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1995 250 5.9l Hard To Start Cold. Help!!!!!

4300 Views 11 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  tearapin, 
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I Have A 1995 250 With A 5.9l, The Vehicle Is Hard To Start When The Ambient Temp Gets Below 70 Degrees. The Fuel Pump Relay And Auto Shut Down Relays Begin To Make A Clicking Noise And The Check Engine Light Begins To Flash. The Vehicle Will Not Start Until The Check Engine Light Stays On. I Have Replaced The Fuel Pump, The Auto Shut Down Relay And Fuel Pump Relay. I Have Also Replaced The Engine Temp Sensor. I Have Cleaned And Checked The Connection To The P.c.m. All Looks Good. The Dealers Have No Ideas Or Direction To Send Me In. I Think It May Need P.c.m. Replaced But I Hate To Throw Annother Pitch. The Colder It Gets Here In Northern Ohio The Harder The Truck Is To Start. Any Ideas? Thanks, Dan
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Heya TwinMotorCars, I'm having exactly the same problem (I'm from northern Ohio also, lol). Turns over fine, but not getting any fuel. Leave the key in the "on" position and wait for fuel pump relay to start clicking. After it's finished clicking, starts right up with no spit, spat or sputter, and runs fine until engine gets cold again. I've replaced the fuel pump relay and fuel pressure switch, and tried a new ignition switch to no avail. From all the searching I've done, only 1 pretty much pointed to the PCM. Was wanting confirmation before shelling out more cabbage on a PCM. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Take care and be well!
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What codes come up from scanning the truck? With a 95, use the key on key off-on off-on- off-on and count the number of CEL flashes two flashes pause one flash means 21 code 55 means no more codes. Write them down in the order they appear and come on back. Even if the light is not on, you may have stored codes.

I actually suspect a weak battery. The starter can use all the juice to turn the engine over and starve the PCM and relays. These trucks are really touchy about the power level and wierd things happen with dirty cable connection and weak batteries. The problem occuring at low temps adds to my suspicion about the batteries for both of you. Try and get them load tested. Don't just use a meter to see if they have 12v. Or if they are three or more years old, replace them. Good luck!
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Thanks a lot for posting abossram! Tomorrow morning I will go out and clean the grounds and connections to the battery real good. I also have a brand new Duralast Gold that was used only one week in my RV... I've set it on trickle charge every weekend for the past 2 mths it's been setting. I'll throw that in and post my results. I sure hope this does the trick, and it makes a lot of sense cuz I couldn't figure out how the "cold" factored in to a bad PCM. Thanks again for taking the time abossram! Much appreciation!!
Jerry

Edit: Oh, I almost forgot. I have a '94 Dodge Ram B250 Van, V6, A/T...will that key on/off/on/off etc trick work on this vehicle to pull its codes? I've had many other cars that I used the code-key under the dash, but these autopart chains around here don't know how to pull the codes from my van. Thanks a million for any and all help here!!!
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Have you ever tried and engine block warmer?...they sell them at pretty much every auto parts store.
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Actually, I've never heard of these. Do they warm the block up above 65f, by chance? Yeah, it's usually gotta be pretty warm out before it starts up. At 60f it takes about 30 to 45 mins of sitting there waiting for the relay to start clicking. It would be nice if I knew exactly what actually needs the warmth to start. Another post I read was suggesting that it was the oil that needed to be thinned out enough so that the engine builds up enough oil pressure and the oil pressure switch then sends electric to the fuel pump. I guess the cold thickens the oil more and the cranking doesn't build the pressure as fast when it's cold... but I don't know how a PCM would change this any. I don't know, I'm confused. BUT, when I DO figure this out, I'm posting it to every forum I've been scanning, because there are a LOT of people out there with this problem and not one of the forums I've looked at gives any feedback as to what fixed their problem. Thank you very much itybity for the reply, much appreciation my friend!!
Jerry
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I have never actually had to use a block warmer. But i do know people who have installed them...very easily in fact. I know that it does warm up the oil, so it doesnt get to thick. They live in truckee, ca....it gets pretty stinkin' cold..with the wind chill maybe 0 degrees...lol. They swear by them.
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Terapin-yeah, my ol brain sez it works on 94s also. Just go ahead and try it. No harm if it doesn't work, but it will. ON the subject of block heaters, they are common in colorado for example where it gets real cold. There are a some different types, heated oil dip stick, insert in heater hose, even had one that replaced one of the freeze plugs. BTW they even make battery heater blankets for real cold weather. Those things all work-but since you haven't heard of them, i bet they are not common in your area and probably won't do a lot for you. Lets see what the battery change does.
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I agree with abossram, sounds like a bad battery. My truck starts fine down to -15F (Saskatchewan, Canada) without needing a block heater (factory equipment in Canada :D ) or any kind of heating blanket. I don't think a block heater is any kind of solution when it's still relatively warm out... Oil doesnt get too viscous until it gets quite cold out!

Hope your problem gets solved.
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Welp, I took the "old" (6mths old, both are 1000cca/ 850 at 32f) battery out, sanded and cleaned the contacts, took off the ground and sanded that area and reinstalled, and lubed up all the cables w/ that dielytic (err, whatever) grease... still the same. I did notice today that my steering column doesn't lock anymore when the key is off. I know for sure it used too. I wonder if there is some kind of sensor in the steering column that lets the system know that it's in park and to give it some juice and something snapped in the column, which is why it doesn't lock in park anymore? Ah hell... that's a big stretch... eh, nevermind, cuz it gets juice and turns over, just the fuel pump isn't priming. Ughh. There's just so many factors. The cold only effects how it starts the funky way of waiting for the relay to start clicking, but even if it's warm it still shouldn't do that. Sorry, thinkin' out loud :D Well, I sincerely appreciate all the input and info you guys are providing here, many thanks gentlemen!! I'll keep checking back and definitely post the solution if/ when I find it. Take care and be well!
Jerry
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HMMM-the lock in park is a rod which pokes into a hole when the ignition lock cylinder is rotated into LOCK. Are you sure you are not pulling the key out when in OFF not LOCK? A worn lock cylinder will allow that to happen. Now-the ignition switch is NOT the lock (key) cylinder but is down about a foot on top of the column and is operated by a rod moving up or down depending on lock cylinder position. IF memory serves, thats the case anyway. I also do remember that a lot of elec. circuits go thru that switch. When they go bad lots of odd elec. probs happen. I don't know if thats your problem, and you probably need a manual and some elec knowledge to check it out. At this point thats all I can add. HTH
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FOLLOW UP: Well, I got it!! I finally figured if it won't start cold, I'll test the ECM (computer) by getting it warm. On a 32degree night I took the ECM off and brought it into the house and set it by a register. Took it out after 10 mins, re-installed and it fired right up. Didn't even have to wait 45 mins to an hour like usual when it's that cold. So it's definitely the ECM. I guess the capacitiors in these get old and start to leak, so that's the reason for these failing. Hope this helps some others out there, I know it was a pain in the butt for me! Take care all, & keep yer chin up :)
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