1989 no start, glow plug controller

[colorado_joe]

I posted in "911 Diesel Down" section, but thought I put it here depending who's online. (really in the interest in getting help to make it home tonight)

HELP!
(Broomfield Colorado)

Made it to work this morning in Colorado, but won't re-start to go to lunch (and hopefully home in 3 more hours).
When I turn ignition to the "Wait to Start" position, the glow plug relay just does it's "hard" clicking noise immediately. This is the noise I usually get when the 8 seconds for the glow plugs to heat up is complete. So it's skipping the heating up period and not starting. The "Wait to start" light does not come on either.

I replaced glow plugs a year or so ago with motorcrafts, but didn't replace the glow plug controller. (maybe I should have...)

Can I bypass controller in the parking lot? Ex: touch a wire from a hot to the glow plugs and warm them up without using the relay? Count to 8 and take the wire off.

For right now I plugged the block heater in to see if that will help.

Thanks,
Joe

 

[chris142]

I dont see why you could not run 12v directly to a few gp's then have someone start it. Should not need all 8,may run a little rough for a few seconds.

 

[colorado_joe]

Thanks Chris!
Got it to start eventually and made it home.
All I really did was have the block heater plugged in for about 3 hours and the gp controller started to work normal again. Must not have liked the snow today. It wasn't even that cold (high 20's or so).

Something to look into later.

Some things I did check;
all glow plugs ready less than .5 ohms resistance.
there was continuity between starter solenoid and GP controller.
batteries good.

 

[tbrumm]

When the relay went out in my controller, I "by-passed" it by touching an insulated handle pliers from the hot post on the relay to the post with the shunt (metal z strip) bolted to it and held the pliers there and counted to 10. Then I removed the pliers and quickly jumped in to the truck and hit the key. Just be careful when doing this that you do not touch the pliers to anything else or any other terminals and remember that the hot lead on the relay is always hot. You don't want to connect too long with the pliers or you risk burning out the rest of your plugs, but a count of 10 max should be fine. You are really just making a temporary connection "externally" between the two relay posts that the relay normally makes "internally" when you turn the key. Hope that helps!

 

[franklin2]

I bet I know what happened, it happened to me several times. Your connections are not good on top of the glowplugs. Unplugging them and checking them is what probably made the controller start working again. Next time it happens, try it. If your controller goes wacky, lift the hood and unplug and plug back in ALL 8 glowplugs from the wiring. Then go back in and cycle it and see what it does. I bet it stays on like it should, and then fires right up.

 

[colorado_joe]

I bet I know what happened, it happened to me several times. Your connections are not good on top of the glowplugs. Unplugging them and checking them is what probably made the controller start working again. Next time it happens, try it. If your controller goes wacky, lift the hood and unplug and plug back in ALL 8 glowplugs from the wiring. Then go back in and cycle it and see what it does. I bet it stays on like it should, and then fires right up.

I did not think about that too. It's very likely I would think.
Does anyone know if you can put something like "dielectric grease" on top of the glow plug or inside the wired plug? Something I do on other electrical connections under the hood to keep connections good (clean, waterproof, etc)

 

[franklin2]

I think my main problem is the plastic on my connectors crumbled. They are just bare metal now. I am thinking the plastic held tension on the metal plug, helping it have a tighter connection on the glowplugs. There are some guys on here who have found other connectors that work for the glowplugs. Or I thought may some heat shrink around it would put some tension on the plug.

I don't worry about it now, I went with a manual button. Once in awhile it will start, but I can hear a couple of cylinders are dead and then after a few second of running they "come alive". I think that is from a random connection problem with one or more glowplugs, but the manual system doesn't care about it, it will still glow the plugs that are working, and the engine will start on less than 8 cylinders with the manual button system.

 

[Zaggnutt]

the manual system doesn't care about it, it will still glow the plugs that are working, and the engine will start on less than 8 cylinders with the manual button system.

Hell yes. I am slowly removing the parts of my trucks that are constant headaches.... The gp controller and the FSV being #1 and #2 on that list. Now, if there were only a bulletproof return line system....

 

[OLDBULL8]

I did not think about that too. It's very likely I would think.
Does anyone know if you can put something like "dielectric grease" on top of the glow plug or inside the wired plug? Something I do on other electrical connections under the hood to keep connections good (clean, waterproof, etc)

Don't use a dielectric grease on them, only if you do, use a very thin coat on the GP itself. Dielectric grease is an insulator, it's used to keep moisture out, not for the metal to metal connections.

Because it doesn't conduct electricity, dielectric grease is used in many electrical applications to ensure a sound metal-to-metal connection. It provides lubrication and protection without adding any significant bulk.

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/facts_5625314_purpose-dielectric-grease.html