Hi, all. Apologies if this has been covered but my thread search didn't catch it. The 6.5 in my sig has had intermittent trouble starting lately. Today I cranked it several times with no luck. In the 80's outside, good battery voltage, cranking fast enough, could hear the lift pump running while waiting to start, good flow with the fuel T valve open (both with the terminals in the relay block jumpered and with the relay installed), had been driven about 1.5 hours earlier, plenty of fuel in the tank. Right after I gave it a couple of squirts of starter fluid, it fired right up and ran just fine all the way home - no stalling, no stuttering/hesitating, normal smooth acceleration. Turned it off and then fired right up a couple of minutes later. Before I start tearing into it, any clear avenues to pursue? Many thanks in advance.
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Crank, no start except with starter fluid
- Thread starter mjmmjm
- Start date
Will L.
Well-Known Member
Diagnostic time.
GM says start with these two:
Clear line on the ip (injection pump) return, watch for bubbles.this is the 1/4” diameter hose on the front.
Fuel pressure check going into the ip at the inlet- post rubber hoses (lift pump can make noise and little to no pressure)
But I agree with the above advice- probably glows
If you let the glow plugs cycle on while the starting fluid was in there- they are trashed. The starting fluid forms a crystalline structure on the surface and kills them.
Remove the easy to reach glow plugs and test them using the keyed system. Don’t waste your time with the ohms checks- I proven different causes an have good plugs test bad and bad plugs test good with that method. When you se them glow red hot is when you know they work- nothing else.
There is another reason gm said don’t use starting fluid besides blowing the cup out of the head: easy to wipe the rings. If you disable the glow relay and have someone spray while already cranking you can get away with it but I never recommend it. Seen to many ruined idi diesels from it . These are a different breed.
ONLY get AC Delco 60 G plugs from an AUTHORIZED DEALER. Tons of knock offs out there and if you need to see ruined piston pics from a failed glow plug- just look at my past pics. Not worth it even if they pay you to take anything else.
Remember the antisieze on the threads when installing them.
GM says start with these two:
Clear line on the ip (injection pump) return, watch for bubbles.this is the 1/4” diameter hose on the front.
Fuel pressure check going into the ip at the inlet- post rubber hoses (lift pump can make noise and little to no pressure)
But I agree with the above advice- probably glows
If you let the glow plugs cycle on while the starting fluid was in there- they are trashed. The starting fluid forms a crystalline structure on the surface and kills them.
Remove the easy to reach glow plugs and test them using the keyed system. Don’t waste your time with the ohms checks- I proven different causes an have good plugs test bad and bad plugs test good with that method. When you se them glow red hot is when you know they work- nothing else.
There is another reason gm said don’t use starting fluid besides blowing the cup out of the head: easy to wipe the rings. If you disable the glow relay and have someone spray while already cranking you can get away with it but I never recommend it. Seen to many ruined idi diesels from it . These are a different breed.
ONLY get AC Delco 60 G plugs from an AUTHORIZED DEALER. Tons of knock offs out there and if you need to see ruined piston pics from a failed glow plug- just look at my past pics. Not worth it even if they pay you to take anything else.
Remember the antisieze on the threads when installing them.
jrsavoie
Recruit
Put down the starting fluid and walk away
cornemuse
Well-Known Member
Paveltolz
Доверяй, но проверяй
WarWagon’s suggestion to check on condition of batteries is sound. Have them tested and do as he says and check the battery cables as well. Starter motor may be giving up the ghost but, the two I’ve had fail just up and quit w/o a hint. Never know though.
Any recent work done where the Glow Plug wires might have been disconnected and not all properly reattached to the GP’s? I recently discovered #1 GP disconnected after steering gear work and while replacing a starter, #4 (under turbo) wasn’t connected and had melted the connector so it wouldn’t go back on w/o repair.
Any recent work done where the Glow Plug wires might have been disconnected and not all properly reattached to the GP’s? I recently discovered #1 GP disconnected after steering gear work and while replacing a starter, #4 (under turbo) wasn’t connected and had melted the connector so it wouldn’t go back on w/o repair.
Starters have four brushes. You can loose one brush and it still cranks the engine but slower. For example this from the carnage scrap pile...
6.5 carnage
thought I'd start a thread on just pics of 6.5 carnage. If there is another that I couldn't find mods please merge.
www.thetruckstop.us
Thanks for the help, and sorry for the delay - I got swamped with other stuff. I should've checked for codes before I disconnected the batteries to check if they could hold a charge and pass a load test individually. I'm going after the glow plugs as soon as I have a chance.
royunion
Active Member
See my post at https://www.thetruckstop.us/forum/threads/problem-with-starting.52088/post-679513
Things you think are OK probably aren't
Things you think are OK probably aren't