# Problems with starting a diesel truck

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/problems-with-starting-a-diesel-truck/68011>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** dodge, ram-2500\
**Created:** [September 17, 2011, 11:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/problems-with-starting-a-diesel-truck/68011 "2011-09-17T23:47:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![genekofman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eb9ed0/32.png) [@genekofman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/genekofman)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2011, 11:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/problems-with-starting-a-diesel-truck/68011/1 "2011-09-17T23:47:07Z")

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My 2007 Dodge turbo diesel has problems strating after it becomes hot.  
Cold start is great but after the truck has warmed up it has a really long crank time. In really warm weather the problem gets worse.

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**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 12:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/problems-with-starting-a-diesel-truck/68011/2 "2011-09-18T00:24:25Z")

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You need to visit you local Dodge dealer, and you should be prepared to write a check.

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**Author:** ![W123Benz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b9bd4f/32.png) [@W123Benz](https://community.cartalk.com/u/W123Benz)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 1:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/problems-with-starting-a-diesel-truck/68011/3 "2011-09-18T13:10:18Z")

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Genekofman, can you give me some more information such as how many miles you have, what outside “warm weather” is in degrees, and if you have a 5.9 24-valve or the 6.7 which was introduced in that model year.

Cummins uses a very unique (and VERY effective) air heating grid for cold-weather starts, as opposed to the traditional glow plug setup. The fact that you can start in cold-weather indicates that this system is more than likely working as expected. It also indicates that your injectors are healthy and producing a proper spray pattern for efficient autoignition because a symptom of worn injectors (like my bajillion miles powerstroke 7.3) is harder cold-starting and/or excessive smoking when cold.

What you need to do is visit a diesel specialty shop (because they’re going to have not only the proper software in their scanner tool, but a bloke with some knowledge) and have this thing scoped. I’m suspecting that you potentially have a bad sensor (and there are several of them that can cause this) that is at a stuck resistance value that is causing fuel delivery to be less than ideal when warmer air is flowing into the engine.

Where are you located? I can ask around for a reputable specialty shop in your area.