[Maine7.3owner]

Ok im beging to hate this damn truck.This truck wasnt used everyday by prior owner. But damn.Glow plugs have been cycling fine plus has new glow plugs and wire harness.Well yesterday drove truck and went great no problems.So come home park truck for about 4 hours.Daughter calls me and says she hit deer with her car.Go out to start truck no start.No clicking or anything from gp.So it got late and gave up on truck for the night.Son goes out this afternoon and no click and no start.Wts light stays on then goes off in about 10 or so aeconds.Truck is turning over fast but he hooks battery charger up just for insursance.He turns charger up to 200 amp start and the gp start clicking and truck started.Shut truck off with no charger and Gp are working fine now.Wth.

 

[ArcticDriver]

OK, you live in Maine so I am guessing outside temps are +32* or lower.
No mention of whether block heater was plugged in prior to starting.

Only time truck would start is with battery jumper attached.

My guess is going to be a battery issue.

How old are the batteries?

Charge batteries 12-24 hours and bring to a parts store for a load test to check condition.
If bad then buy new ones...best to replace as a pair.
If good then keep.

Either way, clean the posts with a battery tool, most of them are of a wire brush design that allows you to brighten up the posts and the terminals. Hook up the cables and make sure they are snug, but don't wrench the heck out of them because posts can actually break off internally. Then follow the cables to their connection points (at grounds and starter) and make sure the contacts are "bright" and tight.

If the problem continues then test your Glow Plug Relay and each of your GPs. The GPRs on these trucks get fried all the time...doesn't matter if they are only a week old.

Be thankful your daughter is alright.

 

[Maine7.3owner]

It was not plugged in for them 4 hours.I load tested both batterys with my tester and they where fine.I did check terminals and they are clean.

 

[Maine7.3owner]

No truck wouldnt start with charger on it either.He put 200 amp start and they started clicking and starts.He just went back out with no charger hooked up.And everything works fine.Had this issue a week ago also.

 

[ArcticDriver]

It was not plugged in for them 4 hours.I load tested both batterys with my tester and they where fine.I did check terminals and they are clean.

Do you actually have a load tester or a voltmeter?

 

[ArcticDriver]

No truck wouldnt start with charger on it either.He put 200 amp start and they started clicking and starts.He just went back out with no charger hooked up.And everything works fine.Had this issue a week ago also.

Are the outside temperatures the same today as when the issue happened a week ago?

Possibly a loose cable to/from the battery but I would test your GPR (without the 200A hooked up) using this instruction by KLHanson:

http://www.thedieselstop.com/forums/f47/hard-no-start-check-here-first-75094/

 

[Maine7.3owner]

Yes i have a tester with a load test.And the temps last week where colder.I changed the fuel filter last week.And that is when i had the first issue with them.But they started working again.

 

[Bill1013]

Take your jumper cable POS+ side and hook it from battery to GP relay (battery side), the turn key ON and try to start after the GP cycle. If it starts, then something is wrong in the power supply wiring to the GP relay.

 

[ArcticDriver]

Yes i have a tester with a load test.And the temps last week where colder.I changed the fuel filter last week.And that is when i had the first issue with them.But they started working again.

The issue started right after you changed your fuel filter.

And you have had it running since the filter change, right?

I am just trying to think how that filter change could possibly play into this.

 

[Maine7.3owner]

Yeah we have been running it and driving it.But have to remember this GP problem has come and gone twice now.I don't think the filter change has anything to do with it.When i had the filter problem truck wouldn't start had some water in filter.But at same time the gp wouldn't cycle.Thought it was because of the water in it.Changed filter and the GP cycled again fine.Coincidence maybe not sure.So pretty much same thing this time.Thought filter was screwed again when it wouldn't start.Changed filter again but this time it didn't cycle GP untill son put 200 amp start and it started cycling now and it will cycle and start fine now without the charger.

 

[Xeonpony]

The issue started right after you changed your fuel filter.

And you have had it running since the filter change, right?

I am just trying to think how that filter change could possibly play into this.

Fuel heater in the filter head my been damaged when replacing filter?!? Mine had chunks off it on mine so I replaced it.

May be some thing OP could check, not sure if it is driven from the relay or all ways on as it does have its own Tstat.

 

[madpogue]

Did you isolate the batteries (disconnect at least one negative cable) when load testing them?

 

[ArcticDriver]

Yeah we have been running it and driving it.But have to remember this GP problem has come and gone twice now.I don't think the filter change has anything to do with it.When i had the filter problem truck wouldn't start had some water in filter.But at same time the gp wouldn't cycle.Thought it was because of the water in it.Changed filter and the GP cycled again fine.Coincidence maybe not sure.So pretty much same thing this time.Thought filter was screwed again when it wouldn't start.Changed filter again but this time it didn't cycle GP untill son put 200 amp start and it started cycling now and it will cycle and start fine now without the charger.

In an earlier post you said you "Changed the fuel filter last week and that is when you had the first issue with them (GP)."

When you perform maintenance and immediately something else quits working then its a good place to start looking--possibly a wire was knocked loose at the GPR, etc...

if the GPs cycle sometimes and not others then it could be the result of ambient temperature changes (not uncommon over a weeks time in the Spring) or it could be the result of loose wiring or faulty connection. The fact the GP cycle every time you use the 200-amp starter suggests a battery issue but you are confident your batteries are good. Since you have also checked all grounds and connections then it would be a good time to check the GPR using the procedure outlined in the link provided in previous post.

Is there a reason you are not plugging in the block heater ?

 

[Maine7.3owner]

I have been using the block heater most of the time.And yes i unhooked batteries to test them.

 

[ArcticDriver]

If you are using the block heater then the entire equation is different since a block heater will most often compensate for a failed GPR in temps of +20* or more (did you actually provide ambient temp? I missed it.) Its still worth testing the GPR and GPs using the link provided earlier just to rule them out. The GPR test must be performed with a cold engine--no block heater the night before. It would help to provide actual numbers like temperatures and battery voltages and voltages of GPR test and Ohms of GPs.

But with block heater plugged in and batteries fully charged and load tested and all connections and grounds bright and tight as you describe, and if the GPR test confirms its working...then lets go back to fuel.

When you try and start the truck "cold" without the 200A booster and it doesn't start do you see alot of white smoke out the exhaust?

 

[ArcticDriver]

Take your jumper cable POS+ side and hook it from battery to GP relay (battery side), the turn key ON and try to start after the GP cycle. If it starts, then something is wrong in the power supply wiring to the GP relay.

The best way to test wiring to the GPR is to just use a multi-meter as described in the link on Hard/No Starts because then you have actual voltage measurements and Deltas to identify voltage loss.

1. What is battery voltage?
2. What is voltage at large "always hot" post on GPR?
3. What is voltage at other large post on GPR when cycling?
4. What is voltage reading across two large GPR posts when cycling?

 

[Maine7.3owner]

Yes it does get alot diesel smoke and a skip at start up.So i do think there is a fuel issue also.The prior owner said he put new gp and injectors last year.Have to tell you both.tanks where ran down to a quarter or less and had problem with fuel pickup at that time.Filled tanks and it cleared up and now i have a little issue with smoke and skip at start up.Prior owner also but new return line caps and and lines.

 

[ArcticDriver]

Yes it does get alot diesel smoke and a skip at start up.So i do think there is a fuel issue also.The prior owner said he put new gp and injectors last year.Have to tell you both.tanks where ran down to a quarter or less and had problem with fuel pickup at that time.Filled tanks and it cleared up and now i have a little issue with smoke and skip at start up.Prior owner also but new return line caps and and lines.

Well that sounds like a different issue.

If you are getting lots of white smoke at start up then it suggests you are atleast getting fuel.