Slow cold starting: How to check GPR???

[jonwright]

So my truck was slow to start on really cold mornings and smokes like hades. Now, I replaced the batteries with 800 CCA Interstates but it still turned over pretty slow on a cold morning about 20 degrees ambient. I'm running the regular RotellaT motor oil.

Still started, but scared the heck out of me. Don't have a block heater.

Now after reading around here I'm suspecting the glow plugs. I have a ScanGuage II on the truck and recently had it in the shop for torque converter slippage (fixed).

No codes pulled by dealer or by ScanGuage.

Someone mentioned a Wiki page on checking glow plugs, but I can't find it. I mean, I found the Wiki, but no article about checking GPRs.

Not sure where the "relay side" of the batteries are, etc. etc. etc. Pics are worth 1,000 words.

Plus, I might look at a block heater for those really cold mornings.

One of the batter wires got kinda corroded and I'll go ahead and replace it. Any other tips in the meantime? Someone point me to the WikiTiki page?

 

[jonwright]

And what the heck is HPOP? That wasn't in the Powerstroke article.

 

[KRISTOLSON]

What year, model, engine do you have? Slow start and smoke at 20 degrees sounds pretty normal for a powerstroke to me, especially if you have 15w-40 fossil oil in it. I switched to mobil delvac 5w-40 esp synthetic for this winter and the cold weather starts are 98% better. It now starts at 0 or lower like it started before at 25 degrees.

in my opinion, if the glow plugs were not working, the truck probably would not have started at all at 20 degrees without it plugged in.

the hpop is the high pressure oil pump, used to pump engine oil at high pressure to run your injectors.

 

[jonwright]

Ah, yes.

2003 7.3L PSD

It has an oil leak or two, guess I need to make sure it isn't the HPOP that's leaking - that might make it kinda hard to start, wouldn't it?

 

[KRISTOLSON]

If it is leaking A LOT(like spraying out) it could be a problem, but I think it is unlikely. Ford recommends 2 hours or more plugged in when below 30 degrees, and it makes a huge difference when cold believe me!

 

[early 99 stroker]

clean them batteries post real good..any corrosion will mess with cranking..these trucks need at least a good strong 10 v to fire while cranking...the GP relay is on the passenger side VC..its the one closest to the firewall..the front one is for the intake heater..the big lug to the left of the relay should read the same as the batteries..the other big lug ..to the right on the relay will read 0...now turn on the key...the big lugs now should read the same Volts on both sides and should not drop bellow 11 V...if it checks out ok..you will need to test the GP's at the 9 pin on the VC..here is a pin out for the GP and injectors.

Pin Out

G G I I C I I G G

G=Glow Plug +
I = Injector +
C= Injector Common

***The injectors fire with a 115VDC signal from the IDM do not pierce to wires to test.***

Ohm between "I" and "C" to test the injectors, should be less than 5.0 Ohms

To check glow plugs Ohm between "G" and battery ground should be between 0.1 and 2.0 Ohms

 

[early 99 stroker]

here you go..post 2 in the pic is battery feed...always hot..post 4 should = post 2 when key is on and GP is active....

 

[bigrigr]

There's some good info,think i'll use it myself as well.

 

[jonwright]

Suh-WEET!

 

[jonwright]

Don't have a heater

If it is leaking A LOT(like spraying out) it could be a problem, but I think it is unlikely. Ford recommends 2 hours or more plugged in when below 30 degrees, and it makes a huge difference when cold believe me!

But I might look into getting one. Not sure since we don't have a lot of days below 30. But the truck does fire up. I'm not an early riser and getting up 2hrs before I leave for work in the AM would SUCK. Guess I need to think about a timer. Yet one more thing to worry about.

Might look into the Delvac, too.