Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Cold weather starting issues-- truck is acting weird

[Hohn]

The morning after we returned from our Christmas trip, I went to fire up the truck. It hadn't ben plugged in, so I waited for the grid heaters to cycle fully.



I cranked and cranked and no start.



So I cycled the heaters again. Lotsa cranking, no starting.



I cycled the heaters again (full 30sec). I cranked and cranked and it fired a couple times when I floored the fuel pedal. It caught and ran at about 400rpm-- and it was REALLY rough. I thought maybe the 3-cyl idle was on (since I just had that enabled and it was below zero).



After running VERy roughly for about a minute (pedal buried the whole time), I let off the pedal and it idled normally. It sounded cold, but it ran on all 6.



Since this incident, there have now been a couple time when the truck will crank and not start. I crank it again and it fires right up.



Sometimes, it has to crank for a second or two before it will start-- not the INSTANT starting that I had become used to. This happens mostly when cold, but sometimes after the truck has been running a while (but still cold-- coolant near 140)



The other weird thing that's going in happens at shutdown. Instead of winding down with that brief shake at the end, it's almost like someone just pulls the plug. The engine stops spinning a lot faster. I suspect this faster shutdown may be related to the engine finally breaking in fully (better cylinder seal means more compression, and more resistance to cranking, thus quicker shudown). But I am just speculating.



Fuel pressure is normal (given the cold temps).



There are no codes being thrown. I have NOT tapped the wire, and I only have 24K on the truck, so I don't suspect the VP.



Could I have gotten bad fuel? This erratic behavior started with no warning, on a tank of fuel that had given no problems for 400 miles.



I have NEVER had starting issues with the truck before, even down into the single digits unplugged.



What's going on with my truck??? Am I just being paranoid?



Justin

 

[krs]

Diesel could be thick - Your fuel might have started to gel because of the cold. It can cause all kinds of weirdness when it's not too involved and will prevent starting if it gets realy bad. Do you use any fuel additives? Most of them have some level of anti-gel qualities.

 

[jtisdale]

Dont feel too bad....

I accidently put straight #2 (not mixed or blended) in my rig the other morning (temps have been anywhere from 10 to -10). I also added about half a quart of FPPF Polar Power to keep it from gelling. Since then, the truck starts different, runs different (almost seems to miss?), and shuts down different (quicker). I am chalking it up to the fuel. Since I have every code in the book in my ECM right now, its hard to say if it set any new ones. As soon as I burn this fuel up, and get the good stuff back in, I'll let you know if anything changes.

 

[Hohn]

I use Power Service, and all the fuel for sale around here is a winterized blend. If I knew where to find straight #2, I would use it (w/ additive)



Oddly enough, the truck hesitated to start again this morning, even plugged in.



Yet, at lunch and after work it started almost instantly, like it used to. This is weird!



Justin

 

[Fireman Dave]

I run #2 all winter with Power Service. No problems.

 

[ROADWARRIOR]

I run #2 all winter with an additive. No problems. Mileage doesn't seem to drop as bad as with blended.



Dan

 

[Idaho Native]

Grid Heaters Connected?

Hohn,



I'm sure you've checked for this, but on my 99, the grid heaters were not connected electrically to the battery from the factory. A buddy and I discovered the connectgor wire under the driver side battery after we did a visual comparison to his pickup. What I didn't realize was that the lights never dimmed like my buddies did after it was started... another big clue.



It would act like they were "heating"... ie the wait to start light would illuminate and then go off (there is a preset timer in the system), but the heaters weren't getting any juice. I ran my first winter here in Omaha that way. Truck would hammer and bang like crazy when the temp dropped... especially after sitting in a parking lot for a week while I was gone.



Loren

 

[Mschevey]

There is a TSB for hard starting when cold, for some trucks. What it does is not run the lift pump as long prior to starting. This way the fuel pressure is lower and allows it to start. As soon as it starts the computer then runs it up to full pressure.



Mike Schevey