Truck will not start
Truck would not start on a cold morning. Had the
batteries and alternator tested, turns out only the
batteries faulty. Put in two new batteries and it still
wont start. Does not make a sound when turning
the key. The instrument cluster turns on and the
lights active are check engine, battery, ABS, and
the check gage. All of the fuses tested good as
well. Just wondering what the next step would be?
This is what the dash shows with accessories on.
Being a diesel, you have to allow about ten seconds for the glow plugs to heat up, then crank the starter. They might not be coming on and you would not notice this problem until the weather got cold.....below 50F for a diesel. You might have a blown fuse/relay for glow plugs. Until you can get it fixed, you might be able to coax it to start by plugging in your engine block heater. This is a diesel Power Stroke, right?
Yes it is. I've had the block heater plugged and always wait for the glow plugs to heat up. It has been in the 20's for well over a month and had no problems until it didn't want to start. Both batteries would not charge at all. Checked the fuses and they tested fine. I think it is somewhere in the ignition switch. I'm not hearing a click from the relay when I move the key into the start position. It is a 6.0 powerstroke.
I think you are on to something when you say there is no sound when you turn the key on. Power strokes I drove always "hummed" while the glow plugs were heating up. No hum means no preheat. We had a brand new Power Stroke that the glow plugs didn't work. Scan for codes and that electrical problem may show up. Dealing with diesel semi's for 35 years we always suspected a fuel filter problem high on our list. And you should be hearing the fuel solenoid valve click open to allow fuel to flow. Pull it open by hand if you can find it. Close it to stop the engine. And if you see white exhaust vapor while cranking, there is Not a fuel problem. Check all your fuses and relays one by one. It will be something simple. Good Luck.
Thanks for the help guys! Turns out the solenoid just needed a couple of taps. She is up and running now. The batteries weren't providing enough voltage to the starter and it got "stuck". Replaced the batteries and a the few taps with a rubber mallet to the solenoid got the job done.
Thanks for the good news. Like I said, it will be something simple and I would not have thought of that in a hundred years. Happy New Years!!
