Having trouble starting when cold

When temp is below 32deg I try to start my truck and first time it will just keep cranking until it self-stops. I try for the second time, and it will start after I push down on the gas peddle, with smoke out of the exhaust and a very rich smell. 124k miles currently on vehicle oil and spark plugs replaced at 120k miles. I currently filled up with premium gas. If anyone has any advice, I could really use it.

 

Check your battery. Cold weather will make a marginal battery show itself

 

Have you ever run E85?
These trucks have a problem recalibrating themselves after running E85. The Alcohol content will only correct toward more. For some reason they do not like to move back down. I had a similar problem on my 2015. I tried E85 for a few tanks and about 3 months later when it got cold it would not want to start cold. E85 needs to be really rich to start cold and if you truck thinks that it has a tank of E85 it will flood your engine trying to cold start.
I had the dealer reset the Alcohol density and it fixed the problem.
There is a TSB out there for this. Your dealer may play ball and reset this for free. Mine would not!

 

Battery should be the first thing you look at. Second thing is to stop wasting your money putting in premium fuel.

 

Thanks for the input, but I only use mid-grade fuel and battery is only 1yr old and was tested with results of good. My truck turns over fine just doesn't want to start like if it's not getting fuel or spark and when it does start white smoke comes out of the exhaust with a really rich smell. This only happens when it's cold.

 

Is your truck flex fuel?

 

It is not flex fuel

 

Have you tried the old method of disconnecting battery for 30 minutes and reconnecting?

 

Ok, so battery is out as a cause. You say it will start, will it keep running and can you drive it when it does?

Curious why you said you filled up with premium and then said you only use mid-grade.

 

Check the coolant temp sensor using a scanner, sounds like it starts when you put it in clear/flood condition with throttle open. If the coolant temp sensor reading is showing negative temps it will over fuel on a cold start, pressing the throttle pedal to the floor usually cuts the injectors forcing the engine to use the fuel already present. It is normal for a bad coolant temp sensor to set a code and not trigger a CEL.

 

Did you ever get this resolved? Mine is doing the exact same thing. Cold start. Rich smell. Will work when I press down on gas. I have read about getting a reading with an OBDII to check alcohol % and if it’s high having the dealer reset the ECM? What was your resolve?

 

Have you checked your battery?

 

Yes. Brand new top of the line battery last year after this started happening. This issue only happens when it’s cold out.