Help? Having trouble starting at about 40 to 45 degrees F on slightly cold mornigs. New VP 44, net Timbo TPS, new Crank shaft sensor, good 5 yuear old gel batteries at 12.58 volts, Lift pump seems OK at 12lb+, Grid heater is drawing down voltage and appeared unbroken when apart when installing new VP 44 couple of weeks ago. Do I have a fuel heater, Where is it if so?

99 2500 24 valve auto, 450k mi

 

check your starter, i had the same problem you might need to rebuild it, but take the WHOLE thing apart and clean/blow it out... the back part where the brushes are was real dirty!!!

i had the same problem, took me 3 times to fix it all the way. parts needed to rebuild are;

new contacts (2)
plunger (1)

 

Starter already has new contacts but not brushes and bushings, don't know if it could be a bit slow, but does turn over pretty good and starts fine above 50 degrees or after plugging it in for couple of hours. never sued to have any trouble aboute about 20 degrees or lower even.

 

I'm not real clear on what's going on--is it cranking but not firing?

 

yes, cranking but not firing. Do I have fuel heater and where?

 

The fuel heater is in the filter housing but I don't think that is your problem. The fuel will not heat up that quickly. Are you getting white vapor out of the exhaust while cranking? Even though you say it is drawing down for the grids it sure does sound like that is the problem since it starts fine when plugged in. Mine will start even if I don't give the grid heaters a chance to warm up well below 40 degrees.

Rick

 

Rick,
Mine used to too. but now at these temperatures over night around freezing I won't.
Just fired right over after 3 hrs on block heater

 

The only thing I can think of is there are two grid heaters. Both are on for preheat and once it is started they alternate. I would think one would be enough preheat in those temps but maybe not. I would do a resistance test on both heaters individually. It was 5 degrees this morning and not plugged in after normal preheat it fired right off with no smoke at all. My Powerstroke on the other hand...................... It started but it complained and fogged the whole neighborhood!


Rick

 

I would think it should start fine, right down to freezing or below, without the heater grid operating at all. I am wondering if you might have a battery that's a bit weak and the engine is cranking a bit slow. Check your battery voltage during cranking; at that temperature I wouldn't expect to see it drop below about 10 volts.

 

I'm thinking it's not turning over fast enough. Easy temporary fix is switch to synthetic engine oil and power steering fluid, synthetic oil makes a big difference in the cold. I'm thinking the starter is dragging, as suggested take apart clean and inspect, install new brushes while there and clean commutator. Batteries? they say if you get 5 years from one you have had your monies worth. I know you get longer but at what cost to efficiency? I give a battery one chance, the second time it lets me down its gone. You could try warm batteries, either remove and keep warm or use a battery warmer but inspect starter first. I routinely start mine after being outside all day not plugged in down to minus 20C.

 

i had the same problem,,, i replaced contact and the plunger... still nothing, when i took off the case to replace the brushes is when i saw all the dust. you need to take your starter completely apart, and blow it out...youll be surprised how much crap comes outta there!

 

I was having the same problem and two new interstate batterys took care of the problem

 

This could sound bad, but check your injectors. Mine did the same thing, wouldn't start even a little below freezing unless it was plugged in. I bought new injectors, installed em', it's been firing like a champ ever since.

 

Had same situation starter started turning over slower. I thought the starter had been rebuilt when I replaced the contacts the other year because the plunger contact had been replaced but after pulling it apart I found I had several brushes making almost no contact. Replaced the brushes and now the truck starts within one revolution. good info here
https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...tarter+rebuild
I had to solder mine on though.No screws.( I got an entire rebuyild kit and replaced everything including the bearings. kit was only 50$)