XLT SWB PSD, 4x4, GPT38, EBPV Delete, Perf Friction 2-pcs rotors, 4" turbo back exh, Ford AIS, 6leaker OEM cooler, Htr Core by pass valve, Synthetic every fluid (Mobil), Detroit LOCKER, BTS, Lunar Autometer gauges, DP-F6C, 235k mi SVO ConversionUpdated SVO stuff
The odds are that you have a few glow plugs that are not working. When you are at home a couple will do but when you head up into the hills you need all of them. Check out this LINK As far as the fuel gelling up I wouldn't worry about it until you get into the below zero temperatures.
Don't believe the elevation has anything to do with the hard start.
10 to 1 your batteries are not putting out enough current to crank fast enough. Battery power is reduced the colder it gets. Make sure the battery connections are clean, they can become corroded reducing current output.
How old are the batteries? Is it cranking fast enough to raise the oil pressure to at least 350-500 psi? Takes minimum of 350 to trigger the injectors. Cycling the GP's that many times prolly gets the cyls. hot enough to cause combustion, do you get WHITE smoke out when trying to start cold.
Why not just plug in the engine heater, at least 2 hrs. before starting. These engines should start as cold as 25* with only 1 GP cycle. Your GP's should stay on for at least 10-15 seconds at that temp. on the 1st cycle, then cycle on-off for up to 1 minute after starting.
Has it ever blown the #30 30 amp fuse? That supplies power to the fuel filter heater. If it has maybe the connection wire inside the filter has burned in two. I just had trouble with that. KKilhansen has a fix for that, replace the heater with a IH heater PN 1831196C92
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99.5 F350 XLT Lariat 4X4 AT 4.10 DW CC LB Centurion conversion Garret Turbo, Radio SD &Tape, SP Performance 40-60-80 chip, 100 Gal.Transfer Flow W/Trimax Control Aux. fuel tank. ScanGaugeII, Boost, EGT, Trans. Temp. Oil Temp. Build date 03/99
92 F350 7.3 IDIT E4OD CC LB dually Banks turbo US Gear O/U
1990 F350 XLT Lariat 7.3L IDI E4OD Dually 280K+ 2WD
Reman Promar Long Block 11/07
Don't believe the elevation has anything to do with the hard start.
10 to 1 your batteries are not putting out enough current to crank fast enough. Battery power is reduced the colder it gets.
Hmmm, I'm thinking I'd take that bet. Here's why; If it trully was his batteries, why would it only start AFTER a lot of cranking and cycling of the glow plugs?
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2002 F-350, 4X4, LONG BED, CREW CAB, LARIAT (7.3 POWERSTROKE OBVIOUSLY)
GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO
Hmmm, I'm thinking I'd take that bet. Here's why; If it trully was his batteries, why would it only start AFTER a lot of cranking and cycling of the glow plugs?
I want in on that action. It is GPR. Would bet the farm on it. Starts when it is warm enough, but as soon as it gets cold (mine acted up as soon as it got around 40) no dice. Ever PSD I have and most owners will tell you it is a good idea to keep a glove box full of those things. They fail all the time. Jump the relay with the screwdriver. It is starts up after holding it there for a while to get a glowplug warmed up, you are good. Relays are cheap too.
GPR, Glow plugs, batteries, cables are the main "cold hard start" areas to look at first....Then again 428interceptor above has something mentioned I've never heard of (???).
I just think people are to quick to shot-gun trouble shoot things without really finding the source. I was also told "it's the GPR" so I changed it and it wasn't the problem. Then it was supposed to be the glow plugs, then the harness, ect, ect. I have found nothing wrong or out of specs with my truck. The good news is I quit listening to expert guessers and have learned an awful lot about my 7.3.
I spoke with some people who rebuild the PCM's. What I have learned is the problem does exist. Not saying it's the answer to most people's cold start issues but his sure sounds like mine to a "T".
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2002 F-350, 4X4, LONG BED, CREW CAB, LARIAT (7.3 POWERSTROKE OBVIOUSLY)
GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO
I just think people are to quick to shot-gun trouble shoot things without really finding the source. I was also told "it's the GPR" so I changed it and it wasn't the problem. Then it was supposed to be the glow plugs, then the harness, ect, ect. I have found nothing wrong or out of specs with my truck. The good news is I quit listening to expert guessers and have learned an awful lot about my 7.3.
I spoke with some people who rebuild the PCM's. What I have learned is the problem does exist. Not saying it's the answer to most people's cold start issues but his sure sounds like mine to a "T".
He probalby hasn't even checked the GPR yet (sounds like a classic dead GPR to me). Why would you not eliminate the easy-to-check, cheap-to-fix things before concluding that the PCM is fried? Not saying it wouldn't happen, but always go for the low hanging fruit when troubleshooting.
Oh hell yea! I agree, check the easy stuff first. That’s why my first suggestion was to install an LED light for the purposes of diagnosing things now and later down the road.
I just didn't see how cranking the engine until the battery voltage comes up works........
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2002 F-350, 4X4, LONG BED, CREW CAB, LARIAT (7.3 POWERSTROKE OBVIOUSLY)
GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO
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The glow plugs cycle longer at higher elevations, but the truck should still start when the light goes out. I was just at 11,000 feet a couple weeks ago camping in the cold and snow, and had no problems at all. If you had to cycle it several times, perhaps the GP's?
), AIS, 
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