2003 5.9 starting issues

I have had to crank a bit longer to get the '03 to start. The other day I was unable to start it after it had sat for 7 hrs. it has been rainy. I plugged it in for 2 hrs and fired right off, no hesitation, is there some sensor acting up?
I did hear the '03 have had injector issues.

Adam

Acting up when wet, I believe points to a coil going bad. But I suppose it could be any one of the sensors that monitors cold-start conditions and tweaks the fuel table accirdingly... IAT, MAP, TPS, etc.

Is this a Diesel?

Ah. It might be! He said "plug it in". I thought he meant battery charger.

If its a cummins, is the manifold heater going bad?

I'll check into the manifold heater

Thanks Tom

Adam

It wouldn't be happy, but it should still start in fairly cold weather without the grid heater. You might check your lift pump and see if it's working properly. These were notorious for going out because they had to work so hard to try to suck the fuel from the tank rather than push it. They were changed to an in-tank style in '05 and they sell a retrofit kit to change the '03-early '04 trucks to this style. If it's working ok then it sounds like the signs of injectors headed south.

A Cummins will start without the heaters in 0* weather.....no extended crank....maybe a little rougher, but it will start.
Like said.....I think you have a lift pump going south, or a loose fitting or line letting air get in the fuel line and causing a drain back. I personally would go to a FASS pump/filter system if you're going to upgrade...not a fan of in-tank-pumps !!!
Get a pressure guage and watch it during the start sequence...it'll tell ya.