Yeah even myself I'm also fighting the hard start in the mornings because of loss of prime in the fuel system. I'll admit when I did the head gasket last time I notices the crossover tubes and the injectors went in rather easy without much force. What I've done so far is change the crossover tube o-rings. I've just ordered a set of o-rings for the injector bodies. I ordered a second set for extras to have on hand for customer rigs. 

 

I just rolled Beast back into the shop and started doing an inspection of the head area for weeping and appears to be dry. I really need to roll the power washer out and give the engine a good washing down with degreaser from all the scattered oil and fluids. Get a bbetter picture of what is actually leaking or not. 

 

My morning starts have been long winded and rough starting. Lots of white smoke but once the lines are cleared it starts good all day long with no smoke or anything. Yeah I need to just put the wrench time on my own truck now. 

Figure this out Mike? 

Sounds like no grid heaters. 

Waiting on the injector body o-ring to come from @dieselautopower... Soon as they come I'm going to change all those o-rings. This morning to get the truck started it was getting rather tough. Grid heater working fine but when the fuel pressure gauge sits at ZERO as your cranking I know there is air in the fuel system. Stand by I'll keep you all posted. 

On 12/9/2021 at 3:02 PM, IBMobile said:

Sounds like no grid heaters. 

 

Yup. Your right that was part of for sure the wire was tucked away in such a manner it looked hooked up but not. I'm going to test it out this morning. 

On 12/9/2021 at 3:02 PM, IBMobile said:

Sounds like no grid heaters. 

After a couple winters without a grid heater installed I can tell you that it takes some REALLY cold weather to notice the grid heater not working. I never noticed them missing until around 0°, to the point that when I put it back in I reprogrammed it to run much, much, less than the OEM programming that was mostly for emissions. 
 

I started one morning at -25° on a cold soaked motor with weak batteries and no grid heater. Don’t get me wrong, it didn’t like it, but it started. I wouldn’t even call it a hard start, just an angry start. 
 

This was on a CR thou, so I’m not sure what impact having a pilot injection does in that cold of weather. Even on my 12V tunes I kept the pilot alive for cranking since I left the cranking tables stock. 

Check the return line on the back of the head. I noticed I had diesel pooling at the bottom where the tranny mates to the engine. Turns out that banjo bolt was loose and now she fires up just fine. Should be a 17mm I believe. That whole assembly may be old and rotted out too but in my case it was just loose at the head.