Daughter's M1009 will not start....any suggestions?

[Grantshire]

Daughter's Oh-9 has been getting air into the fuel line some how and will sometimes start, then cut-off, then has to be cranked a bit to get fuel back into the engine. Once running, no issues.

Couple of weeks ago she started it to go to the horse barn and it cranked slow like a weak battery but started. It shut off like it does when it has sat for a while and when she went to crank it again...nothing, not starter action, nothing.

First thoughts were the relay so I did the "dog head" relay conversion and now when the Gen 1 &2 wait lights and the amber wait light so out I get a nice, loud "click" but nothing else.

Now I am thinking maybe the batteries are bad/run down so I pull both of them and have them tested. One is great the other has two dead cells so I buy a new battery and reinstall. All I get is a nice firm "click" from the relay under the dash but starter does nothing.

Was gone all week on a business trip so she has been driving the wife's old car. When I called home mid week she begs me to work on her truck as soon as I get back so Saturday morning I take another stab at it. I was thinking maybe it is a bad starter and I have a M1028 for parts with a complete engine (supposedly a runner but I cannot vouch for it) so I pull its starter and swap out for the one in the M1009. Hooked everything back up and "Click"!!!!

Now what?

What am I missing here?

 

[91W350]

The dreaded click. My first place to begin would be to test the batteries, if they are good, carefully check the cables and connections. Make sure the engine has a good ground to the chassis. Do you have another 24 volt truck to jump it with? Glen

 

[Robo McDuff]

Maybe there were several things together. My daily car (European Citroen Xantia) is known for one problem: bad grounding. You get just enough juice to let the lights go on (and your testing meter to show that you have juice), but when you put a heavy load on it, it fails to deliver.

Bottem line: did you try connect the starter (s) directly, that is, with a jumper cable directly to the battery?

 

[stampy]

I forget who has the tag line if its electrical clean it and if its rubber replace it but it is so true! Agreed with above as far as jumping the starter. But it could also be the solenoid but sometimes corrosion can be the problem too. Clean all of your cable connections (sand em till they shine and then put dielectric grease on em) NOT just the posts, As far as the air in the fuel goes have you replaced your rubber tubing? If not, DO, pinhole leaks will drive you nuts. You may have to cut out a opening in the rear of the vehicle to access the fuel tank(easily) without having to remove it(difficult)

 

[86k10]

I had a 1008 that had that same problem, come to find out a piece of plywood had fallen between the cab and the box and wore a pinhole in the metal line. So maybe you have a similar problem with yours. Just a thought.

 

[Grantshire]

Update - Fixed!!!

Finally got this fixed! Turns out one of the connectors I used (NAPA, not cheap Chinese) was bad an nothing was getting to the starter. We put a new connector on and the new, geared down starter spins the motor like crazy. Still have a leak back issue when it sits and also discovered the water pump is leaking but no more "click".

Thanks to all for your advice and diagnostic help.

Richard

 

[Robo McDuff]

Glad there was a simple (if hard to find) solution.

 

[wallew]

Your fuel filter backing plate is LEAKING AIR.

You can find a complete replacement on ebay for like $75 shipped. Includes a new bracket, a new backing plate with two of the sensors (third one is no longer produced and it is blocked off), a new filter.

Pull the old one off. Put the new on in place. Bleed air out of system.

This SHOULD resolve the air in the fuel problem. I've replaced two of these and they have solved the air in fuel problems both times.

 

[WARWAG]

Get a spin on filter and housing. The stock one in my opinion is a bad design. This seems to be a huge issue with these filter housings. Also your standard dual vehicle battery system should have like batteries and they should be manufactured about the same time. If one battery is bad in a system it will quickly destroy the good one. Having said that on the CUCVs each battery has its own alternator so the above rule may not apply. Just a thought. Glad shes back up and running.