ARRGGHH!!! Damn Relays!

[Refalgren]

Glow plug relay just went out on me two days after I replaced the Starter relay. Anybody have one at a better cost than the $100 the parts store is gona charge me? Working of course.


ETA: It's a 1987 M1008 CUCV

 

[ida34]

The $100 one is probably not the right one. Civy glow plug systems are different. Just get a ford starter solenoid relay. The relay on the firewall is just a relay while on a civy application it is actually a relay and a controller. The controller for the cucv is a printed circuit board under the dash. If this is bad then you need to get a military specific cucv part. What is your doing? Do you know for sure whether it is the relay or the controller? Either way do not get what Napa wants to give you for a civy diesel truck. It is the wrong one.

 

[Refalgren]

Just replaced the starter relay under the dash. silver box thingy AC40 type. Cost me $7.55 As for the Glow Plug Relay, this would be the second time it needs replacing. Its the round thingy with all the wires coming off it on the firewall. cost me about $100 last time and was kinda hard to get.

went to start up my truck tonight, and noticed I wasn't hearing the click-click noise when warming up the engine before starting the engine. I then waited a bit and attempted to start the truck, but all it would do was turn over. No hint of wanting to catch and start at all. tried it several times for around 10 seconds each. still wouldn't start. No wiring damage that I could see when I looked under the hood. just wont start. reminds me of the last time it did this. Might as well do the Glow plugs themselves while I am at it this time...

ETA: what is the controller contained in? I haven't seen any circuit boards under my dash, and thats with me not having a dashboard

 

[Crash_AF]

It's inside a black box under the dash near the steering column. To make sure the relay is bad or not, take a jumper wire and ground the terminal with the blue wire to a good ground and the relay should clunk. If it does then the relay is not the problem.

Second note, don't buy a cheap Ford starter relay, its contacts are not designed for extended high amp operation like the glow plug relay is, use a 1996 Powerstroke glow plug relay (part number listed in the FAQ) instead.

Later,
Joe

 

[Refalgren]

I appreciate the help Crash. little bit of confusion here though. By "cheap Ford starter relay", are you refering to the silver box under dash, or round box with terminals on the firewall?

 

[mangus580]

The one on the firewall. Very specifically, what you need is a starter solenoid, that has the coil terminals isolated (no connection to ground, or the large studs). A good NAPA guy should be all over it for you. I would suspect its about $20-30

Any chance I could get a pic of the $100 one that failed? Also as Crash suggests... use a jumper wire to check the relay operation.

 

[Refalgren]

The $100 relay I got from Boyce Equipment. Kinda looks like NAPA part ST85, only instead of a sheet metal like exterior, this is cast and black in color

as for checking the card under the dash, I am unsure If I did it right. Blue Wire --> Ground. Don't know If I got a good ground though. Gona pick up a ST85 GPR just in case though as a Spare if its just the controller card that is bad.

BTW, where can I get the "military specific cucv controller card"?

 

[Michael]

Most people do a manual conversion before they go to the time, money and effort of finding a replacement controller card. The card can occasionally be found on ebay or at the usual surplus dealers.

This has been discussed many times on the forum.

 

[Refalgren]

got a link to the manual conversion?

 

[mangus580]

Check the FAQ thread.... but its basically putting a push button between the blue wire on the relay, and ground.

card at www.flmv.net

You can also read up on the usual failing component of the card... if you can soldier electronics... you can fix it pretty easy.

 

[Refalgren]

AARRGGHH!!!

It's definitely the controller board.

BTW, alot of the links in the FAQ need to be updated due to the recent forum changes