1HD-T cold failed start (1 Viewer)

[toadshade]

I am sure this topic has been discussed as nauseum. But using my phone to scroll through I haven’t seen an answer to my problem. This morning it was 25 degrees F. Not super cold. My HDT turned over (slowly) but cranked right up like usual after half an rpm. But slowly died. After 10 minutes of restarting I never got it up and past 1000rpm floored. It would always die after even 2-3 minutes of running at 1000rpm. This happened last year once when it was 18 deg. But at least it warmed up and ran. One guy is saying fuel sending issue i.e frozen fuel pump or fuel line issue. Another is suggesting glow relay. Btw, white blue smoke pouring out the back which I assume is unused, unburned diesel which makes me think the fuel pump is not the problem.

 

[AussieHJCruza]

Has the fuel gelled?

 

[toadshade]

Nah. Can’t believe it would gel at 25 degrees. But that is what it is acting like. And I replaced my fuel filter last year so can’t imagine that’s the issue.

 

[toadshade]

Well, just got home and decided to try starting after a day in the sun. Killed not only my main batteries but switched and killed my house battery without it turning over. Whatever was on its way out officially died. There is a chance some fuel was leaking from the injector side of the engine. There might be an evaporated spot on the street and it looks like the engine is wet with fuel just under the oil filter. I can definitely smell diesel but not sure if that is just from turning it over for a little while.

 

[roscoFJ73]

Blue smoke is oil burning. The first thing to do is ascertain whether its an air problem.
I would run a clear line from the filter to the pump and look for bubbles if you can get it running.
Sometimes when temps change it can affect fuel line joints.
Try pumping the hand pump on the filter before you start and give it a pump if it wants to die. If this helps , you have air in the lines
If the fuel lines joints are not tight, the fuel runs back to the tank overnight leaving you with just fuel in the pump, this is probably why it started then died.

But it sounds like you also have a battery or starter motor problem.
And the glow circuit needs to be looked at also.

A little bit of Aerostart wont hurt it

 

[toadshade]

Great info rosco thanks. I hadn't thought about pumping the fuel. I went ahead and gave it a few pumps and it started up again. So you could be onto something there. It was still a hesitant start though, so either there could have still been air in there or the glow issue. I have ordered a new glow relay so I am curious to see what that might do. I haven't traced the lines yet to look for anything loose. That will be next. But at least it is running again. It had warmed up so I am sure that helped.

 

[roscoFJ73]

It was still a hesitant start though, so either there could have still been air in there or the glow issue.

Air for sure. The pumping cant squeeze the air out but it does make starting a bit easier by adding some pressure to the fuel lines. I always up the idle to about 1000rpm on cold start with the hand throttle.

 

[Lumpskie]

Just something to consider... I doubt GA runs winter blend fuel. Non winter blend fuel can gel at 25 degrees F. I wonder if you had a little gelling in the line near the pump and hand pumping helped clear it up? Either way, I'd throw some hot shot secret winter additive in there for a tank and see if that changes your morning cold starts at all. (cheap and easy)

 

[toadshade]

Something to look into for sure. Never would have imagined diesel gelling at 25 degrees. We have every mix under the sun here. It wouldn't surprise me.

 

[Lumpskie]

Something to look into for sure. Never would have imagined diesel gelling at 25 degrees. We have every mix under the sun here. It wouldn't surprise me.

Yeah, I had that happen to me once... when my tank was mostly empty. I had a cold morning... hard crank. The engine started and I headed down the road. Once underway, it wouldn't want to make any power and sputtered a bit. I ended up on the side of the road for a second. I got it restarted (that was in question for a little bit) and hobbled to a station. I refilled with warm fuel and let it sit for a bit. When I turned it over, it wasn't too happy to begin with but warmed up normally. From that day, I just add the full dose of antigel all winter long, regardless of weather and winter blend fuel out here. It wasn't even that cold that day... probably in the low 20s or high teens. Anyway... I like that Hotshot Secret because you can just leave it in the little rear cubby of your rig and it doesn't leak. It also has the lubricity additive in it, which makes a difference in my 1HDT.

 

[toadshade]

Sounds like exactly what happened to me. No reason not to try. I am slowly convincing myself of additives. I have seen Seafoam do its magic. But I grew up being told additives are snake oil and I have had a hard time convincing myself otherwise.

 

[Lumpskie]

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