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1999 Chevy express 2500 6.5TD Van Cold wheather Stalls upon starting wont restart

F

FranMcHugh

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Randolph,Mass.
1999 Chevy Express 2500 6.5TD Van bought summer 112,000 miles. Second owner now w/ 114,000 miles.I know there is your check list but not sure how to fill it in and move it to be read. I,m New and would appreciate your collected advise, and opinions/suggestions.What I did ,First got van back to my job construction work garage,where we use GREENISH fuel #2 ? which I get for free and first filled and always put in my van.Greased it.Checked all fluids Ect.Installed New batteries, were weak Qty.2 cleaning batt grounds and the frame underneath 2nd batt location.Changed oil and filter.Changed air filter.Did as good Visual under hood and frame .I Bought a fuel filter at the same time BUT I put off installing it.VAN ran FINEl summer and Fall,Fired right up Idled great ect.BUT!Eventually It got close to colder season.I began to notice a pattern to the TEMPERATURE lets say Approx 40 degress or lower.The Van became intermittent upon Starting.Sometimes Would Fire right up and Idle fine warm up and I'd go. sometimes would Fire right up and die right away.Then crank alot before started w/a Puff of white smoke.I then Bled out the water attempt from fuel filter and I then added 911 to fuel.didnt seem to fix problem.figured it was time to install new fuel filter.That did NOT cure the problem either.Now it is COLD winter 9 times out of 10, except on a lucky warmer day,even when its plugged in It Only Fires right up to die almost imediately.If I attempt to continue to retstart keep cranking it will Crank strong but not start fires alittle once in a while but doesnt start, Im only draining down the batterys and have to slow 2 amp recharge them.Warm TEMPS out Ran/runs fine,Colder Temps plugged in it gets quirky either fires off and stays idling or fires off and then stalls upon start up.Recranks alot to start.*(Cold Temps) plugged in either Hard start/wont start at all or Stalls upon start up and can not restart.Now it sits there until a warmer day MIGHT come along or it just sits there .FIRM believer of process of elimination starting with the Free/cheapest and simplist ways FIRST Then move up the expensive/pain in ass ladder.Would appreciate the Help.Thanks FRAN..leak/bound/blockage flow? Lift pump? OPS? PMD? fuel shut off valve? Van just doesnt like me ? LOL. and I did notice air suction from fuel cap.I think thats all in sequence Thanks U Guyz FRAN
 
gmctrucksrock said:
also greenish fuel isnt that off road diesel?
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hello again YES off road but we use it in ALL our vehicles.....back hoes excavators..... 3/4 and 1 ton 6.5 TD dumps up to track trailors .....So I figure if we use that type in our smaller 6.5 TD engines like mine.Im guessing thought the better choice would be # 1 fuel RED? But The free fuel perk from work is hard to say no to.....
 
only smart move to get for free I do too, but I have noticed the off road seems to have more dirt in it example fuel truck guy drops fuel nozzle, when fueling up tank in rain it gets in, ect and if you notice any cat filter has two or more filters and lower micron i put a second filter on my suburban a racor near tank removes water and filters down to 10 micron. but your issue is starting if you remove plug on cts it tells computer its 40- and advances timing to my knowledge, on my 95 i have spliced toggle switch into yellow line to interrupt signal, once warm flip switch and go. but also dont rule out your pmd kinda of a expensive guess but a cheep one on ebay used for a back up is not a bad idea too, but need to relocate and a wire and cooler added, check to see if your lift pump is working its on frame under drivers door should be purring but doesnt mean it working you can open nozzle on fuel filter to check
 
Hello again ......Tommorow I will manually temporarily disconnect Coolant Temp sensor plug...........Wondering to keep factors limited? Should I be conducting my tests from here on in WITHOUT having the heater motor plugged in for warming?In other words stone cold to what ever temp it is out at time of testing Non pre heated? I Will report back with that first result...........Then move up the food chain from there hopefully with your and even others help and suggestions........also would be interseted in Seeing . diagram? or link? of HOW you did your set up ? Thank you FRAN
gmctrucksrock said:
only smart move to get for free I do too, but I have noticed the off road seems to have more dirt in it example fuel truck guy drops fuel nozzle, when fueling up tank in rain it gets in, ect and if you notice any cat filter has two or more filters and lower micron i put a second filter on my suburban a racor near tank removes water and filters down to 10 micron. but your issue is starting if you remove plug on cts it tells computer its 40- and advances timing to my knowledge, on my 95 i have spliced toggle switch into yellow line to interrupt signal, once warm flip switch and go. but also dont rule out your pmd kinda of a expensive guess but a cheep one on ebay used for a back up is not a bad idea too, but need to relocate and a wire and cooler added, check to see if your lift pump is working its on frame under drivers door should be purring but doesnt mean it working you can open nozzle on fuel filter to check
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with good batts and good glows you should be able to start down to around 5 above without being plugged in. Sounds to me like gelling but I would check the glows also.
 
Thank you for the Link.......May I ask what made you feel right away it had to be the glow plugs (only ?) assuming that it what you are telling me by glow plugs.thank you for you time FRAN
 
Hello sir...........on the coldest days on ATTEMPTED starts after I would go under truck and crack fuel water bleeder and would seem to me to be UN Jelled in consistancy coming out? and by CHECKING Glow plugs ect READILY I have no means to electronic testing equipment or what type? nor the experience doing so ......Im a show me how person but then then Im fairly good....... so far 2 votes of possible glow plugs..any layman suggestions for testing glows or other wise would be appreciated....Thank you FRAN
ak diesel driver said:
with good batts and good glows you should be able to start down to around 5 above without being plugged in. Sounds to me like gelling but I would check the glows also.
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pull it out and put power to it, it should glow red hot in a few seconds. also when fuel gells it's not usually all solid there is alot of wax crystals which plug up the filter quickly
 
Thanks .......Never took one out before easy .hard? Should I be concerned with the remaining LENGHT(measurement wise) Life of glow plug ? should be certain lenght left for exceptance to use and NOT need/warrant replacing It and All 8 glows...I understand you should change all 8 along with a New Glow relay at same time Is That agreed?This is First 6.5TD Ive owned.I just sold 7.3L Ford econoline and Glows were UNDER The Valve covers NEVER attempted to do them on the Ford.also My fuel /water Filter is Under driver seat outside near frame rail area ....when you say Drain T ? do u mean the Black drain that has drain hole and The water senser plug screw beside it? and do u know if there are any OTHER Fuel filters Other Than the Obvious one I am in Knowledge of? Thanks alot FRAN
ak diesel driver said:
pull it out and put power to it, it should glow red hot in a few seconds. also when fuel gells it's not usually all solid there is alot of wax crystals which plug up the filter quickly
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AFAIK there is no way to measure the life expectancy of glow plugs and generally speaking they either work or don't. I wouldn't bother changing the glow controller unless it's acting up. Glow plugs on the drivers side are easy to change, pass side is alot harder but doable. The drain T is on the end of the hose coming off the FFM (fuel filter manager) and going towards the front of the engine on the pass side. It's used to drain water out of the FFM. Maybe someone removed your stock one and added an aftermarket setup, stock location is right behind the intake manifold and actually bolted to the manifold.
 
Hi again.......OK I see whats up with my confusion.......With mine being a *VAN 6.5TD and yours a *Pick up.The LOCATION spots of *some of the items /parts we are talking about are located in different areas.The FFM you speak of is the same thing Im calling fuel filter? and if so MY FFM? fuel filter housing is located UNDER my van driver side Near frame rail.Thats the filter i eventually had changed and ocassionally drain for water fear to help fix stall upon start..............and by life expectancy measurement of glow plug I meant How much was Burned off in Lenght Inches? of metal left ? is there a concerned point in inches ect of how much glow plug Metal is left on the glow plug when I pull ONE plug to test it ? even if glow plug turned red ? if the glow plug is aproaching to SHORT in metal lenght left to burn. Should I change all 8 glows any ways if they are getting to short in inch lenght reguardless if they still glow brite red when I pull ONE to test it....dont want to do it Twice if I miss a warning sign Thanks Thanks
ak diesel driver said:
AFAIK there is no way to measure the life expectancy of glow plugs and generally speaking they either work or don't. I wouldn't bother changing the glow controller unless it's acting up. Glow plugs on the drivers side are easy to change, pass side is alot harder but doable. The drain T is on the end of the hose coming off the FFM (fuel filter manager) and going towards the front of the engine on the pass side. It's used to drain water out of the FFM. Maybe someone removed your stock one and added an aftermarket setup, stock location is right behind the intake manifold and actually bolted to the manifold.
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It's not a metal eroding or length thing although if it is visually misformed I'd replace it. This is basically an electrical item and when it fails it looks the same as the others. Oh and I missed the van part.
 
I have a van too and it's been a pain. Sounds like a glow plug problem. I'd (and I have) put in a set of Bosch Duraterms. On the van it's easy to reach 'em all, doghouse off for the rears, fronts through the wheel wells with the tires off. It's as easy as changing spark plugs. Make sure the connectors to them are clean & tight. This forum is a Godsend to 6.5 owners, look through the archives. I learned everything here, beforehand it was the hard way. (SSD glows for example!). You will need a remote PMD. If your fuel filter has rust the internal tank coating has failed (common), mine would plug a new filter in less than a thousand miles.
 
Honestly if it fires up I would assume the glows are doing their job. Firing and then dying seems like a loosing fuel prime issue AKA fuel leak/air in the lines.

My truck started hard with a gas fuel cap instead of a diesel fuel cap. You should also confirm the lift pump is functioning. There is no harm in checking the glow plugs but I am just giving my 2 cents.
 
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