No start in a blizzard

[CROM]

I hate to be lazy and not research threads for this answer, but I am very pressed for time...we're getting about an inch of snow an hour.

My M1009 cranks fine, but won't start. I am not getting voltage to the glowplugs when the wait light is on. I am getting 13+vdc to to relay. Anyone know off the top of their head what needs swapped in the system?

Thanks in advance!

 

[CROM]

BTW...I have converted the glowplug system to 12VDC.

 

[txmytx_catahoula]

I have had the relay/solenoid on the firewall go bad. Mine was still clicking, just wouldn't pass power on through. You say you have 13v at the relay, is this the one under the dash or on the firewall in the engine bay? Any noise at all from it when you turn the key??

 

[seano11]

Give her a boost with another truck and keep cranking it till she fires.

 

[CROM]

Voltage from the one in the engine bay. I get one click after the wait light has been on for a while, but no change in voltage anywhere. Are you talking about the starter relay under the dash? Was unaware that there was another relay under there other than the starter relay.

 

[Warthog]

Try jumpering the blue wire at the GP relay. Attach it to ground. It should energize the relay.

With the key on the small pink wire should have 12v at all times. The controller closes the ground when needed.

With the manual ground wire you can bypass the controller. Only ground it for just a few seconds.

 

[txmytx_catahoula]

Yep you are correct, I did incorrectly mention the starter relay under the dash, sorry. The solenoid on the fire wall is what I had go bad. It would click but not pass power on to the glow plugs. Have you checked for voltage passing through the solenoid after the click you hear? If none, it's any easy replace but a pricey part, think mine was about $50 from NAPA.

 

[CROM]

OK, just jumpered the blue wire (right side of relay) to ground. Got a spark, but no noise. I have 13ish VDC on both sides of the relay at all times....bad relay?

 

[CROM]

wait...the relay is the silver, beer can looking thing; right? I'm measuring the wrong stuff....crud. Standby for measurements...

 

[Tow4]

Jump the heavy leads on the glow plug relay with jumper cables. If the relay or wiring to it are bad, this will by-pass the relay and energize the glow plugs so you can start the engine.

 

[CROM]

With the jump to ground (from blue wire) I got no action out of the relay. I'm assuming this is the problem. It's late and no parts stores have what I need, so I'm going to pull the relay apart and try to clean it up a bit. If this doesn't work, I'll try what you suggest Tow.

Thanks for the input, gents and keep it coming!

 

[CROM]

OK. Cleaned up the relay and am now getting voltage to the glowplugs when the key is turned...just fighting weak batteries and the cold now...

 

[CROM]

k...bad relay it is. Took the relay apart (pried the top off) cleaned all the gunk off with a steel brush (there was alot of gunk). Re-assemble = voltage to glowplugs. Got a good charge on the batteries...took a few goes...truck started and runs like a champ! I'll buy a new GP relay tomorrow after work, but for now it fires up like should!

CROM vs Blizzard tomorrow!

 

[Warthog]

Great news. At least you found the issue tonight instead of tomorrow with 12" of snow on the ground.

 

[Keith_J]

Take the air filter off and warm the intake with a propane torch. You will be surprised how much this helps. Yes, have someone start it while you shoot the flame down the intake. Two torches, if required.

Never use starting fluid. Heating the intake air is safe. Even a heat gun can help. Anything to get heat into the combustion chamber.

 

[Skinny]

Worse case if that happens again is jumper the lead off the solenoid that supplies power to the GP's directly to the battery. Use jumper cables or something with some beef. Will atleast get you started again so you are trapped somewhere.

Good luck!

 

[southdave]

wiring for bypass

in case someone needs it

 

[Skinny]

in case someone needs it

Just remember that if your solenoid has failed, the bypass will not help you in an emergency. Time to get creative and make sparks...or as Mainers say SPHAKS!

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

Just remember that if your solenoid has failed, the bypass will not help you in an emergency. Time to get creative and make sparks...or as Mainers say SPHAKS!

What he said.


A relay is nothing more than a switch, controlled by another switch. This allows you to control a BIG current with a SMALL current, like using an ignition switch to start an engine, or a circuit board (GP card) to power up some glow plugs.


If the switch isn't working, you can temporarily jumper across it to get your glow plugs glowing. This won't hurt anything as long as you don't leave it there!

In fact, you can just jumper power from your battery + terminal straight to the output, if that's easier in your situation.


In an emergency situation, there's nothing at all wrong with this approach, IF you do it correctly.