Hard starts and stalls in cool temps but in warmer temps it starts right up and runs fine. It will not run over 45 mph when cold out. I have not driven or started the truck in months. I started it the other day thinking it may not start but it started with ease. I would like to fix my truck before it gets cold out. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
I'm new to the forum but like what I have seen and read.

 

oh man, from your description we could narrow it down to almost 500 things

first, tell us about your truck.
how many miles do you have and whats been done?


do up a sig and put all the details of your truck in there or you'll be typing them over and over as you ask your questions

welcome to DTR!

 

It's a 98 12v quad cab 4x4 auto 197k miles. I checked the grid heater relays and heaters they are ok. I'm in the process of putting a fuel pressure gauge on. I've looked over the fuel lines and didn't find any that looked bad. I saved a signature but it did not show up on my post.I have sun coast converter and vb 75 HP objectors bhaf pyro and boost gauge and killed kdp

 

when you do get a hard start whats the exhaust look like?

do you smoke out the whole neighborhood with white acrid smoke, or is it blue?

or does it just crank and crank and crank then finally starts pretty normal?


your fuel lines need replaced even if they look "ok", they can seep in air. You need to change them out even if your truck was running fine I'd still do it. make sure to use diesel rated hose, even in you go to napa and they sell you "fuel line hose" its not going to be the right stuff cause they don't know any better.
check out larry B's
http://fostertruck.com/dodge/

he's got some common starting issues and sells stuff to fix it.

you haven't mentioned if your fuel shutoff is giving you fits, your truck will not start if that thing isn't lifting up when you turn the key on. mostly the relays go out and with things electronic they can act weird with different temps until they just go out all together. you can use a wire to tie up the fuel shutoff until you get it fixed - I've done this, its a pain in the rear to havta open the hood to start and shut off your engine but at least it'll go. (you engine won't stop until the shutoff drops back down)

I'm not sure if your 98 has the blue fusable link, but that can cause fits too. I had to replace mine as it was corroded inside the blue sheilding, didn't look broke but it was bad. I think some early 98's had them and the later ones had something else not sure on this 100%


I'm interested in how the exhaust looks on a hard start, its it missing and popping and smoking bad or does it just crank and crank then finally start?

 

almost the worst case would be your lift pump didn't have the pressure it needed and your injection pump has or is failing

cross your fingers it ain't that. get that fuel pressure guage on there.

 

I just finished installing fuel gauge. I have t17-20 psi at idle and about 25 psi at 2200.
When it starts in cold weather it will fill a large parking lot with white grayish smoke.
I have power through the fuse links. The hose from the pre heater to transfer pump does look linked. Thanks for everyone's response. I will get some fuel line and see what happens then.forgot to say it misses badly and will not run over 45 mph.

 

does it clean up in a minute or two or does it stay smokey and run like crap even warm?

 

The biggest of the smoke will go away but it has no power and misses and stalls and a real pain to crank back up. This happens during the winter months the summer months are ok.

 

Greasy I may need to check my fuel shutoff better because I'm missing the dust boot on mine.

 

Yep, take your solenoid off, clean it well and lube the end.

You didn't say anything about fuel filters or cleaning the pre-filter, has this been done?

Your fuel pressure isn't exactly low, but the 2200 rpm is low enough to make me wonder if you don;t have some plugging in the pre-filter.

 

I have not done anything to the pre filter and I noticed a kink in the hose that goes to the lift pump.