818 Why so hard to start!!!!!

[rumplecat]

I have only had experience with three M818s and all are hard to start! I see why they have the four batteries, but why are they soooo hard to start? Yesterday it took thirty min. of trying and a Deuce for battery backup to start mine. Or is it just the ones I have come in contact with?
James

 

[jwaller]

mine starts so quickly you can't get your hand off the switch fast enough.

 

[bigelk50]

Waller mine is the same as yours! Guess we are the few. I just started mine after it had sat for 5 weeks! Could not believe it.

 

[NDT]

Sounds like fuel system lost prime. Check the fuel tank selector valve for cracked hoses.

 

[area52]

Sounds like fuel system lost prime. Check the fuel tank selector valve for cracked hoses.

Yea, I second that. There is probably a small leak that lets air in and the fuel to drain back to the tank

 

[doghead]

yup, the selector valves are a common problem and will cause hard starts.

Also the sealing gasket(brass washer) on the filter bolt head, can leake if not set in the hole correctly/

 

[Westech]

mine starts right up even after 6 months of sitting

 

[rumplecat]

It may be a fuel problem, because it can have a rise and fall to the idle as well. New lines are in the future, I like the truck but it is a monster to start.
James

 

[Andydieselpower]

Unhook the fuel line right at the outlet of the fuel filter and put thefuel line in a gallon of clean diesel fuel. Truck should start right up and idle smoothly. As others have mentioned a crack in a fuel line or bad selector valve can cause hard starting, poor throttle response and irregular idle. Nice thing is it's not too hard of a fix just pull the drivers side toolbox off and start replacing lines if the gallon jug trick seemed to fix your issue.

Andy

 

[Blythewoodjoe]

I had a cracked plastic line on the cold weather starter thing and it made the truck run the same way you describe. I put a few pounds of air pressure on the fuel tank and found the leak right away. I just looked for fuel dripping from the line. Fixed the leak and it will fire up after months of sitting. Before it took 5 minutes of cranking over to get it to fire up and then it idled poorly. Find that fuel leak on the suction side.

 

[WillWagner]

Ditto on the bucket full of fuel. Start it and let it sit. If the fuel bleeds back to the bucket, you have failed front seals. If it starts right up, there are issues on the truck.

 

[bassetdeuce]

yup, the selector valves are a common problem and will cause hard starts.

Also the sealing gasket(brass washer) on the filter bolt head, can leake if not set in the hole correctly/

There is also a small rubber o-ring under the square washer that needs to be intact.

 

[jasonjc]

I have the same with both of my 818's I will have too start looking at the fuel lines too. Boy do I like my Deuces better But the power steering on the 818's is nice thought Lets see that will be item #9,864 on my do do list, now if the GF will just let me have some time to work on them