Troubleshooting CUCV Starting

[CUCV2]

OK, so the rig is an 84 Chevy CUCV diesel. I just bought it about 3 mos ago. I drove it home and it ran good. I shut it off and tried to restart it. It was flat. I purchased some batteries with a higher cold cranking amperage and put them in. It started right up. Then I went to change the old belts and turned the key. The glow plugs and dash light all come on like they should but when you turn the key to start it, nothing. I thought it might be a safety switch so I moved the shift lever around and even put it in neutral. That wasn't it. Does anyone know what this might be or what I should check next? Is there a way to get juice to the starter manually? It looks pretty tight down there. Any help is appreciated.

 

[imiceman44]

OK, so the rig is an 84 Chevy CUCV diesel. I just bought it about 3 mos ago. I drove it home and it ran good. I shut it off and tried to restart it. It was flat. I purchased some batteries with a higher cold cranking amperage and put them in. It started right up. Then I went to change the old belts and turned the key. The glow plugs and dash light all come on like they should but when you turn the key to start it, nothing. I thought it might be a safety switch so I moved the shift lever around and even put it in neutral. That wasn't it. Does anyone know what this might be or what I should check next? Is there a way to get juice to the starter manually? It looks pretty tight down there. Any help is appreciated.

There are 2 lines that go to the starter one fat that is power all the time rom the battery, and there is a small line that comes from the key, bridge that line to the fat line and it should turn.
If not then you have a bad starter.

 

[CUCV2]

There are 2 lines that go to the starter one fat that is power all the time rom the battery, and there is a small line that comes from the key, bridge that line to the fat line and it should turn.
If not then you have a bad starter.

Thanks for the quick reply. That sounds likes a good idea. Any recomendations on where to bridge it or just trace the wires back and find a place. I was hoping there might be a fairly accessible place to do this. Also, any idea on what would cause a problem like this? I ask because it happened after I bought the higher amperage batteries. I thought that that would only be a good thing. Now I wonder.

 

[imiceman44]

Thanks for the quick reply. That sounds likes a good idea. Any recomendations on where to bridge it or just trace the wires back and find a place. I was hoping there might be a fairly accessible place to do this. Also, any idea on what would cause a problem like this? I ask because it happened after I bought the higher amperage batteries. I thought that that would only be a good thing. Now I wonder.

Well if there is a problem, it's just coincidence.
I usually crawl under the truck and do it right on the starter, to eliminate any doubts about the wiring.
Also you would want to clean the battery clamps, make sure when you put the new battery you didn't have any salts stuck between the clamp and the posts.

 

[colbystephens]

perhaps just the solenoid is bad.

 

[CUCV2]

I'm just finishing up some work on the interior. It came with bucket seats but they weren't bolted down. Three of the four bolts are easy enough (when they aren't rust welded in there). The fourth needed a fabbed up spacer. While I was in there, I of course had to clean up the floor pans and put in a new floor mat. You know it was one of those jobs that grows as you go along. It is looking good finally. I will dive into the starter issue later this week. I was hoping some one might have had the same issue and made life easier. The tips have been great though. Thanks much.

 

[CUCV2]

Ok so I went to cross the two wires to the starter to make sure it worked. It was pretty tight in there so I pulled it and had it checked. Solenoid was replaced because it was pretty corroded. I went home, ready to fire it up. I put it in, turned the key, and still nutting. I took another look at what i think is the tranny safety switch, it seems a little loose so I secure it, still nutting. At this point I am doing some headscratching. Is there a fuse for the starter? I go look. All the labels are fairly worn and hard to read. I decide to turn the key for the heck of it while I am down there. I hear a barely audible click. I take a closer look up under the dash and there is plug of some kind with the cover off. It looked a little cooked on one end. I cranked the key again and see movement on the plug. There is a contact point and when you turn the key the gap closes, but not quite all the way. I grabbed a screwdriver and put it in the gap and shazaam it starts. Now were cooking but what is this plug. I am guessing that is some sort of starter relay. There are three wires going to it. Two are purple and one is black. I would like to replace it but would like to know what I am looking for first. Does anyone know? Thanks in advance.

 

[imiceman44]

Ok so I went to cross the two wires to the starter to make sure it worked. It was pretty tight in there so I pulled it and had it checked. Solenoid was replaced because it was pretty corroded. I went home, ready to fire it up. I put it in, turned the key, and still nutting. I took another look at what i think is the tranny safety switch, it seems a little loose so I secure it, still nutting. At this point I am doing some headscratching. Is there a fuse for the starter? I go look. All the labels are fairly worn and hard to read. I decide to turn the key for the heck of it while I am down there. I hear a barely audible click. I take a closer look up under the dash and there is plug of some kind with the cover off. It looked a little cooked on one end. I cranked the key again and see movement on the plug. There is a contact point and when you turn the key the gap closes, but not quite all the way. I grabbed a screwdriver and put it in the gap and shazaam it starts. Now were cooking but what is this plug. I am guessing that is some sort of starter relay. There are three wires going to it. Two are purple and one is black. I would like to replace it but would like to know what I am looking for first. Does anyone know? Thanks in advance.

When you turn the key, there is a rod attached to the key mechanism, and that rod goes down to an ignition switch at the bottom of the column, basically what you were looking at.
It's not common for this switch to go bad, but I had one that was bad.
You can replace that switch.