Starting Problem

[Wheat Whacker]

I need a hand guys. I just had a head gasket go out on my pickup '95 2500 I caught it right away as the gasket failed in the usual spot. I had the local dealer replace both head gaskets all went well with no suprises until it was finished now it will not start without excessive cranking. This pickup has always started very well even at negative temps without being plugged in. Took it back and had them check it over they replaced 2 gp's when the heads where off as they needed it anyway but they checked the system over and the glow system seems to be working there is enough amps to the glow plugs and they are all supposed to be working. It smokes while cranking to indicate fuel is present. Okay now guys where do I check next? Anybody had this same problem? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Dvldog 8793]

Howdy
I would say that it sounds like a compresion problem. :confused:
L8r
Conley

[Barry Nave]

How did you know the head gasket was gout out?

[Wheat Whacker]

The compression was good when checked only about 15000 miles ago and was starting good even with only 6 glow plugs working before the head gasket that is what is puzzling me :confused: :confused: . I figured the head gasket was out when I came to a stop sign and as soon as I stopped it started to spew out excessive exhaust and go away as soon as I went down the road and as soon as I got home(only .6 mile from the stop sign) I got out and smelled the exhaust and it had a sweet smell to it then I popped the hood and removed the coolant cap and vapors were coming out of the hole so I figured the head gasket.

[SHEIDEN9]

i recently had the same starting problem even though it only gets down to the high 30s here, I had a sudden hard start problem, excessive cranking and lots of smoke on start-up.i checked the glow plugs and found 3 bad replaced them with quick glows from kennedy. no help. replaced relay still no help a little embarrased at this point i went through the basics and checked everything and i found a bad lift pump .replaced the lift pump and she starts up better than ever i had no driveability problem i even drove it to my shop 35 miles down the freeway no loss of power or surging the only thing i can think of is my driveway is a little steep and maybe it starved the pump when it sat i hope this helps
steve

[G B Sisson]

Steve ,how do I check the lift pump,this sounds like my current starting problem.If I hear it running does this mean its OK? GB

[Barry Nave]

If you can hear it then it works but It could be weak. Put a psi guage on the fuel drain and see if you have something like 15 psi.

[Barry Nave]

I've been having to add coolent to the tank.
Start good, runs good. Found lower rad hose clamps a little lose so I thought I found the trouble. Coolent still going down. Took another look around and missed the clamp to the tank and it was also a little lose. Now I'm waiting to see if it goes down any.
I have woundered if I might have a head gasket problem :confused: As with yours I don't smell it in the Ex. Can find no leaks, tank cap has psi when warm and level it up but when it cools the next morning it will be a little low.
Goes down very slowly.
Now every clamp it tite and still no leaks to be found, so I'll keep a eye on it and if it still goes down I'll have to have a psi test on the system and see if it holds :eek: XXXX fingers :D

[cruzer]

15PSI for the lift pump sounds too high. I think
it should be around 5 or 6psi IIRC.

Wheat Wacker did the move the timing or ck the timing when they were done?

[Barry Nave]

Right. Got psi from a other post where one had installed a pump to 15psi and that made the truck run better.
I'm for, if you open the fuel water drain and the Eng. stalls, replace it. ;)

[tom.mcinerney]

>From reading here--Cruzer's question is key...Often members have had hard starting after engine/pump work, frequently attributed to conservative dealer timing settings.
>From my understanding of the stock heads in these rigs--If you decide to reuse heads with over 100K miles, it is good practice to have the kit installed which prevents small cracks [typically between the valve seats] from extending into the water jackets.
>From my recent installation of new heads--I carefully read Jim Bigley's comments on 'preparing the block deck' prior to head installation in his Diesel Page R&R Guide. He suggested to SAND the block deck slightly to clean it up. {I thought, this guy's NUTS}. I scraped the surface with a screwdriver after a gasket scraper; noted significant depression beneath the metallic sealing component of headgasket (around periphery of bores, esp bottom sides). I spent a while with 220 wet/dry sandpaper on a block to clean up the deck. I think this depression is the reason why Felpro's gaskets are said to be 10 mils thicker than originals [don't know if true].
>My thinking--these gaskets take a while to seat, and there's some bleeding compression initially.
It's good to torque slowly, over days, not minutes. Good luck, maybe do search on heads/gaskets???

[Wheat Whacker]

That would make sense Tom. I tried replacing the ops with one I had around that works and the pickup has now been starting better but it still takes a little more cranking than usual but if the gaskets are still not completely seated that could be the other part of the problem. So maybe the problem was 2 fold. Thanks all for the help.

[G B Sisson]

Sounds like Bnave 95 is saying that a good test of pump is open the "T" handle near the radiator to drain h2o from fuel filter(Fuel) while engine is running.If this kills engine,replace the lift pump.I assume a strong lift pump will put out a stream with enough volume that it can supply IP even though som is draining off. Is this correct?

[Wheat Whacker]

Hey guys the problem is back again. The ops seemed to help for a couple of cold starts but now it is back to the same old crap. The lift pump is working and pumping fuel. I need some more suggestions. It doesn't help that the mercury has barely been above zero. And no that is not the problem.

[Wheat Whacker]

Well guys I found my problem and am rather ashamed to admit it :rolleyes: :rolleyes: . It was as simple as when they put the heads back on they did not polish up the spade terminals on the glow plugs,like they said they did, so the glow plug wires were not making a connection and 2 of the wires got routed to close to the exhaust manifold below the turbo and got burnt off. So at least a simple fix, but I feel about dumb as dirt. Oh well not a first smile.gif .

[Barry Nave]

Some times my wife thinks I live under the hood. Not to just work on it but to keep all in check.
If there was room she would give me a bed also :D

[Wheat Whacker]

Ya my wife tends to think the same thing at times.