Blue smoke on cold start...

TyCorr · Feb 24, 2015

The duraturd has def dpf so I don't know.

ja_cain · Feb 24, 2015

superduty4x4 said:
12 degrees this morning, truck hadn't been driven since Friday evening...

LOL! Looks like a dragon getting ready to flame away.

ja_cain · Feb 24, 2015

How long you guys cycle the GP's when its in the teens? With weakish batteries I only wait 15 to 20 seconds and seems to do better than waiting 40 to 50 seconds. The battery tender has had a huge impact too. Also, anyone who is running Torque pro, what is the lowest voltage you get when starting your truck on days in the teens?

psduser1 · Feb 24, 2015

Scan gauge shows around 11.4 after the gp cycle, while cranking.

lincolnlocker · Feb 24, 2015

gots to remember the glowplugs draw a lot then you hit the starter and it draws even more..

live life full throttle

psduser1 · Feb 24, 2015

14.2-14.4, running down the road, fully warm.

ja_cain · Feb 24, 2015

Thanks for the info guys. Those are some good starting voltages. Mine drops pretty low. Around 9.6 volts sometimes. I know glow plugs are still lit while turning the motor over so there is a lot of current draw. Truck should do pretty good once I get these old tired batteries out (Duralast red tops with unknown purchase date). Truck usually runs between 14.2 to 14.4 also running down the road.

lincolnlocker · Feb 24, 2015

psduser1 said:
14.2-14.4, running down the road, fully warm.

and that is what keeps a 7.3 happy happy happy!

live life full throttle

OBS-Addiction97 · Feb 24, 2015

psduser1 said:
14.2-14.4, running down the road, fully warm.

What alt are you running? I see Around 14.1-2 down in Florida when it's hot as hell out. I'm running a Dc power 190 amp.

dsberman94 · Feb 24, 2015

lincolnlocker said:
and that is what keeps a 7.3 happy happy happy!

live life full throttle

Someone is in a good mood today. Lol

ja_cain · Feb 24, 2015

I think ambient temps obviously have an impact on the voltage output on my truck. When its warmer it is around 14.1 to 14.2 and right now it's 14.3 to 14.4. I have the dual alternator setup on my truck.

lincolnlocker · Feb 24, 2015

dsberman94 said:
Someone is in a good mood today. Lol

lol.. not really... watched duck dynasty the other night..

live life full throttle

dsberman94 · Feb 24, 2015

lincolnlocker said:
lol.. not really... watched duck dynasty the other night..

live life full throttle

Makes sense atleast.

Gearhead · Mar 18, 2015

Do you know that the glow plugs turn off automatically at 14 volts? I wonder if this is affecting anyone. They are supposed to stay on up to 2 minutes in the cold even after starting.

psduser1 · Mar 18, 2015

Gearhead said:
Do you know that the glow plugs turn off automatically at 14 volts? I wonder if this is affecting anyone. They are supposed to stay on up to 2 minutes in the cold even after starting.

On my scangauge, I can watch the voltage rise from 11+, while cranking, to 12-13 volts at startup, to 14+, shortly after. Shortly being 1-2 minutes after startup, depending on ambient temp.
Wouldn't that indicate that as the glow plugs shutoff, that battery voltage is returning to "normal" operating conditions?

psduser1 · Mar 18, 2015

OBS-Addiction97 said:
What alt are you running? I see Around 14.1-2 down in Florida when it's hot as hell out. I'm running a Dc power 190 amp.

Just saw this, sorry bud. It's just a Napa special.

Gearhead · Mar 23, 2015

Just saying that if your alternator is able to make enough amperage to power through the glow plugs at startup and get battery voltage above 14 volts, the glow plugs would turn off. With the black beast alternator I've been testing, it produces enough amperage at idle that I had to retune the truck so that it doesn't shut the glow plugs down until after the voltage reaches 15 volts.

lincolnlocker · Mar 23, 2015

Gearhead said:
Just saying that if your alternator is able to make enough amperage to power through the glow plugs at startup and get battery voltage above 14 volts, the glow plugs would turn off. With the black beast alternator I've been testing, it produces enough amperage at idle that I had to retune the truck so that it doesn't shut the glow plugs down until after the voltage reaches 15 volts.

holy chit! is that hard on the batteries? i was always told you can have to much voltage.

live life full throttle

mandkole · Mar 23, 2015

lincolnlocker said:
holy chit! is that hard on the batteries? i was always told you can have to much voltage.

live life full throttle

They can have too much-- depends on the battery. According to East Penn, with Gel and AGM, voltage is recommended to be limited to 13.8-13.9V. With lead acid, the cells will gas off at 115F so you can apply voltage up to the point of reaching that temp. Ive always understood that 14.2-14.3 is about as high as the regulator should allow the alternator to go.

Lethalthreat7.3 · Apr 1, 2015

This is what I was taught way back in the 80's.

Batteries have 6 cells on a 12v battery. Each one, under optimal conditions is rated for 2.3v which is equal to 13.8v. At 5% over you are at 14.49. At 10% over you come to 15.18v.

It's been awhile but I believe Ford doesn't recommend over 14.5v. In my experience anything over 14.7 causes premature battery life failure as well as the heat taking it's toll on the alternator rectifier bridge and regulator(excess heat).
I've found the best life on batteries and alternators is to have a charging system that operates between 13.9 and 14.2(although for short charge bursts, ie after starting and gp's) they will usually charge upwards to 14.7 until the batteries recover.