With my old(leaking) injectors, I had to give it throttle to get mine to start cold-but now with rebuilds, it starts most of the time with no throttle at all (it doesn't make sense-no throttle plate-could be spray pattern related )

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1982 300DT 190K (Diesel Purge + synthetic oil=smoothness at last!!!)
2004 Ford E-350 6.0 L PSD 227K
2006 Dodge Ram 3500 SRW HO Cummins 4X4 48RE 42K (brute force tow vehicle)
2005 Scion xB wife's rolling pop can
1993 GMC Sierra C3500 6.2 142K

86 SDL, 248k, #4 & #6 glow plug inop (show open by ohmeter test) and are scheduled for replacement (after turkey hangover subsides)

This morning it's about 30 degrees out, and there's a layer of new snow (5 inches last night)

I turn to II to begin the pre-heat and wait until seat belt buzzer stops AND the SRS light goes out, then a bit more for good measure. Key to III, hold and crank and let the cha-cha begin, using the starter for a bit more encouragement until the 4 warmed cylinders catch up to starter speed, then release the key back to II.

It lumps and bumps and rocks quite a bit, but it's running.

I add a bit of throttle, nurse it it up to 1,000 rpm. At that point the compression has heated the two non-preheated cylinders enough that they join the party, and start to burn off the fuel that has been injected but didn't ignite. Impressive cloud of #2 blue smoke from the tailpipe.

The rpms rise to 1,500 or so and I leave them there a bit to continue the compression heating, then slowly back off to idle. Yep, it's now nice and smooth.

Put it in gear and pull away slowly, light throttle until the first few blocks.

Wish me luck on the glow plug change, I'm a bit nervous since nothing ever goes quite right...

Best Regards,
Jim