Sams got IDI elecrical problems

[adrianspeeder]

Well, looks like I gotta play relay service again as Sam finishes up her move back home to Florida and gets her internet fixed up.

Her '86 IDI got trailered down and started up fine to get on the trailer, but was completely dead electrically a few hours later when it was time to get off the trailer. Jumpstart didn't do good, and the headlights look pretty good before the batteries went dead way so I'm thinkin' the ground is good and there are troubles elsewhere.

When the key would be turned to start all the warning lights would go out and no fire. Then the strange thing tonight was when turning the key to on, the tach pegged, and stayed pegged even after turning the key off.

I was gonna walk her through some troubleshooting when she gets ahold of a meter, but the tach thing I wouldn't know what to say about.

What ya'll think?

Adrianspeeder

 

[tonkadoctor]

I'd start simple and FREE....Yank the batteries and take them to Advance or Autozone and have them charge and test them first. Don't cost nothin but a little time and effort to eliminate that possible problem.

IMHO Those batts sounded pretty weak in the vids y'all posted a couple weeks ago. I wonder if the bouncing on the trailer finished them off and shorted a plate out in one of them which would drain the other.

Also don't rule out a loose/missing ground or even hot wire. Check the easy free stuff first starting with the battery cables.

I did have a similar problem on an old AMC Gremlin many moons ago. Car would run fine and go completely electrically dead. Was a fusable link from starter solenoid on the fender every dayum time.

Send her our best wishes. Mike

 

[spencnaz]

The worst thing you can do to a battery is shake it. I suspect that the little 3 wheeling episode and trailer ride took it's toll on the batteries.

Do as Tonka recommended and check the simplest solutions first.

 

[f-two-fiddy]

Yep, My 84 tach does the same thing if the batts wear down.

 

[Double-S-Diesel]

check batteries, then starter.
had the starter go out on my 92 literaly overnight.
no warning what so ever.
thought it was batts, but it was the starter.
Nick

 

[4x4TruckinGirl]

well i can get online here now at my friends house. I've tried to jump the truck, I had another diesel on it for 1/2 hour and that did almost nothing, I got it to fire up absolutly AWFUL.... i mean it was 70 degrees out with all this going on and ran the night before for an hour and a 1/2. So yea fired up clattering and smoking and then shut off and a no go after that. I tried to jump it again the next day and that was a lost cause. So, as always i appreciate all yer help and adrians relay service, haha.

 

[subway]

even if your batteries are great if thay dont have a good clean path to the engine you arent going to get there full voltage through the system. as long as you have power to the fuel soinoid in the pump batteries shouldent matter at all after it fires off and runs???? do you have a voltmeter to check your voltage at the solinoids and at the batteries?

 

[dsblack]

is there any smoke when trying to start?
I agree get the easy thing checked first. and go from there. IS it spinning and not firing when jumped, or not even spinning?

 

[4x4TruckinGirl]

When i tried to jump it that one day I let the trucks set for a little bit, and thats when i got it to start that once, but after that it was just nothing, turned the key and GP's would click on, and the red light that says "GLOW PLUG" fades off. Its been like that now even after i tried to jump it a 2nd time. I just think the batteries are dead as doornails, maybe they just got jostled around too much as mentioned above. I've been meaning to get the batteries out but umm... no truck.... so i'm borrowing when available. haha. Oh, and yes the one time it fired up it clatterd worse than ever and it was warm out, its started on cold mornings better, and smoked like hell, also worse than usual.

 

[mainiac]

I had a battery that was totally fine when I went to work and was dead as disco in the afternoon, without anything drawing on it all day either. Load test proved it went south between the time I left for work and shut it off, to when I wanted to go home.
Why can't these thing happen at the most opportune time?

 

[69oiler]

Sam I wonder if you have air in you lines from the trailer trip. all that sloshing around with the engine not running you may have picked up some air especially if your tank was low. this might explain the hard start/smoke/rough running. just a thought.

i am battling the trashed battery syndrome myself. shouldnta let em freeze.

 

[Agnem]

In 70 degree weather, a well maintained IDI will start with just one good battery in my experience. You don't need a new pair of 900CCA's, just a good 550 and great wires.

Oh, and yes the one time it fired up it clatterd worse than ever and it was warm out, its started on cold mornings better, and smoked like hell, also worse than usual.

Then again, maybe your glow plugs stuck on and killed the batts, and themselves.

 

[4x4TruckinGirl]

From what I can tell both batteries are dead, dead, dead. There may be some air in the system... I got fuel from the shrader valve but the fuel filter, with no air in the system, i suppose air could be getting in further down the system. well thanks again ya'll fer yer help!!!