'89 7.3 T Wait to Start light not turning off. New to me, Property Of Shop.

[Noiseydiesel]

"Wait to Start" light not turning off. New to me Property Of Shop. Read POS. '89 7.3T Crew cab dually that came to me as a non runner, Steering column pulled apart because PO unable to make engine crank with the key. I found a cut out hidden switch and the solenoid signal wire with a broken butt connector.
Now it cranks. I have not abused it too much. Engine is full of diesel, I cranked it once long enough, (30 seconds?) to get white smoke out the exhaust pipe. "Wait to Start" light never went out.
I found some XD9 glow plugs, no idea what is in there or the history of this machine.
Equipped with exh brake, oversized fuel tanks, E4OD and an additional OD Unit? I see a dash control and a cable under the truck going back but have not looked past the first gas tank.
I believe the GP controller is top engine mounted.
I picked this up to strip the bed off it and replace the once on my '94 dually that got whacked.
Changed my mind on that one and possibly going flatbed.
i dunno.
This machine needs to run and don't know if it will stay or not, once running.
Thanks in advance for the input.

 

[Nero]

It honestly sounds like it may have a bunch of butchered wiring in it, may have to go over it with a fine tooth comb and make sure there's no shorts.

 

[Noiseydiesel]

OH!! So YOU were the PO.
I Understand.
I also enjoyed the starter drive ground flat. The starter was replaced also.
Under hood wiring looks unmolested. I suspect the GP Controller being about 3 inches(?) from the turbo might have kilt it along with the GP's being fried by the PO Think I need to drop a few hun and replace the GP's and controller.
At some point I will stop bleeding money and just call it quits.

 

[Noiseydiesel]

"Mostly un--molested"....

 

[IDIBRONCO]

I'd recommend finding out if there's power going to the glow plugs all the time or if the light is just on all the time. There should be some type of insulation either around the turbo or over the glow plug controller. I've seen insulation over the return line that still ran underneath the turbo and some covering the throttle and cruise control cables.

 

[Nero]

I'd like to know where you keep finding these dually crew cabs
But yeah, if the GPC is too close to the turbo, could be it melted a little. Doesn't take much to short wires.

 

[franklin2]

This sounds like candidate for a manual glowplug conversion button. Go to the controller, take the white wire off the terminal on the controller and tape it. Take a new wire and hook where the white wire used to be, run that into the cab to a momentary pushbutton, and on the other side of the pushbutton run a wire to a good ground under the dash. When you push the button you should hear a thunk from the controller with the key in run.

If you do not hear a thunk when you push your new button with the key in run, you have other problems.

 

[Black dawg]

Keep in mind, that unless the wiring has been modified, the controller generates the wait to start light, doesnt always mean that power is being supplied to the plugs.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

This sounds like candidate for a manual glowplug conversion button. Go to the controller, take the white wire off the terminal on the controller and tape it. Take a new wire and hook where the white wire used to be, run that into the cab to a momentary pushbutton, and on the other side of the pushbutton run a wire to a good ground under the dash. When you push the button you should hear a thunk from the controller with the key in run.

If you do not hear a thunk when you push your new button with the key in run, you have other problems.

I second this advice.

 

[Willey 3]

Add a relay to the manual control. The wiring is there for it. Don’t run the amps through a manual button. The button wiring can be reduced in gauge , 16 will likely do it. If you don’t have a multimeter get one, diagnose the glow plugs at the tips. I do not recall the required resistance but easily found online. Check input voltage to the relay, and output voltage. Don’t accept anything but a minor drop in output or it will fail. 20 seconds will usually get you going down to 40 degrees or so. You will get the best time by experience.

 

[Noiseydiesel]

Greetings one and all.
I just ordered the Rockauto (8) Motorcraft ZD29 and the controller. The current location being buried on the back of the engine and no shield around the turbo. I will splice into the controller white wire and run a 14(?) ga wire to a toggle switch in the dash. Toggle on, normal operation. Toggle off, and override the system. Toggle on, controller has normal operation. Toggle off and good luck starting when cold. Also able to override once running. Relocation of the controller away from the turbo is needed and will be fun as both inner fenders have items mounted on them.
That is the game plan currently.
I should plug in the extension cord and see if it will do a heat assist start with no glow plug action.
That ought'a be fun.

 

[DaveBen]

Pre-heating the engine will help starting in cold weather. You should see about 1 ohm + or - resistance for good plugs. If they are not around 1 ohm get new plugs. No resistance means an open glow plug (no circuit). And more that 2 ohms means they will not draw enough current to get hot enough. Stick with Ford ZD29 glow plugs and NO OTHER! The other glow plugs are generally garbage!

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Relocation of the controller away from the turbo is needed and will be fun as both inner fenders have items mounted on them.

CDD sells a bracket that relocates the controller to a couple of intake manifold bolts. It's basically a copy of the one that Banks used to sell for their first gen turbos for our engines. Problem solved.

 

[Nero]

CDD sells a bracket that relocates the controller to a couple of intake manifold bolts. It's basically a copy of the one that Banks used to sell for their first gen turbos for our engines. Problem solved.

Is that where it went? then that explains why mine didnt fit so well on the valve cover bolts... Now mine just sits on the fender liner.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

then that explains why mine didnt fit so well on the valve cover bolts...

I imagine not.