I've had a year of no problems with my 1986 CUCV blazer, but now its being a jerk and not starting again. It got really cold one day (-10 or better wind chill) and the truck stranded me at work.

I've had a considerable amount of white smoke on startup mostly coming from the left tailpipe when it did start in the cold for about the last month, but it would run normally after it got going. I feared headgasket problems, but kept driving it because I had no other option, and it ran great after starting so I assumed all was fine and it was just being irritable.

Now it just cranks and wont start. It also has a really hollow sound with no indication of combustion, and an anemic little trail of white smoke out the exhaust. There's an oily, fuel-like smell to the exhaust as well.

The manual says to check the 'fuel injector pump timing' but I'm not sure what it looks like or where its located, and its tough to tell by looking at the dumb little diagrams and part photos online.

Please help!

*Sorry I forgot a detail: I use fuel additive whenever its cold and even put about two gallons of fresh diesel in the tank with absolutely no effect, so the "fuel gelling" effect Ive heard so much about shouldn't apply.

 

I would check glow plugs.

Batteries, are they hot ( fully charged )

 

ur problem is its the 6.2L. worst diesel chevy made......lol. but id check glow plugs or maybe ur fuel in ur lines gelled up. diesel doesnt like real cold.

 

I replaced the glow plugs about a year ago. Is it possible they burned out in such a (relatively) short time? And if they did, why? I wait for the glow plug light to go out every time I crank it...

The relay seems to be working properly, both batteries are at 12.2 volts, and the voltage remains the same across the cable ends too.

 

You asked, you got 2 answers.

You are the mechanic, your call what to do

 

diesel doesnt like cold weather regardless if u put additives in ur fuel. i bet ur fuel in ur lines is gelled up. u could take ur fuel line off and turn ur rig on and see if fuel comes out. if not, theres ur problem.

 

the 6.2 diesel needs to spin at at least 200 rpm to start. it also needs good compression. have you checked this lately? you can test the glow plugs with an ohm meter. if they are bad they will read an open circut. the white smoke it unburned diesel fuel. the glow plug comtroller can be bad and the light wait light will still work normally. if all else fails try a small shot of starting fluid in the intake----be careful a little goes a long way!!! good luck