ok guys i need some serious help... i have a 89 f350 7.3. truck runs strong when running..cold start fine. problem is if its driven about 10 minutes then shut off, the wait to start light wont even come on to recrank the truck. and even if its not on and you try it will just kill the batteries trying... everywhere i go i have to wait at least 2.5 hours for the truck to crank again.my wait to start reappears at 2.5 hours.... it has brand new glow pugs, new injectors, factory rebuilt injector pump, new hoses on entire truck, new batteries, new fuel filter, and new fuel pump, new shut off solenoid.... this is the only truck i have to pull my horse trailer to rodeos and barrel races so i need to figure this out. ANY HELP PLEASE

 

Have you checked the glow plug relays? I remember being a somewhat common failure with the 7.3's.

 

Once it's warm, you don't need glow plugs, so it isn't that.

OP, when it won't start, and you say it just turns over till you kill the batteries, does it smoke out the tailpipe at all, like it is getting fuel?

What happens if you whiff it with starting fluid while it won't start?

Yours is 100 percent mechanical, so it isn't electronic....... unless it is a fuel shutoff or something like that.

 

It's been a while but I remember a few years back that some were having a similar issue on those older 6.9 and 7.3 motors - they would pour a cup of cool water on top of the injector pump - something about them heating up and not moving fuel due to the close tolerances of those things...

Good luck,

Bob

 

glow plug relay is new but thats not it because it starts cold..... the injector pump is less then a month old.. we tried the ice pack on the fuel filter trick we were told about but no difference... also starter fluid still wont crank it... my "wait to start" light wont come on and this truck aint cranking without it on for sure.... i didnt try the ice or cold water on the injector pump because its new so didnt think that was it... and yes it does smoke if you try but it still kills the batteries quick!

 

Remember....New doesn't mean good!....you can get bad parts right out of the box

 

That's very true but it was tested and has a warranty and all the good stuff.. i will try the water on it tonight and see... but we were having this problem before and that's why I put new injector pump on to start with...

 

I'm thinking check ALL of your engine grounds. I believe you have one that is corroded or partly broken, and only makes connection properly when it cools off enough. It's possible for this to happen with power wires as well, although not as common.

for power wires, start at the key switch and work your way out. The shutdown solenoid could also have a relay or circuit breaker overheating.

Good luck