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`Smokey Starts getting worse with the colder weather

Paveltolz

Доверяй, но проверяй
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Saratoga Springs, UT
Notice while up in MT last summer trying to be of help to Big-T that my first starts were starting to have a little smoke. Hmmm Acrid diesel smoke that cleared up quickly as engine came to life.
It was kinda hit and miss up there but, when it ‘hit’, the smokewas getting a little worse. Longer in duration.
With the colder weather setting in, the smoke has gotten thicker and, as the engine takes a little longer to get happy, the duration increases. Smoke lasts for no more than 40 seconds or so…so far.
While smoking there is a noticeable miss or stutter and, sometimes, a loud ‘fop fop fop’ for a few seconds. Cold Hole?
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I’ve confirmed the Glow Plug Controller is operating correctly.
1st, key off, I confirmed there was 12v present across the GP controllers posts (12v in and GP Wires Out). So, connectivity to the glow plugs.
2nd, heard the load “CLICK” from the GP Controller when turning the key to RUN and starting the GP Cycle. During the GP cycle, no 12 volts across the GP controller’s two posts..
3rd, 12v present confirmed at a couple of the GP wire terminals so some of wires are sorta good.
Pulled a couple of the GPs and put 12v to them and they heated up fine. Will test them all though.
On the ones I checked, I did notice the GP wire’s connectors slide on to the GP blades almost too easily and don’t fit snug. Last summer, while wrestling with Starter connection 101, BigT noticed my #4 GP wire wasn’t connected to the plug and the connector was melted. Odd for ceramic ends to do that.

When the glow plug connectors fit loose, the wires draw far more ohms which heats the GP Wire connectors a lot, but passes less power to the plugs so the actual heat cycle could be far less than ideal. This harness is almost 13 years old (can’t believe it’s been that long) and with the long term issues I had with the valves (different thread), I’ve connected, disconnected and reconnected the GPs far too many times. Had I not had to fiddle fart with things so much, I’m sure the connectors would be good and tight still.

I have eight new AC Delco 60g GP plugs but, the Duraterms I’ve checked on the driver’s side are heating up OK. Prefer Duraterms though. Yeah, I remember a few years ago they were supposedly turning to crap along with the India Injectors. Haven’t heard anything bad about them lately.

Plan of action now is to pull all the plugs and test them. Pull and replace the GP Wiring harnesses (even if I can squeeze the connectors to give a better fit) on both passenger and driver’s sides. I don’t trust the connector on #4.
New Duraterms arrived a few days ago and the new GP Harness from Zombie Solutions arrived this afternoon.

Will probably hit the job Friday or Saturday. Going to pull the inner fender to assist in getting at 4,6 and 8 and assist in routing in the new harness and me shoulders and wrist are still fighting back after the fall down the stairs a couple of weeks ago. Glad this isn’t my only available vehicle anymore. Still, had to replace a tire because I picked up a construction staple (red) and two dry wall knife blades (yellow).
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Ended up replacing all four…only 3200 miles. They were Nextel’s (S. Korea) and came on the car. Didn’t like them anyway.
It was time to get snow tires anyway so, decided to get the Michelin Cross Climate 2’s like I had on the old Touareg. 3Peak Mountain rated, great snow tire and pulled me through deep mud too.
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IMG_1941.pngIMG_1943.pngOn the PLUGS not having problems lately-because you aren’t hearing enough people still making the MISTAKE OF BUYING them.
It has been exactly 2 weeks to the day since I walked someone through their problem in a 6.5 hummer who had issues with a set he bought the week before. He had the problem of the tabs breaking off.

It has been about 2 months since the guy before that. His popped an element of just like mine did. When his rattled hard he panicked and shut it off. His element was in the precup until he tried to grab with pliers and bumped it into the cylinder. He is a surgical nurse and after fighting it 6 hours walked away. Brought home some thin surgery locking needle nose looking thing. He got it out with that after a couple hours.

You’re a big boy- you make your decisions. Do the math how much a set of delcos cost and cost of the bosch to throw away & I just remind you of my optimizer with under 70,000 miles looked like this:
Piston and precup trash. I never looked if the valves bent yet.
Side note- 7 good optimizer pistons for sale…
 
Auto Spell Correct correction: The tires from S. Korea are NEXENs, Not “Nextel.” Auto Correct; Just one more of the technologies making my life less enjoyable….

Your's is doing what mine is doing, started fine until the temps got lower than 20. It still starts pretty good but I have one injector hanging up until it gets a little heat into it.
Thought about Injectors too so, I have a new set that I want to get tested before swapping in.
The current set of Duraturm’s have been in since 2013 though and are easier to get at so I’ll do ‘em first.
That “Fop” sound at cold start up is consistent over the last few years and I’ve had a three different sets trying to diagnose what turned out to be bad valves.
Last winter, the first one since getting it back with the new heads, it didn’t smoke but, that ‘Fop’ noise was there occasionally on the colder mornings (which would still be considered balmy when compared to Alaska) when the truck wasn’t plugged in. This year, it hasn’t presented that noise but once. So weird.

Funny/sick side note. The noise brings back memories of youth…I remember my 6th grade teacher telling us that the term ‘scalping’ was just one term for the act. The Brits called it ‘Fopping” because of the sound made from grabbing the hair, placing your boot on the back of the victim and pulling upwards until the scalp released. FOP! Put that term in your Don Martin (Mad Magazine) noise glossary.

Back to diesels. An interesting tid-bit about the Zombie Solutions’ wiring kit is that it comes with a couple of extra ceramic connection protectors.
 
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