Missing 2 cylinders BEFORE it starts

[BigRedWeather]

Yes, that's what it feels like: Missing 2 cylinders BEFORE it starts. Let me give you the BACKGROUND. We have had temperatures + - 20 F for a month. My truck, first winter I owned it, has started the first try every time, sometimes taking a little longer- a maximum of 10 seconds at 0 F.

RECENTLY, during the last 3 days when I start it, BEFORE it starts the engine feels like it is missing 2 cylinders- very rough. After 2 or 3 tries I get it started and very soon it runs very smoothly.

Any ideas what is going on here? It doesn't feel healthy.


BigRedWeather

 

[DaveBen]

Glow plugs. Hard to start but runs OK.

Dave

 

[BigRedWeather]

DaveBen,

I'm not saying that the problem couldn't be some bad glow plugs, but it seems strange that it would start fine in 0 - 30 F weather for a month and then, in the last few days, start much more roughly, when the temperatures were actually 20 - 30. If the glow plugs were bad, it seems they would have caused rough starting for the entire past month.


BigRedWeather

 

[DaveBen]

I hear what you are saying BigRedWeather. I always suspect glow plugs for hard starting and 99.9% of the time it is glow plugs or the batteries. The glow plugs not working will cause hard starts at any temperature. It does seem more likely that the colder weather would cause the problem to surface sooner, but...

Dave

 

[roosterdiesel]

Have you tried plugging it in?


I also believe GPs....they can go out on whenever they want. How old are your batteries?

 

[Digital Oxygen]

DaveBen,

I'm not saying that the problem couldn't be some bad glow plugs, but it seems strange that it would start fine in 0 - 30 F weather for a month and then, in the last few days, start much more roughly, when the temperatures were actually 20 - 30. If the glow plugs were bad, it seems they would have caused rough starting for the entire past month.


BigRedWeather

Stuff breaks, guy. Just because a glow plug worked last year, it can just as easily break this year.

Same goes for just about anything man make. Eventually, it breaks.

 

[goldhilljoe]

Did you check under the valve cover harness--seems to be a common problem---Just my.02----Good luck

 

[BJS]

as has been mentioned before glow plugs, easy to check the resistance a 10 min job which will suck with the temps you're having but is pretty easy.

The sky is falling possiblity is that you have a slightly dusted engine and so 4 & 6 cylinders are not making compression until they get warmed up a little bit so they are missing. Realize that is the worst case and more than likey you have a couple glow plugs that are slightly below par.