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Truck will start off of ether

T

treeeman00

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I have a 1997 C3500HD with 6.5 turbo. Truck is a manual also. The pmd is in the stock location. The truch has 56,000 miles. Well anyways I bought the truck not running. I checked the lift pump, it is working. I oped the tvalve and fuel is coming out while cranking. I cracked an injector line and while cranking fuel is coming out. The truck cranks just fine. I cleaned all the grounds also. I can get the truck to start off of ether. After it starts from ether, it runs fine. I can shut the truck off and start it up just fine for the rest of the day. I let it sit overnight and the truck will not start with no ether. I am thinking maybe the pmd? What do you guys think. Any help is greatly appreciated.
 
It sounds like the glow plug system isn't working. If it was ,the ether would have caused severe engine damage.
Check for 12 volts at the control and each glow plug. The glow system has around 11 fusible links/fuseable wire.
 
Not easily. These engines really do need the glowplugs even when warm.

Both mine will start without them in the summer time, but it does take a good bit of cranking, and it's probably not something you'd want to do everyday to the starter.

Also be careful with Ether. You can do severe engine damage with it.

Here's an interesting video of a 6.9 IDI that was an ether baby.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_LWm4g35Jw
 
well okay then, no more ether..lol...I knew that it wasnt good on diesels, but its all I had so I put a shot in it as I wanted to hear the motor run. Guess ill start troubleshooting the glowplug system. Thanks for the info.
 
treeeman00 said:
I have a 1997 C3500HD with 6.5 turbo. Truck is a manual also. The pmd is in the stock location. The truch has 56,000 miles. Well anyways I bought the truck not running. I checked the lift pump, it is working. I oped the tvalve and fuel is coming out while cranking. I cracked an injector line and while cranking fuel is coming out. The truck cranks just fine. I cleaned all the grounds also. I can get the truck to start off of ether. After it starts from ether, it runs fine. I can shut the truck off and start it up just fine for the rest of the day. I let it sit overnight and the truck will not start with no ether. I am thinking maybe the pmd? What do you guys think. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

How long was the truck sitting without running before you bought it? Rings might not be sealing good, adding a slight bit of oil in through the glow plug hole would help or maybe just a good long run.
 
iamdave0887 said:
Not easily. These engines really do need the glowplugs even when warm.

Both mine will start without them in the summer time, but it does take a good bit of cranking, and it's probably not something you'd want to do everyday to the starter.

Also be careful with Ether. You can do severe engine damage with it.

Here's an interesting video of a 6.9 IDI that was an ether baby.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_LWm4g35Jw
Click to expand...


Video is worth a thousand words!!!! That should be a sticky.
 
Treeeman00, I admit as soon as you said you used ether to start it, I figured your block was a goner.

Welcome to the site, and check your glows. It should 'click' when you turn the truck to the 'on' position. Likely culprit is your glow relay, located on the back near the firewall. It's about $100. Read through the FAQs and the part pointer.

-Rob :)
 
Mudbath said:
How long was the truck sitting without running before you bought it? Rings might not be sealing good, adding a slight bit of oil in through the glow plug hole would help or maybe just a good long run.
Click to expand...

Given the pretty-high compression on a stock truck, I would think that it wouldn't be the rings. Even trucks with massive blow-by usually start OK.

I'll still bet on the glows.

-Rob :)
 
TurboTahoe said:
Given the pretty-high compression on a stock truck, I would think that it wouldn't be the rings. Even trucks with massive blow-by usually start OK.

I'll still bet on the glows.

-Rob :)
Click to expand...


You would think that would be the case, but there was a very lengthy thread back a while ago which had similar problems and after many pages (and stumped gurus) it was poor compression from sitting a long period of time. Bit of oil an it was happy again. Glows not working definitely a good place to start too.

Massive blow-by you would at least have oil helping seal the rings.
 
the truck sat for about 1 year or a year and a half..When I started it I ran it for about 30 min. I drove it up and down the road. I shut it down id leave it for about 1 hour or so and I went back and she fired right up. Left it go to evening and fired up no problems. went out the following evening and nothing.
 
treeeman00 said:
the truck sat for about 1 year or a year and a half..When I started it I ran it for about 30 min. I drove it up and down the road. I shut it down id leave it for about 1 hour or so and I went back and she fired right up. Left it go to evening and fired up no problems. went out the following evening and nothing.
Click to expand...

You might even want to get the old fuel out and some fresh stuff in there. Fuel conditioner for algae and moisture problems. With these diesels you want good compression, good fuel, good cranking speed and good grounds.
 
ive pulled 2 so far but broke the end terminals off pulling the wire off of them. I think they are ac11's
 
iamdave0887 said:
Not easily. These engines really do need the glowplugs even when warm.

Both mine will start without them in the summer time, but it does take a good bit of cranking, and it's probably not something you'd want to do everyday to the starter.

Also be careful with Ether. You can do severe engine damage with it.

Here's an interesting video of a 6.9 IDI that was an ether baby.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_LWm4g35Jw
Click to expand...

Good find Dave! This video should be manditory to watch before you get an account on this site.

Thanks for posting. :thumbsup:
 
treeeman00 said:
are the ac11's bad? on the 2 I pulled I didnt see any swelling or cracking
Click to expand...
The fact they fell apart they are old and brittle. The older glow plugs did have a habit of swelling and making it a real bear to remove. Get some 60g AC Delco or equivalent plugs that are self limiting and won't swell up.
 
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