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Starting problems...PLEASE HELP...going crazy

I agree with Tybee. It could be the realy as well. Just put a test light on the other side lug(big red wire opposite the battery feed side). The test light should go on and off as the relay cycles.
Funny you say that 3 of 8 plugs were burnt out. It SHOULD still start with enough heat in the plugs that still worked, it would just lope a bit until all cylinders warmed up. That's what mine did.
That idiot light is directly part of the glow circuit so if the light does not come on, then yes, the relay can be bad. I've never heard of that before, but there's lots of stuff I've never heard of. If you don't have the money to convert to an electronic controller(cost me $113 and 90 minutes), you can run the straight switch(be very careful not to hold the plugs on for more than 9 seconds), or, I'll send you my old relay. My original controller just took a crap(hell, it's almost 20 years old) so I replaced it. The relay works fine, but it got kicked out in lieu of the new controller which has an integrated relay. I'll hold on to my oldie until you find out something.
 
Thanks Tybee and NewK5Guy. Ill check the relay when i put the new plugs in tommorow morning. I think it may also be the relay because i tested one of the good plugs the way NewK5Guy suggested and it didnt glow so i gusse we will just have to wait and see. Ill update everyone tommorow after i put the new 60Gs in and test the relay. Wish me luck lol. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
I know I've missed the whole conversation, but on my 83 6.2, I had maltiple problems..... First, check the continuity of the red wire running from the battery to the large lug on the relay, I burnt mine out especially after the PO wiried the trailer brake to it..... Second, if 12V are getting to the large lug on the relay(Continuity test above), and you hear it cycling, then it's your relay... After I repaired the burnt out jumper wire from the battery to the relay, two months later the relay went but it still cycled... Sounded like it worked, but really didn't, the contacts on the large terminals inside melted, Don't ask why, it was 20 years old! Finally, I went to a switch style even though my controller worked fine, didn't trust the thing and never wanted to be stranded where I couldn't fix it! I have never had a problem since! If you are running more then the plugs off the jumper wire from the battery to the relay, upgrade the gauge wire and make sure the connections are done correctly! Finally, the so called idiot light in the dash is wired into the glow plug wiring as if it was another glowplug! If the glow plugs are bad or not getting any juice, the light won't light... The only time the light goes off is if yhe glow plugs are firing because it is wired in series... Thus, if more than 4 plugs are bad, it won't light, not enough current! THe plan truth is that the problem with your truck is eather the realy is bad or the wire going to the battery is bad..... Yes it was probably time to switch the glow plugs too, but the engine will still start on 5 plugs! Just my $.02! /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH WTF.....

Ok...Now there is something wrong with the relay wiring becuase yesterday my old one just stoped clicking when i would put the igniton on. I know its the wiring and probobly not the relay itself because today i picked up a new relay when i got the new plugs and the same thing with the new relay no cycling (clicking).

I even hooked up a toggle switch to bypass the controller and still nothing. What should i look for that would cause the relay to not work? Iam going to check the jumper wire like Batmanjr suggested but besides that i dont know what to do. I have looked over all the wires running from the relay and they all seem fine.

Also i was wondering if anyone had the wiring diagrams for the glow plugs.

On a positive note i got my cd player installed, ran all new speaker wire, (the harness from the firewall back is sooo butchered), installed my cb radio, took all the power motors out and all the wiring for the power [censored] (getting good working motors and wiring from a friend w/ a parts jimmy) and tore the interior all out (getting the interior from the parts jimmy because its in perfect condition.)

Thanks for all the help so far. I just hope i can get this thing started some day.
 
Re: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH WTF.....

It sounds like the controller is shot. Mine just finally gave out last week. The circuilt goes through the relay first but it's grounded throug hthe controller, so if the controller gives out, no circuit.
Unplug the small 2-wire plug from the relay. If you jump those 2 little terminals to your battery pos and neg, the relay should click. Don't hold on for to long as you'll burn up the plugs. Best to undo the feed cables from the large lugs before doing this test. While the small 2-wire plug is undone, turn the key on. With a test light grounded, touch each contact in the plug. One should cause the bulb to light. This is the hot activation wire from the key. From the key, it goes here first, then to the controller. This activation sends power to the controller, located in the back of the driver's cyl head, and starts the cycle process. But if the little bi-metal thermostatic switches in the controller go bad, it won't happen. The bypass switch uses the little 2-wire plug just like I described in the test procedure. Safest way to hook it up is to wire a cab mounted momentary switch on the side you found that lit the bulb with key on, then ground the other wire. This way, it will only light the plugs when the key is on, and if the pos wire breaks, there will be less chance it will make a circuit activating the relay and burning the plugs up. I'm sure you get the picture. I just replaced my old controller all together with the new '88up electronic controller. REMEMBER: if you do use the momentary switch method, never hold it on for more than about 7 seconds.
 
Re: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH WTF.....

Ok i tested the relay with jumpers and its cycles. I also found the hot activation wire and it is the pink one but it doesnt appear to goto the controller at all. It runs behind the controller and splices into 3 other pink wires. Now i dont really understand how to wire in the switch. I have the 2 wires going into the plug, a blue and the pink. The blue one runs to the controller. Can i just run new wires to the switch somehow??? I just want to get this figured out lol its driving me crazy.
 
ANYONE???? I just cant figure this one out. With the ingiton on i have about 12V to both the blue and pink wires and the red battery feed wire is getting 12V. I cut the blue wire at the controller end and hooked it up to a monetary switch and ran a ground wire to the other side of the switch but nothing happends when i activate the switch. What could possibly be wrong here? Please help lol its driving me crazy. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
There are 2 wires on a 2-wire plug that plugs into the relay. One will be maybe blue, or maybe blue with a black stripe. The other will be a lighter color. The colors don't matter so don't worry about them.
Unplug that 2-wire plug from the relay. Put the key in the ign and turn it on. Take a test light, ground it, and test the 2 wires in the 2-wire plug. One will test hot, the other will not. The one that does not test hot: clip it and splice on an extension and run it to a good ground like the inner fender well. That side will now be your ground.
The side of the 2-wire plug that tested hot: cut it open. Splice extensions to BOTH SIDES of the wire you just cut open and run them to both poles on a momentary switch(spst, momentary on). Get one from Radio Shack rated for 12 volts.
Mount the switch in the cab.
Plug the 2-wire plug back in. To activate the relay, turn key on, then hold the momentary switch for NO MORE THAN 7 SECONDS AT A TIME. You must be careful not to burn out the plugs. Cycle it 7 on, 4 off, 5 on, 4 off, 5 on, 4 off. The 7 gets'em hot, the 5 keeps them hot. On a warm day, you should only need to cycle them twice or so. When you hold the momentary switch on, you should hear the relay click. Your Glow Plugs light should also come on.
After you've completed this, look at the rear of the driver's head and you'll see a round connector plugged into a short stick looking thing. There will be 5 or 6 wires going into it. That's the old controller. Unplug it. You won't need it anymore.
Keep me posted.
 
Ok i hooked the switch up how i thought you meant and it doesnt work. I drew a picture in paint of how i wired the switch up please tell me what iam doing wrong.

Here is the pic.
Click
 
Link doesnt work. My glow plug system quit working at one time and I jumped across the big terminals on the relay and engaged the glow plugs that way. If you do that dont keep it engaged to long or you might burn up the glow plugs.
 
Link doesn't work.
Let me see if I can put it too you simpler.
There is a 2-wire plug on the glow plug relay. That plug supplies +12v to the relay, activating it. Unplug that plug. Using the + and - battery terminals, connect the 2 small tabs on the relay to the batery posts. DO NOT LEAVE IT CONNECTED. Just touch the wires for about 5 seconds. Does the relay click? If it does, do it again a coule of times, 5 seconds on, 5 seconds off. See if the truck will start.
PM me your email address and I will send you the wiring diagram.
 
[ QUOTE ]
And how do i engage the glow plugs by jumping them?



[/ QUOTE ] Try newk5guys method first. All I did is bypass the relay by puting 12 volts to the wire going out of the relay. To do this I took a positive jumper cable to the out on the relay then put the other end of the positive jumper cable to the positive terminal of the battery. Left it on for about 5 seconds and it fired right up.
 
I got it started. The problem was the 2 orange glow plug wires. From the relay the wires ran into a plug so that it could be unpluged. Well i decided to check the voltage. The wires were both getting 12+V before the plug when i activated the relay w/ jumper cables. So next i checked the wires after the plug and they were only getting like .08V so i cut the plug out and just spliced the wires together and jumped the relay for like 7 seconds and it started right up. Now i did this by jumping the relay and still havent had any success with the switch though.

NewK5Guy i sent you my address. Thanks for all the help so far guys it is really appreciated.
 
Thanks Tybee but i still havent figured the switch out /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

I know ill get it eventually though.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Thanks Tybee but i still havent figured the switch out /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

I know i get it eventually though.

[/ QUOTE ] What switch? Are you getting rid of the controller?
 
Yea Tybee iam just going to get rid of the controller now so i dont have to deal with it down the road when it decides to go. So any help with the switch is appreciated. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
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