85 M1009 no cold start

[dmc-4359]

The delivery may not have suited, but the push button glow plug bit would be a pretty serious diagnostic tool as far as determing where your issue lies. It needn't be a permanent thing, nor even something mounted in the dash if you just need to test a cold engine to see if manually cycling the glow plugs will get it to fire or not. If not, then you know the issue must lie within the resistors or the plugs themselves otherwise, you know that the issue is in the controller or between it and the relay.

On my m1009, a six second shot of glow plugs and about two seconds of cranking are all that are needed to get the engine running. I have new Wellman's just like you and this is what kind of cold starting you should expect from your truck.

 

[Ken_86gt]

Can you point me to the where in the TM it says to "Pull a few out and look at them" at the glow plugs when troubleshooting? Don't waste your time looking at them- that is not how you troubleshoot glow plugs. You need to start actually troubleshooting. There have been many good suggestions posted here already. I have not seen you post any of the results, so I don't think you are doing them.

 

[CUCV85]

Can you point me to the where in the TM it says to "Pull a few out and look at them" at the glow plugs when troubleshooting? Don't waste your time looking at them- that is not how you troubleshoot glow plugs. You need to start actually troubleshooting. There have been many good suggestions posted here already. I have not seen you post any of the results, so I don't think you are doing them.

I agree, I tried! When mine failed they failed real fast! I tested mine BY HOOKING UP A DAM dollar store test light... Hook the Alligator Clip on the 12 volt terminal Block DIAMOND SHAPE, right above the Glow Plug Relay. Touch a glow plug end, THE END is where the green wire female spade connector - connects to.
What!? No light, It's dead. When I pulled mine THEY ALL "LOOKED" new
- the very ends were slightly swollen. I bypassed the Resistors, installed new glow plugs - NO issues. I have a dozen CUCV's I did the resistors bypass on every one of them (FREE by the way)
BEFORE they "the rest of the CUCV's"
did the same thing that happened to mine.
I also replaced all the Glow plug Relays with a 28.00 Advance Auto Parts s603
as apposed to a st85 from Napa for 85.00
I replaced the GPR's as preventive Maintenance.
You don't always "if it ain't broke don't fix it"!

 

[CUCV85]

What does this mean? Starting fluid? If so you most likely still have a glow plug problem- even though you said you did all of the tests.

What is the voltage on the plugs when the key is first turned and the wait light is still on?

I'll admit I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO USE A VOLTAGE METER.
But, when a SS Member says hey try using a "test light" and do this.
A test light is a dollar at the dollar store!
A test light is a 1.50 at Walmart, Advance Auto Parts, Napa ETC.
When someone is trying to help you and says what's this do when:
Don't go throwing say 80.00 worth of Glow Plugs into the engine because it won't start. Good job!
Enjoy your MV - FIRE IN THE HOLE...

 

[dmc-4359]

fwiw - If I didn't have a test light on hand, I'd be inclined to use a voltmeter as well. I'd also be asking a few questions too if I'd never tested an individual glow plug as it is installed on an engine as well. For all the DIY knuckle busting character traits I see prevalent on this website, I find it hard to believe there is any one of us here who has not at some time been certain the cause "wasn't" a particular item while trying to solve a problem. Sarcasm is only good natured ribbing when your **** is finally working (grin).

 

[85cucvM1009]

Can you all tell me what might cause the plugs to fry? I would hate to put new GP's in and find out I still have and issue.

sorry for not posting every step, i am new to trouble shooting and to posting.

First I changed the Modual because i was smelling smoke, I took out the large board and it had burn marks, I replaced it, (thank you E-bay) After I changed the GP's and the relay just in case, I tried starting the truck, the relay was clicking but the gage was not drawing. I checked all conections to GPs and also checked the wires going to the injector pump. Once the truck starts on either(which i did only to see if it would run(I was thinking about the fuel issue) it ran fine. I shut it off and it would not start, i used either again and then shut it off and then I noticed the GPs were drawing power. Tried to start the truck, it just cranked, without starting? Not sure if this was good or bad thing to do, but someone told me to try some airpreasure in the fuel tank to force fuel to the Inj pump. Now the GP light is on and won't go off. The pressue didn't start the truck? I seem to be going backwards here!

On the issue of testing the GP, i used a test light, am I suppose to keep the wire connected? Because when I tested it with the wire conected the light came on, if i take the gp lead wire off no light! Not sure which is right.


I think that preaty much covers my mess? What now, my biggest fear is putting the new GPs in and cooking them again, as y'all know, they are not cheap for all 8 at a time.

 

[85cucvM1009]

or add this next line if it all didn't go through!


PS: sorry when testing the voltage at the GP I was getting 24V. Some say this is right others say it is suppose to be 12V, if it is too high, what is the cause?

 

[dstang97]

Its supposed to be both. If I was working on the truck this is what I would do. Pull all of the glow plugs and get some jumper cables and a battery and test the glow plugs. If you do not know how to do this go to youtube and look over there. once you verified all of them work put them in and get a helper to turn the ignition to run and with a multi meter look for a voltage drop at the top of the GPR. If it does not drop you need a new resistor or by pass. But with out you knowing the glows plugs are good we cant help you

 

[dstang97]

here you go but only do it for 5 sec.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_GENeUECyE[/media]

 

[Ken_86gt]

Glow plugs operate like a light bulb that gets very bright, so like lights they sometimes can just burn out for no reason - nothing wrong. The problem with the way the stock wiring to the plugs is done is that if you lose one plug, either it burns out or bad connection at the plug, the voltage will go up on the remaining plugs. This increased voltage starts a chain reaction burning the rest of them out. Sometimes the resister on the firewall develops a short which can send the full 24v to the plugs- burns them out. So, the easiest way to make the system more "stable" is to bypass the resister and run the wire to a 12v source. The resistor will show 24v when there is no load on it, so it "can" be normal and read 24v, it is not good when the GP relay is on.

The downside to using a test light is that it can only tell you if it "looks" like you are getting the right voltage. The test light is perfect for verifying that the relay is in fact closing and sending power to the glow plugs.

The best way to test the glow plugs themselves is to use the voltmeter on the ohms setting, remove the wire from the plug, put one lead of the meter to the plug and the other to the engine block where it makes a good connection. It should measure around .5 to 1.5 ohms if good.

 

[CUCV85]

Can you all tell me what might cause the plugs to fry? I would hate to put new GP's in and find out I still have and issue.

sorry for not posting every step, i am new to trouble shooting and to posting.

First I changed the Module because i was smelling smoke, I took out the large board and it had burn marks, I replaced it, (thank you E-bay) After I changed the GP's and the relay just in case, I tried starting the truck, the relay was clicking but the gage was not drawing. I checked all connections to GPs and also checked the wires going to the injector pump. Once the truck starts on either(which i did only to see if it would run(I was thinking about the fuel issue) it ran fine. I shut it off and it would not start, i used either again and then shut it off and then I noticed the GPs were drawing power. Tried to start the truck, it just cranked, without starting? Not sure if this was good or bad thing to do, but someone told me to try some acupressure in the fuel tank to force fuel to the Inj pump. Now the GP light is on and won't go off. The pressure didn't start the truck? I seem to be going back wards here!

On the issue of testing the GP, i used a test light, am I suppose to keep the wire connected? Because when I tested it with the wire connected the light came on, if i take the GP lead wire off no light! Not sure which is right.


I think that pretty much covers my mess? What now, my biggest fear is putting the new GPs in and cooking them again, as y'all know, they are not cheap for all 8 at a time.

Alright, you told us that you smelled smoke! Pulled the Glow Plug Controller CARD. It was burned in SPOTS. So you replaced it with one you purchased from Ebay. Why would you install a part where you knew you had an issue? Pull that GP Control Card out please and get back to us. Let us know that is is in fact burnt now as well or you have lucked out and it is not DESTROYED.
If it is plan on buying another one or do the cheaper route and do a push button Manual Glow Plug setup. I don't care if you don't want to you may have to if you keep burning up 100.00 plus GP Control Cards. We will try to figure out what your issues are for you with your help. You might as well do the "Resistors Bypass" as I have stated before. You can always go back and undo it later after we get your truck starting off of GLOW PLUGS and not Starting Fluid. If you continue to use starting fluid your Diesel Engine will become DEPENDENT on it. I know a fella that had issues with his Glow Plugs not working and his card was good. He hooked up a direct injection for starting fluid so that when he started to crank the engine he held it for one 1 thousand and it would start. His truck requires a new Starting Fluid Canister every once in a while DUE to the fact that his engine needs it now and every time to run. Use the search function as far as to how and do the Resistors bypass. It is totally free to perform. It will take 15-20 min. What GP Relay did you purchase? We need to know because it needs to be isolated BASE as Doghead has stated over and over again to folks. We need the make and part number. Once you do the Resistors bypass take a picture of how you did it and that GP Relay so we know it is all hooked up and you are sending 12 volts to the 12 volt glow plugs. I bet when you take the wire off the glow plug and touch it with the test light the test light does not come on as you stated it didn't. I am sorry to say that again I believe your glow plugs are dead. Your going to need 8 more SUCKS I know, I found out the hard way as well. Once you take some pics of the Resistors BYPASS and GPR and you have working plugs we then can determine if your card is burned and you need to do a manual push button setup. This is easy as well. Napa - 2 wire loomed, some eye bolt connectors, spade connectors and a momentary switch. I hooked a setup up and tried it and it works. I put it in my glove box for when my Glow Plug Controller card goes.