The glow plugs on these trucks remain on for over two minutes or more, you can see this as soon as you turn the key. The voltage gauge drops when the glow plug relay solenoid clicks. After the light goes out the glow plugs are still active, the gauge is still lower for several minutes. When I test the engine harness on these trucks, to check for burned pins, I check voltage at each end pin of the valve cover connectors, it will show nearly 12 volts to each glow plugs for several minutes depending on the temperature. The light is just a dummy light and indicates when the glow plugs are hot enough, but rather the longer you let them run, the higher the cylinder temperature, and higher the temperature the easier the cylinder will hit.
My 95 7.3 would never start at those temps. I have to use ether for temps below 60 . I. Installed New glow plugs and glow plug solenoid, new injector 0 rings and new batteries
Nice truck! These can definitely start just fine in cold temps if the entire charging/starting system is in tip top shape, especially the batteries. BTW "windchill" has no effect on non-operational inanimate objects, it only affects living things that produce heat, or other machines that create heat. a non-running truck produces no heat so the wind has absolutely no effect. Also, cycle the glow plugs several times before attempting to start, it will allow things to heat up more and make for an easier start. And in the very cold of winter, a fuel additive is an absolute must. Archoil works really well as does several others.
Just keep it plugged in. That's what an engine block heater will do. Keep the engine warm so the oil is warm. Use Howe's or Power Service White bottle. With that level of freeze I'd pour in a bottle of PS red.bottle 911 on the last fill up so it can run through the fuel lines, fuel filter, and injectors before parking it outside overnight.
I watched your video just this evening. Thanks very much for showing the tools that you used. I'm going to get me some swivel sockets asap. I'm replacing the stock 1.15 A/R turbo housing with a 1.00 A/R housing, using a Wicked Wheel and keeping the EBPV. Stupid question here, how does the EBPV rod disconnect from the butterfly valve arm? I've not done any of this before. Should the EBPV be rebuilt or replaced while I'm in here?
I’m glad that the video helped. That sounds like a good combination, I myself have been thinking about going to a 1.00 A/R housing (especially since I 3.55 swapped it recently). The ebpv connects to the ebpv butterfly valve by a ball and socket type connection. You just have to slide the collar back and it pops right off, it is pretty simple. I ended up just replacing the pedestal which had a new ebpv, but a rebuild could also work too it depends on your budget. I would say the new pedestal might be a little safer bet against oil leaks. Even though I kept the ebpv, I actually have a had it unplugged the last few years, with no negative effects. I just drive it easy until it is warm.
You know that you just letting it sit after the glow plug light has gone out that you're wasting the heat they just produced right? They are at their hottest point when the light goes out
so say the bottom driver side nut on the flange gets stripped. would it be possible to torch the nut off? I got a 96 7.3 and its got a bad leak on the turbo housing and bent fans from a previous owner. Its stripped but I've seen in some forums that people take torches to em. I've got the ebpv delete billet turbo, bellowed up pipes. the pipes are fine coming off im just stuck there. I'm usually pretty good at changing parts but I've never had to torch just yet.
Hey there, that doesn’t sound like a fun situation. If the nut is just stripped out on the head, maybe try using a bolt extractor to bite into it and get it out. Getting a torch in there in my opinion is difficult. Not to mention potential damage to the aluminum pedestal the turbo sits on. If you are able to get to the up-pipe bolts that bolt up into the collector and get them out, then you could potentially take out the turbo with the collector still attached to it. Best of luck with that!
When you took the bracket plate off, did you have to remove the interior panel? What I'm wondering is whether or not the plate inside the door is fixed in place, so when you put the mirror back on you just have to screw bolts back in from the outside.
Couple of hydrolic jacks, a frame to keep it from moving, and a 5' square tube, pipe, or angle iron, heavy enough not to banana, and you can bend whole thing a little at a time, working slow, watching slippage, etc.
Oh yeah it can be not so fun sometimes. I would say it took me 10 hours in total, I spent a lot of time trying to get the new up pipe in for the driver side which I ended up having to take out the transmission crossmember and lowering that trans down slightly. Most people typically do this when the transmission is already out of the vehicle, however I found that you can do it with it in, just a little more time to do it.
So the customer wanted me to do the turbo only. 6 hrs is a good quote for that you would say? Mind you, we’re in Alaska. Everything is original… 😢 Thanks for prompt response. I couldn’t have removed it without you showing exact thing to do btw. Saved me more time than I already wasted.
That does sound like a good quote to me. Mine was all original too, but in all honesty it wasn’t too bad doing that job. Of course I’m glad to have a helpful video.
While I appreciate seeing what these bad boys can do when it gets chilly, I sure hope you normally run an oil pan heater and block heater. Tranny and diff heater would be good too. No sense needlessly ratfucking your internals.
How long does it usually take to start on freezing cold mornings when it is not plugged in? Does it usually take longer when it hasn't been used for several days?
It always starts up first glow plug cycle, even when it is slightly below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. They don’t like to start when the fuel is gelled, so get an anti gel, but besides that, if you have good injectors, motorcraft glow plugs, and that whiterogers relay, these engines will start perfectly fine in the winter.
Other than for big trucks and construction equipment, diesels are a pain in the butt. They cost more, they start hard in cold weather, they're noisy and smelly, and have all sorts of DEF and other junk on them.
Need to cycle at least 3 times on the glow plugs, specially when it is that cold. I owned a 1995 7.3 powerstroke and even with new glow plugs took 3 cycles. Also don't turn the starter that long it will damage it. Had 500k on mine when I sold it. Also keep diesel kleen white bottle anti gel in it.
You're waiting WAYYYYY to long to start. You need to crank it immediately after the "glow plug" light goes off, while the glow plugs are at maximum temperature. Glow plugs have very low thermal mass, and cool down almost instantly.
This had a stock block heater why the hell wouldnt you plug it in? Also run 10w30 diesel oil it will fire and run better. Works for my 2000 excursion 7.3l
This is an excellent design and see it in action. It really works. I noticed your is lawn tractor, do you think your design will work for riding lawn mover (22 HP) and use it to push dirt and level that land/lots? Thanks for sharing a great idea and keep posting.
Thank you for the kind words! Yes it is a lawn tractor with a 20 hp Briggs and Stratton v twin. It pushes the snow really well. I do think you could use a design like this to move dirt and level stuff out. I actually was pushing dirt with it a few times and it works very well. The only thing to think about is a stop to not let it dig too much into the ground or it will keep the tractor from moving and make it pivot.
Trying to start a diesel that wasn't plugged in in very cold conditions and without any modifications would be like shoveling snow while wearing inadequate clothing, an extremely dangerous thing to do in cold climates.
I don't know what the big deal is with people doing these cold start videos?? The 7.3 will generally start without being plugged in as long as the engine is in good shape, glow plugs work and you have good enough batteries. Everyone that lives up north knows this. Block heaters certainly help in the really cold weather but you can get away without them if you have to
