M923a2 Cold weather start question

[RedBlok]

Hello - I have been checking the forum on Cold Weather Starting issues on the forum but could not find an answer. The past two days have been the coldest since I have owned my truck. The Batteries were checked and found to be good on the Post inspection out of Ft.McCoy. The Volt meter is green. I installed a keyed battery disconnect and everything was find until Thursday and Friday. On Wednesday I had driven 225 miles to get my truck to the property I will keep it on. The trip was uneventful and the truck performed well. I did the post drive PMCS and everything was good. The next morning, the temp had dropped to 8 degrees. When I went to start the truck, I switch the keyed battery disconnect on, then the battery switch on the dash and then tried to start the truck. Nothing happened. I tired several more times and still nothing - One thing that I did notice, I had power going to the service lights, but the volt gauge and other gauges were all showing nothing. I played around flipping the switches and even messed with the transmission shifter making sure it was in neutral, still nothing. After about 5 minutes of going thru this, I was ready to give up and in one last attempt, I flipped off and on the battery switch on the dash, the volt gauge and all the other gauges came to life and I was able to fire the truck right up. I warmed her up for 10 minutes idled her back down and she was good. I shut her down and then started her back up without issue. The next day on Friday, the truck did the same thing. It was 6 degrees that night and it was about 15 degrees when I tried to start her up. Am I missing something in the Cold Weather Start up? Should I turn on the battery switch on the dash and let the truck wait like 5-10 minutes before trying to start? Is this a control box issue? I am at a loss and look forward to heard what the members think.

I have no power on the property, but the batteries do have the solargizers on them and they are working.

Thanks all.

Rob

 

[Cruceno]

Start with your battery connections and grounds. Make sure that everything is good and tight. I know that sounds elementary, but I just diagnosed what I THOUGHT was a cold weather issue was really just a loose battery connection

 

[RedBlok]

Why would the service drive lights come on - Wouldn't they be out too? I will recheck the connections when I am back at my property in a couple of weeks. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Cruceno]

I was getting power to my instruments and some, but not full, power to the starter. Seems that one of my battery connections was loose. A few quick turns with a wrench and I had full power restored. It might be completely unrelated to your issue, but grounds/connections would be the first place I would start with an intermmitent problem like that.Also, there's a thread floating around here that talks about a similar issue with the 939 series, where they will intermittently crank fine then not crank and is not due to weather.

 

[RedBlok]

I was getting power to my instruments and some, but not full, power to the starter. Seems that one of my battery connections was loose. A few quick turns with a wrench and I had full power restored. It might be completely unrelated to your issue, but grounds/connections would be the first place I would start with an intermmitent problem like that.Also, there's a thread floating around here that talks about a similar issue with the 939 series, where they will intermittently crank fine then not crank and is not due to weather.

That makes total sense. I bet you are right. I will have to make sure I do that. Bad thing, it will be at least a couple weeks until I am there again.

 

[wheelspinner]

Also be sure to check the ground of the protective control box. May have to pull the bolt and the spacer to ensure no paint is on the ends of the spacer.

 

[Coffey1]

It has to be a electrical problem. I get in my 923 and really cold turn batt switch to on and then hit start switch at same time as cranking hit either switch for 3 sec and release and she fires immediately.

 

[RedBlok]

It probably is a battery ground. I put the keyed disconnect in about 3 weeks ago and drove her a few times and no problem. It am thinking that after driving 225 miles that something loosened up and I need to recheck the battery connections and also the control box.. The last mile was all off road.