Tried to DIY caused problem. Assistance Please!

[Hawkdawg]

First let me start by saying I am trying my hardest to learn to work on my m1009 myself in order to be able to properly utilize and maintain it. So I had my starter replaced becaue it didn't have a support bracket and that ran me what I thought was too much from the shop so I am now going to try and handle things on my own.

Two weeks later, the truck decides she isn't going to start. It cranked but would not turn over. I used the tm manuals to trouble shoot and this site and I may have done it wrong but decided to replace the glow plugs. After a bit of time I was done with that and considered it a win because I actually did something myself. Still didn't fix the problem.

So I look around and see that nearly all the terminals for the batteries are corroded, beaten up, and barely even able to hold on to the battery ports themselves. Lightbulb goes off and I say that may be the problem. Whether it is or isn't, still looked like something that needed to be fixed. So i get all the cables I need to get the two batteries hooked up and linked together. Once I go to connect the final battery, as soon as the terminal hit the battery there is a spark and smoke coming from where I ran the small wire from the terminal down the back side of the hood and to it's spot. I don't know the exact nomenclature but it looked like the smoke was coming from the silver cylinder shaped piece.

I decided that I may have done way more harm than good and packed up my tools and came to the computer to look for help. I am using the search bar to try and look for clues but I was hoping someone knew what was going on in order to keep my rookie-self from piling on the damage. Thanks guys.

 

[gungearz]

Any pictures on the damaged piece or pieces...? These guys love to see what your talking about....

 

[cpf240]

Please read the fusible link sticky near the top of the CUCV forum.

 

[Hawkdawg]

gungearz you're right, I should have put pictures up earlier

-this is the area that the smoke was coming from and I'm pretty sure it was coming from that silver part that is a small cylinder. What is that exactly and what have I ruined and now have to replace?

 

[Hawkdawg]

With the cables I replaced, I removed them all one at a time and replaced them as soon as I removed in order to ensure I was putting them exactly where they are supposed to go. Terrible picture but just wanted to try and show the two batteries almost hooked up.

 

[gungearz]

gungearz you're right, I should have put pictures up earlier

-this is the area that the smoke was coming from and I'm pretty sure it was coming from that silver part that is a small cylinder. What is that exactly and what have I ruined and now have to replace?
View attachment 444980

Not sure, when it comes to 4x4's... I stick to gassers, 6x6.. I do diesels... Ill take a crack at it though.... Looks like a starter solenoid or a solenoid for that matter...

 

[phil2968]

Re: Tried to dyi caused problem. Help Please!

It is the solenoid or relay if you like that controls the glow plugs. The smoke may have come from the fusible links that attach the glow plugs to it.

 

[85CUCVtom]

Re: Tried to dyi caused problem. Help Please!

That is your glow plug relay.

Check the fusable links for signs of being burnt.

Also, I suggest reading the Cucv wiki, fusable link sticky and checking out the GP wiring diagrams in The TM.

 

[cpf240]

Unless some conversion from stock was done, those batteries don't look like they are hooked up correctly to me. Either that or I'm missing something.

 

[Hawkdawg]

Ok, after reading the resources and learning that you should not remove the neg to the front battery first I am thinking in my head that that is probably what I have done to cause this. I saw that the gp relay could also cause this problem but after I replaced the glow plugs the truck pretty much just stayed the same which is when I saw the terminals and decided that they needed to go. I used 2ga cable for the batteries which is what looked like was on the truck already. The only one that was 2ga was the cable that linked the two batteries because I couldn't find one anywhere that had terminals on both sides so napa cut me the cable and I connected the terminals.

I gotta be honest in saying that I must not be processing the information that I am reading correctly to point me to the solution. Did I mess up with the battery or did my glow plug "replacement" actually cause this problem. Now that I think about it, I did replace the disconnect female ends yesterday because the ones that were on there were either nearly torn off or just nasty. Please tell me I didn't do all of those for no reason to actual create another problem for myself. I'm going to go poke at it some more and read a bit more to try and figure this out.

 

[85CUCVtom]

Re: Tried to dyi caused problem. Help Please!

Unless some conversion from stock was done, those batteries don't look like they are hooked up correctly to me. Either that or I'm missing something.

I was trying to look at that, I can't make out what's going on.

 

[Hawkdawg]

cpf,

I'm not aware of any conversion from stock the guy I bought it from had done, and I replaced everything 1 by 1 as I did it to prevent an issue but I should probably take a closer look at it with my laptop right next to me while I do it. Is there anything in particular that looks out of place with the batteries?

 

[cpf240]

If the glow plug replacement was just disconnect each gp, take it out, put the new one in and reconnect it, with no other changes, then no, it should not have caused any problems.

Without knowing how that particular truck was wired, all I can do is say how it should have been wired for the stock configuration.

From your picture, it looks like the front battery negative terminal is connected to the rear battery negative terminal - though disconnected in the picture. The front battery positive terminal appears to run back to the 24v buss someplace. I'd say that it looks like the front battery was connected backwards.

In stock form, the front battery negative terminal should be connected to the lower 24v buss bar with a tap off to the frame. The front battery positive terminal should be connected to the rear battery negative terminal with a tap off to the 12v buss over by the brake master cylinder. The rear battery positive terminal should connect to the upper 24v buss bar.

 

[Hawkdawg]

First off let me reiterate how much of a noob in training I am to this kind of stuff. But cpf you were right. I guess somewhere along the lines of my miscalculations I was running the cables to the wrong sides of the battery. Switched them over like you said and taadaa, no smoke or sparks. Still there is no turn over of the engine too but I'm glad that mix up was taken care of. I'm such a stud. In the process of all this, I noticed that there is a skinny hose that runs off the fuel filter that is now just hanging. Looks like it was rotted or burned up or something. I don't know where it leads but I am now in pursuit of that possible being the problem. Thinking maybe fuel runs to and from that and is causing my problem. On the bright side, I already bought a new fuel filter with that being one of the things I was going to do already. Bad side is that the truck still isn't running and I may have caused some other issues with the battery plot. But thanks again guys for the help and especially cpf240. I will update if the fuel filter hose turns out to be the problem.

 

[NDT]

CPF is right, you have the front battery hooked backwards. Who knows what you fried. Likely one alternator.

 

[cpf240]

The small hose coming off the bottom of the fuel filter base is probably the drain, and is not connected to anything.

Most likely there are some burnt fusible links, so please read the sticky near the top of the CUCV forum about them. You should also check the fuses, and probably test them, as they don't always appear burnt when they are. There may have been damage to the alts as well, but you won't know until you can get the other stuff sorted out.

 

[Hawkdawg]

Looking at the tm for fuel filter maintainence I do see the hose that is supposed to be the drainplug hose. I didn't have one on there and just drained it by taking the plug off. The that was rotted was actually on the top left of the filter and was running down under the truck. Only problem is that I don't even see that on the tm so I'm curious why it was there and what actually goes on that spot where the hose was. I thought it was a vaccum hose type deal but I don't even think it is an actual thing.

 

[doghead]

It's DIY, do it yourself.

Sometimes knowing your limits and staying within them is a good idea.

Anyone here ever consider saving a buck and doing their own prostrate exam?

 

[doghead]

The top hose is the air purge hose.

The lower hose is the water drain.

You should start by reading through the -10 TM(basic operators manual).

Then the -20, and consider any maintenance that you feel comfortable doing.

As for your current issue, I think you should find someone to help you.

 

[NDT]

It's DIY, do it yourself.

Sometimes knowing your limits and staying within them is a good idea.

Anyone here ever consider saving a buck and doing their own prostrate exam?

Hey, we all have to start somewhere. When I got my first M38A1 Jeep back in '80, it had a M38 oil dipstick in it. I put 10 quarts of oil in it before it showed full. I wondered why it started smoking like a freight train. There was no internet to ask anyone back then.