Starting trouble after sitting

S

Snake

40 lug nuts
Joined
Jun 7, 2007
Messages
433
Well, its my turn again to ask a question about what might be wrong with my 6.0 with 84k miles on it.

In the last month or so, the truck occasionally has some difficulty getting fired up in the morning. Its usually after the truck has been sitting overnight and I can't blame cold weather -- I live in Tampa, FL.

When I cycle the key, the glow plug light comes on as do all the other dash lights. All seems well until I turn the key to engage the starter. The motor cranks and if it catches within a second or two, I'm okay. However, if it turns over for longer, it cranks slower and the dash lights fade. It sounds EXACTLY as if the batteries are bad. But I had both batteries checked less than a week ago and both tested good.

When the motor does fire, it fires quickly and runs strong. No hiccups, stumbles, or rough idling. The longest its taken to fire has only been about 5 seconds of cranking and at that point, it sounded as if the batteries barely had enough juice to crank the motor.

After the truck has warmed up, all is well. No symptoms at all and its like the batteries are brand new.

Other than this issue, the truck is tip top. Absolutely no other problems.

Any thoughts on what could cause this? I've heard a relay, or a glow plug module, or a glow plug.

--Snake
 
High Pressure oil pump or STC fitting (Its a quick connect fitting on the back of the pump) they are know for leaking and blowing out. When leaking may cause hard start no start.
 
Did you disconnect both batteries before testing them and have you checked the connection at the starter ??
 
If I remember right, the HPOP will cause the truck not to start when the motor is hot. I had mine replaced about a year ago: symptoms were that the truck would start fine when cold but after it was run and then shut down, it wouldn't start until the motor had cooled enough to thicken the oil up to build the needed pressure for the HPOP.

These symptoms are the exact opposite. If the motor has been run and then shut down, she'll fire right up. When the truck is cold and has been sitting, it cranks real slow and the symptoms are identical to a dead/dying battery.

--Snake
 
Neither battery was disconnected before or during testing.

Didn't check the connection at the starter, either.

Will definitely revise my troubleshooting and check things that way.

Good idea my friend.....not sure why I didn't think of that. :doh:

Thanks, and keep 'em coming!

--Snake
 
It could be a bad battery cable or bad starter ground ... hopefully, but it sounds like your starter is shot to me.
 
Snake said:
Neither battery was disconnected before or during testing.

Didn't check the connection at the starter, either.

Will definitely revise my troubleshooting and check things that way.

Good idea my friend.....not sure why I didn't think of that. :doh:

Thanks, and keep 'em coming!

--Snake
Click to expand...


Yeah if you don't disconnect the batteries it will test both at the same time. You probably only have one dead battery.

I doubt its the starter connection or it would do that all the time. Reason it fires up when warm is most likely the batteries still have a strong surface charge. Once they sit over night that charge will dissipate.:)
 
I agree, check the simple stuff first, check each battery by itself, then check the wiring connections and ground to the block. (probably check the ground first) then if all that is okay, check the voltage drop across the starter solenoid, it should be very small. If it's a couple of volts or it starts getting increasing as you crank longer, change the solenoid. If that's okay, then, I'd probably say that yeah, your starter's toast.

For it to start crapping out after 5 secs or so, i'd say you need more than brushes, that's usually indicative of bad solder connections on teh armature, and that's a shop repair, or new starter kind of fix.

Hope that helps.
 
Everyone pray that its a battery (or even 2 batteries).....

--Snake
 
Instead of taking the time to troubleshoot my truck today like I should have, I spent the day detailing it. At least it'll look good when it strands me..... LOL

Fired right up after work yesterday afternoon and had no problem getting her started this morning. Its maybe one in 15 attempts where I'm going "Oh crap! C'mon baby......."

I WILL test the batteries tomorrow....

And thank you everyone for the guidance. :thankyou2:


B.A. -- not sure what you wrote, but sorry it got deleted. Weren't my feathers you ruffled! :Cheer:

--Snake
 
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Snake, i'm having similar problems. I'm just too lazy to get the batteries checked but i think i will now. Let me know how yours goes
 
I still haven't tested the batteries :doh: but DID get my gauges installed (finally!).

And after having the engine hood and doors open for the afternoon, the truck was dead in the water when I tried to crank it. It wouldn't even turn over. Hooked up the jumper cables and she fired right up.

I'm guessing batteries at this point. Unless they're already bad, there's no way two batteries should be drained by a dome light and a light bulb in the engine bay.

--Snake
 
It wouldn't hurt to have a load test done on the batteries at a shop, and also measure alternator output. My alternator took a crapper in the autumn and caused the batteries to die. Needed both replaced.
 
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