Still having trouble starting in cold weather?

[wyo6.5]

:confused: My truck is still having trouble starting in the cold. I just put new glow plugs in it. I'm not sure what the problem is, my voltage meter is reading dead center at 14amps. I don't think that is the issue. I can get my truck started, but i have to cycle the glow plugs a couple of times. The plugs are staying on for a full 11 seconds. Do i need a new glow plug relay? The mechanic that had been doing the engine work on my truck told me that the instant heat glow plugs are junk (which I don't think is true). He stuck AC Delcos in it and for the first couple of days after I had it done I could go out in -5 weather and my truck would start right up the very first time. Now it is doing about like it was before I got the glow plugs in it. Any ideas?

[TedReminder]

I'm gonna guess he put Delco 60G plugs in. They take a bit more time to get hot than the old 9 or 11 plugs. Might be a good time to put a plug override switch in so you cam manually keep them powered up a bit longer. I'm running the fast heat plugs that SS Diesel sells. I'm starting real good in near zero degree temps. I had problems with my first batch of fast heats, but that was probably due to a very advanced injection pump by the previous owner.
Ted

[wyo6.5]

Does keeping the glowplugs on for that additional with the override switch time hurt anything? (Sorry for the dumb question this is my first diesel pickup, still trying to figure things out)

[TedReminder]

The 60G and fast heats are self regulating. The extra glow time will not hurt them, within reason of course.
Ted

[Husker 6.5]

:confused: My truck is still having trouble starting in the cold. I just put new glow plugs in it. I'm not sure what the problem is, my voltage meter is reading dead center at 14amps. I don't think that is the issue. I can get my truck started, but i have to cycle the glow plugs a couple of times. The plugs are staying on for a full 11 seconds. Do i need a new glow plug relay? The mechanic that had been doing the engine work on my truck told me that the instant heat glow plugs are junk (which I don't think is true). He stuck AC Delcos in it and for the first couple of days after I had it done I could go out in -5 weather and my truck would start right up the very first time. Now it is doing about like it was before I got the glow plugs in it. Any ideas?

I hope you are not trying to start it at -5 off of glowplugs alone. Even with SSD or GM 60g's in it, you will be lucky to start it on plugs alone! Not to mention all that extra fuel washing down the cylinder walls untill it fires.

Last winter I was able to start at 0 to -15 consistently on the first glow cycle ( about 8 sec) with my original OEM 11g's because I plugged it in when I got home at night. The block heater makes ALL the difference.

That aside, if you are pulling 50-60 amps your plugs and relay are fine. When you cycle your plugs, your [U]VOLTAGE[U] guage should drop from 2 to 3 V while they're on, then bounce back up to battery voltage when they cycle off. If I understand what you said originally, your voltage guage is holding at near 14 V when you cycle your plugs. This would most certainly indicate that either your control cicuit is not working/bad (check your fuse block for a blown fuse) or both relays (one for each bank of plugs) are bad. The length of glow is dependent on the temp. The relay just acts as a high current switch for the control circuit. Hope this helps.

[wyo6.5]

Thanks for all your help. I'l let you know if I have any more problems with it.

[ochsinc]

Battery condition also plays a large roll in cold weather starting. You may have one bad battery or possibly two. If you have had one bad battery as I just had for awhile and you have been working that starter, you may have also burned the starter out as well which will contrbute to starting issues. Trust me I just went through all that. Also check all grounds and clean them up periodically as well as check your other connections and clean and tighten those as well. Get rid of that spacer between the two positive cables on the passenger side battery as well. Dig thta out with a screw driver.

[midniteplowboyy]

Can you still get the 9 and 11g's?

Maybe thats why two of my trucks dont crank as good as my 92 that still has 4 of the originals in it, the other 4 (I dont know what they are, what ever they sold me at the parts store) I replaced when I had the heads off on the turbo side about 5 years ago.

I just replaced the GP's (with 60g's) and injectors on my 93 and it still dont start as good as my 92(original injectors) with 150,000 more miles on it, maybe I'll rig up an overide for a little more heat and see how it does.