ramcummins

My truck has been hard to start lately. I used to turn the key on then wait to start then crank momentarily and it would fire right up. Lately I have to crank the engine for probably 6-8 seconds. When it does start it coughs and smokes for a few seconds then smooths out. It only does this after it has sat for more than 4 or 5 hours. If I start it after running into the store or something it fires right up as normal.

Events leading up to this problem:
I went elk hunting in early October (ran fine up and back aprox. 600 miles round trip) I was pulling a 38' fifth wheel trailer and an atv trailer behind, so a pretty good load. After the trip, I parked the truck in my garage, my overhead computer said 25 miles to empty (no big deal since the nearest gas station is 20 miles). The truck sat in the garage for about 2 weeks. During this 2 week period I took my water/meth injection nozzles off and cleaned the screens on the back side of them and put them back in and shot a quick shot to make sure they were working, but didn't start the truck for a couple of days. When I started the truck a couple of days after that to go fill it up is the first time I noticed the hard starting issue. I thought it was just because it was low on fuel or it had a little water/meth sprayed into it. I thought the next time I started it it would be fine but it isn't getting any better.

I have ran fuel additive through it, I have drained my fuel filter (incase of any water). I even thought the fuel pressure might be falling off when it sat for a while so I did the starter bump to start the fuel pump then started it and same thing.

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance, Mike

johnh

my thought is your grid heaters, try plugging it in overnight

ramcummins

Haven't thought of that. The wait to start light seems normal (stays on long when its cold, and just a couple of seconds when it is warm). But maybe that is just the light and not the heater itself huh?
Thanks for the idea.
Anyone else?

Dinner

Hmm, if plugging it in has no affect and/or you've tested, checked the grid heaters. I'm kinda leaning towards your fuel system is losing prime somewhere. Will be a very tiny tiny leak somewhere if it only occurs after 4-5 hours, however anything is possible.

ramcummins

I am going to try plugging it in tonight and see what that does. I guess there is just a fuse for the grid heater am I right? If so does anyone know which one right off? Maybe I should check that first.

"I'm kinda leaning towards your fuel system is losing prime somewhere. Will be a very tiny tiny leak somewhere if it only occurs after 4-5 hours, however anything is possible."

It has been parked in my garage its whole life and there is no sign of leaking anywhere, or would it so minimal that it wouldn't accumulate on the garage floor?

Troym61

Mike,
have you check the fuel pressure. loosing prime in the fuel system is as stated above a possibility too, all it takes is a pin size hole to create an air leak that you may or may not see on the garage floor. have you checked the injectors for leaks? Have you checked to see if the grid heaters are heating up?

ramcummins

I haven't checked yet, I didn't know exactly where to start so I started right here on the forum. These all sound like good things to check and that is why I asked the experts. I will check these things when I get home. If anyone else can think of anything else, keep the ideas coming and I will let ya'll know what I find.
Thanks again, Mike

ramcummins

Ok I checked the heater grids and they seem to be fine (pulled the intake horn off and visually checked them and they both got glowing red). Where the grid wires connect to the battery there was some corrosion so I cleaned it all up and everything seems to be making good contact. I plugged the block heater in and let it warm the engine while I was checking everything else. When I got it all back together I started it and it cranked for about 5-6 seconds before firing. I got a flashlight and crawled under the truck to see if there was any sign of fuel leaks. I followed the fuel line from the tank to the FASS pump, then to the filter, then to the injection pump, I also checked the injection lines from the injection pump to the injectors and not a drop of fuel anywhere clear from the tank to the injectors.
I did the bump starter thing to get the FASS pump going and my gauge said 15 PSI while the pump was going. When the pump turned off it instantly went to 0 PSI, is this normal or should it hold 15 PSI even after the pump has turned off?
I am going to leave the block heater plugged in overnight and try it in the morning to see if that makes a difference.

ramcummins

Well I started it this morning after being plugged in all night (the wait to start light only came on for the usual 2 seconds) and it was better but it still cranked for 3 or 4 seconds before it fired and it coughed a little but not near as bad as it has been.
It still isn't "normal". What do ya'll think now?

johnh

do you have any codes? auto zone or checker auto will check them free

ramcummins

Haven't checked codes yet.

jcarrillo

When they say your might have a leak on the fuel line, they mean on the suction side. It won't leak fuel, it will allow air to enter the line and the fuel drains back to the tank so it takes a while to to crank up. You won't see a visible sign of fuel leaking. Next, it is probably not related but it will go a long way to making you feel better. Tighten all the conections from your tank to the FASS pump. I was under my truck the other day, and I just put a cresent on one and it was slightly loose. Then If you don't find anything,you can put a clear line between the tank and the pump and you will see the air bubbles if it is sucking air. If you get to that point, PM me and I will walk you through how to do it. That running low on fuel is bothering me too but I need to think it over a little bit more.

ramcummins

Thanks for the correction on the fuel line leak. I will check that also.

ramcummins

Ok I checked my codes and they came back as follows:
Under P PCU I got;
* P 0500 Vehicle Speed Sensor A
* P 1694 Which I can't find a description
Under P ECU I got;
* P 1693 Which I can't find either

dozer12216

Well, the codes are not good, especially the P1693.
However to verify a return line leak try this. Park the truck downhill with relativelly full tank of fuel. If it starts as it should, you have a return system air leak into the fuel system. The banjo bolt at back of head is a high probability. You might be lucky and see a very small amount of fuel at point of leak.Connector tube O-rings are also high possible.
A supply side leak is also possible. Filter cover, fittings, ect need looking at.