I just got a 91 ford with a what looks a 89 dodge 12v installed in front of ford 5-speed.

Truck starts and runs fine if plugged in first. Won't even sputter when cranking unless plugged and thats in my shop with temp anywhere from 30 to 55 degrees.

The only thing wired up on engine is the fuel kill plunger, nothing else. No grid heaters, no fuel heater, not the KSB either.

I figure I'll wire the grid heaters up with a couple big starter relays and push button in dash.

Is the fuel heater suppose to be 12V when ever truck is running? and how much difference will this make on the cold start and smoking at idle.

How do you tell if the pump is an IC or non-IC pump? and can you tell by looking at the KSB which style?

Injection pump appears new or rebuilt, and my be turned up.. . Throttle is very responsive BUT. . . in this cold weather it smokes a lot of white smoke at idle. I've a had a number of these older dodges, but never this much smoke at idle.

Any help would be appreciated in getting this thing to cold start.

Thanks

I just got a 91 ford with a what looks a 89 dodge 12v installed in front of ford 5-speed.

Truck starts and runs fine if plugged in first. Won't even sputter when cranking unless plugged and thats in my shop with temp anywhere from 30 to 55 degrees.


The only thing wired up on engine is the fuel kill plunger, nothing else. No grid heaters, no fuel heater, not the KSB either.

----If it is in fact an 89, wire the KSB to the same power as the fuel-solenoid.

I figure I'll wire the grid heaters up with a couple big starter relays and push button in dash.

Is the fuel heater suppose to be 12V when ever truck is running? and how much difference will this make on the cold start and smoking at idle.


----Fuel-heater has no part in initial cold starts; it is too far away from the injection-pump, etc.




I have never had either the fuel-heater or the grid-heaters on the 1989 in my Ford and it starts quicker than I can get off the key, regardless of weather.


I have purposefully dis-connected the grid-heaters on the rest of my trucks and any one of them will fire just as quick.


If you are having starting issues, I would look for the problem elsewhere, either fuel leak-back or air-intrusion.


Also, batteries that are not strong enough to really sling the engine over will cause hard starts.

A weak battery will have to turn the engine a few revolutions in order to build enough heat for the fuel to fire; whereas, a stout battery will push the piston quick enough to create the compression-heat instantly.

As Bearkiller stated, look for a fuel/air leak in the system. Pressurize the tank with ~5psi and look for leaks.

That could cause your white smoke, also might try advancing your timing. Also if it is a 89 then 12v to the KSB all the time. Same with the fuel heater.

Your starter relay with push button for the grids is good idea. Also good batteries.

So I pretty much said the same thing as Bearkiller so this is pretty much a double post.[coffee]

Aaron

So I pretty much said the same thing as Bearkiller so this is pretty much a double post.[coffee]

Aaron

.........in the mouth of two witnesses............[laugh]

OK, I'll add a couple 12 volt wires to KSB and fuel heater. Fuel heater will take some more work. I found out today Dodge does not have a pig tail for that, only the whole harness so I'm going to have to find a donor truck for the little two wire pigtail.

As for the no start. Came in to shop this morning and tried starting with temp maybe a little below 30 degrees. Truck has new battery (single bat. and cranks good) and cranked for 20 seconds. Pedal all the way from nothing to slowly going to the floorboard. Nothing, not even a hint at popping. Gave air filter a two second shot of ether and popped right off. Idled smooth, although VERY smokey and if I gave it any pedal would miss some, but I'm thinking that should be normal since it was still cold.

SO, with out block heater or ether, cranks but no fire. With either block heat or short shot of ether, fires right up. . . .just has lots of smoke at idle but runs fine after started.

I'll try pressure on the tank but might take a bit since I'm going to need a second set of hands.

Any other possible culprits for the hard start/ lots of idle smoke?

Thanks again

Also, I'll have to update my profile now. Have the 89 Fordge. Have this 91 Ford with a 12V engine I'm currently messing with. AND have a 91 Chevy crew cab sitting on a complete 99 dodge frame, cummins auto tranny set up with the bed shortened to fit dodge frame.

Some time I'll try to figure how to post pics of my toy collection.

That's how I've been doing it without the grids if I have to start it cold - shot of ether. Two hours on the block warmer, shot of ether and it fires right up down in the single digits. It'll start without the ether, even dead cold (no block warmer, nothing) but it takes some cranking, and seems alot harder on the starter and engine.

You should have two battries![whistle]

The battery has nothing to do with it. It's a lack of grid heaters, along with somewhat advanced timing.

OK, I'll add a couple 12 volt wires to KSB and fuel heater. Fuel heater will take some more work. I found out today Dodge does not have a pig tail for that, only the whole harness so I'm going to have to find a donor truck for the little two wire pigtail.

As for the no start. Came in to shop this morning and tried starting with temp maybe a little below 30 degrees. Truck has new battery (single bat. and cranks good) and cranked for 20 seconds. Pedal all the way from nothing to slowly going to the floorboard. Nothing, not even a hint at popping. Gave air filter a two second shot of ether and popped right off. Idled smooth, although VERY smokey and if I gave it any pedal would miss some, but I'm thinking that should be normal since it was still cold.

SO, with out block heater or ether, cranks but no fire. With either block heat or short shot of ether, fires right up. . . .just has lots of smoke at idle but runs fine after started.

I'll try pressure on the tank but might take a bit since I'm going to need a second set of hands.

Any other possible culprits for the hard start/ lots of idle smoke?

Thanks againSounds like the compression is low.

Truck has very little blowby coming out the vent tube or the oil fill. It does the usual stop with a jerk and belt chirp. Low compression is possible, but seems more like something with the pump.

I did take a look at the injection pump timing. The mark on the pump is right on the mark on the case. Timing doesn't seem to be advanced off of stock.

Could playing with timing help any.