My neighbor says the only way he can get his 03 cummins to start is with starting fluid. He has replaced a bunch of parts, he can't remember what all, but everything costs 2 or 3 hundred dollars, the last of which was the in tank pump. Nothing has helped. He says it runs great, just won't start, hot or cold doesn't matter. Any thoughts?

Without knowing how many miles on the truck;  I'd say injectors first.................especially if he doesn't have 2 micron fuel filtration.

I tend to agree time to get those injector tested and replaced. If one fails replace them ALL. Way too many time I see some replace just the damage injector(s) to end up doing damage to the engine because another injector failed and casued the damage.

I seem to remember reading about injectors as well for this issue

I've got a 05 Dodge sitting in my shop that I'm pulling the engine out for injector damage. For sure got one cylinder with low compression which you can hear when you start it up. All I can say is park that truck till you can have those injectors tested and replaced. Because like this owner he's done the damage now after saying is was a bit hard starting, start to knock a bit, and drove close to 180 miles on a bad injector(s).

 

At this point the owner doesn't want any band-aids being this is a long haul rig and need to be tip top shape and bullet proof. So he's willing to put the money into being rebuilt. So as for the OP tell him to quit driving the truck or he'll be rebuilding the engine.

My first gen has about 425,000 miles on it, still runs smooth as glass. What do I try listening for when it's time to replace them?

 

Even the hoses are still original.

Edited June 15, 20168 yr by JAG1

Thanks guys. He's getting advice from a shop in town. He is probably replacing cheaper alternatives first. I'll let him know what you all think. 

4 minutes ago, JAG1 said:

My first gen has about 425,000 miles on it, still runs smooth as glass. What do I try listening for when it's time to replace them?

Hard starts, hazing, loss of power, etc. If they are the factory injectors I'm sure they are long overdue!

24 minutes ago, JAG1 said:

My first gen has about 425,000 miles on it, still runs smooth as glass.

 

1989 to 2002 are exempt for this issue.

 

 

The problem is when the "A" hole (keep a clean mind guys) is damaged by fuel debris and no long seal properly so the injector tend to remain open anytime there is rail pressure. So the hard starting is because the solenoid valve is not closing allowing to build rail pressure.

 

There is other things like crack nozzle, pintle damage anything that would cause a fuel leak into the cylinder or high return flow rates to the tank from the injectors.

 

Most shops will use a block off cap to find the bad injector and replace just the one. I just happen to have a block off cap too.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 15, 20168 yr by Mopar1973Man

He is either a really brave or a really stupid man using ether on an engine with a preheater. I have personally witnesses heads blown off engines with glow plugs and have seen bad flashbacks and a couple that actually caused bad burns on guys and lots of other engine damage when people do things like this.

Edited June 15, 20168 yr by Wild and Free

Was wondering if that occurred to anyone. I believe he disabled preheater

I've seen a Ford 6.0L damaged from ether here locally. The rancher didn't know better. The ether lit off and exploded in the air filter box and caught fire. Needless to say it split boost boots, burned the air filter box, and miscellaneous wiring. The little I've used ether I've very careful to disable any grid heaters or glow plugs first thing. Then after that the amount spray is quick blast lasting less than a second. It takes very little ether to make a diesel start. The only other time I've used it is for troublesome diesels that refuse to prime so again same thing disable the heater system and very very small blast of ether.

Edited June 16, 20168 yr by Mopar1973Man