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Start box woes

115
3
18
Location
Southwest Virginia
On a friends 998 his start box toasted one night while sitting in the garage. He ordered a replacement box and sender and swapped the box out but when he reconnected the batteries he could hear a solenoid clicking in the box. This is with the switch in the off position. On thing I noted was rebuild on his truck in 95 and appears to have a 6.5 instead of the 6.2. Everything seems to work like the lights, blower and so on but the truck will not run. ALso it has new GPs and they all test good. Any help appreciated. From what he says it is the ole KDS box and was replaced with another KDS and new sender.
 

86humv

Well-known member
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113
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Texas
What start switch...Factory original, or Key switch ?
 

papakb

Well-known member
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Location
San Jose, Ca
Mornnin' Greg.

Does he have one of the notoriously defective Chinese key switches in the truck? If so, the first thing to do is either go back to the lever switch or replace the Chicom crap with a good switch.


Those of you who want to install a keyswitch in your trucks should avoid any of the cheap imports and stick with something like the Grote 82-2156 universal ignition switch .
 
115
3
18
Location
Southwest Virginia
It has the factory original switch. He will check to see of it's staying closed when in the off position.
It did fire up after charging the batteries. He still thinks the GPs are not working. Reading over several threads do you guys think it maybe could be a ground that is not 100%. Seems to be a never ending problem on these vehicles. I do plan on making a ground harness for my 998 to make sure there is no issues with faulty or partial grounds. Tnx
 

Milcommoguy

Well-known member
Supporting Vendor
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IMO, Before going to all that trouble (band aid) fix the ones you have. Thirty year old trucks driving through rivers, streams or wet climates with mixed metal connections (tinned copper lugs, aluminum body, steel engine block ) being loose ?? and add in a little current flow makes for a electrolysis disaster.

All GI's love to take their HUMMWV's for a swim and while designed to ?? water is commonly found in the control boxes, lighting switches, lamp buckets and who knows where else. Let it sit there awhile add in leakage currents, salts, rust...leading to more headaches

Not saying building up a ground cable may not be a bad idea (cheap fix work around insurance) BUT one is going to have or should rework the one 's you have anyway. Using the TM's Schematic one learns where and what they are connected to and general system requirements..

First thing I did was to clean up any and all connections primary to starting, charging, and grounding returns. Lots of places to check, battery post, lugs, cables, feed throughs, shunt and the stinker... behind the dash. Can get a bit nasty down around the starter as that is a junction for most high current connections and again water.

Like they say, water and electricity don't mix, CAMO
 

TOBASH

Father, Surgeon, Cantankerous Grouch
Steel Soldiers Supporter
Supporting Vendor
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Brooklyn, NY
Common issue here.

1) Common culprit is the aftermarket keyed ignition switch.

2) Starter solenoid or mechanisms also occasionally get stuck.

Best,

T
 

911joeblow

Active member
508
68
28
Location
Utah
Also check the main cable connector to the start box next to the windshild washer reservoir. Those corrode but also have found excessive dialectic grease inside which causes poor connections. I clean them out with electric contact cleaner and slightly bend the tabs a bit to make a better connection. Dialectic grease is fine on the threads but not on the pins!
 
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