Does anyone out there have any info on the reasons that a 2001 7.3 powerstroke would run perfect for 55,000 miles, then suddenly have hard starts?

When I say hard starts I mean cranking on the engine for at least 15 seconds, 7-8 cycles before the engine finally coughs.

I originally thought it was injectors, because I also own a 03' dmax that had the same problem.

Someone else thought it might be the glow-plugs or intake heater, becuase when I plug it in, it fired right up.

When it sits at home, it is parked in a 50 degree garage unplugged, It still starts hard.

Like I said, when I plug it in, it starts.

Please help!

Thanks for all the help!

Sounds like the glow plugs aren't working. The first thing to check would be the GP relay. A sudden failure like that sounds like none of the plugs are lighting.

Sounds similar to my friends fathers truck. He drove from Colorado to California towing my friends bronco. Everytime he stopped and then went to start again it would not start. Sounded like it was being starved of fuel. He changed the filter and it started. He changed several fuel filters in a short 1200 mile trip. When he got here and got ready to leave the next day he could not start his truck. Lot of smoke and sounded like no fuel. He brought it to the dealership and they had it a few days and called him up and told him that his turbo was bad. So, they changed the turbo and it started up. He paid them $3000 for that turbo and he drove it 15 miles and shut it off. When he went to start it again.... NO LUCK... Now we have it loaded up on a trailer and he is bringing it to a dealership in Colorado. To me, it sounded like the fuel pump was pumping air.

Is it getting fuel? When was the last time you changed the filter?

Jeff