wtmtnterror

Ok I have done hours of searching and reading here trying to figure this thing out, looking for some fresh ideas here.....

98 12v has gotten very hard to start lately, temps have been around zero in the mornings and it doesn't seem to help being plugged in at night. Here are some of the things that I have checked or replaced:

Grid heaters: 12 volts at intake, also when they come on the volt meter drops.

Replaced lift pump 20+ psi at top of filter also changed filter less than 500 miles ago.

Fuel Lines: checked fuel lines from the frame to the motor, they look like new (they have a slip cover over them) not like everyone else is describing the ones that start to crack and loose prime.

Over flow valve: it's about a year old along with a new injection pump, I did pull it off and it would not hold even 1psi?? I did stretch the spring a get it to hold 20psi. Put it back on and tried to start. This did not help the problem. What is the bic spring mod that I have heard about? Is it better than a streched spring?

Timing: It's timed at 16* I may also check to make sure that it has not slipped. But I haven't seen any white smoke and still runs great once it is warmed up.

Fuel: I usually buy fuel at the same place and use PS in every tank...

Also one other thing, once I get it started I have a dead pedal, it will hold just above idle and if you let off it will die. I also bumped the idle up some.

jester1542

Getting any smoke? If so what kind? If not then I would suspect the fuel isn't getting to the injectors. Is your oil getting thinner and rising? If so then you might be getting to much fuel and it is "washing" by the rings into the oil pan.

Could you have one bad grid heater? I think there are two in the system.
When is the last time the fuel filter was checked/changed? Has the prefilter been cleaned?

wtmtnterror

Yeah plenty of black smoke on demand.....
Cracked #1 & 2 injectors and it is pumping fuel just not like it should. I could also push fuel up to the overflow valve with the primer button and overflow valve removed.

I could also feel the intake getting warmer so I'm pretty sure that the heaters are working ok. I have not cleaned the prefilter though.

Another thing, it tries do die now when taking off in 2nd and I have to use 1st gear to get going.

infidel

Check that the shutdown solenoid isn't full of crud and not lifting all the way.

wtmtnterror

Sorry, forgot to mention solenoid and relay are good also...lol can I blame it on ULSD? What would be the reason for the dead pedal? that has me scratching my head? Rack travel inside the pump?

jester1542

About only thing that comes to mind is to check the timinig like you mentioned.

Oh, one other thought. Is your idle speed right? If it is to low or high it can make the truck harder to start.

wtmtnterror

It was a little low, so we bumped it up some. It's got to be something being overlooked here...

TIMMY22

any white smoke when it does start? once it's warmed up, will it start ok?

Tree DR

Bump the idle up some more. I had the same problem on my 97. Bumped the idle and it worked for a little while, then started hard again so I bumped it up a little more and problem solved. Also if I taped the throttle just as I first started cranking it over it would fire right off, but in cold weather I had to keep a little throttle or it would die.
Tree DR