starting trouble

[aaklingler]

I just bought the 96 in my sig and its hard starting, I think its slow starting, my best guess is 200-300 rpm. I'm also not sure the gp's are on long enough, I would gues 5-10 sec on first start this morning? The seller told me he has recently replaced the starter and the gp's. I just had the batteries checked and they both pulled 1000s amps and while cranking the volts pulled down to 11.75v The po sounded like the truck has been hard starting since new, he said he plugged it in under 50 degrees.

Also the "water in fuel" light is on all the time. I think I tried draining it, the yellow tab gets turned clockwise 1/4 turn, correct? Nothing comes out.

Also the water temp gauge doesn't work?

Thanks for any help, Allen

 

[yoslick]

Correct on the clockwise yellow tab to drain your fuel filter assy, should be a hose attached to that drain spigot under the yellow tab which drains out on the ground under the truck, might be plugged or came off and it's draining into the valley under the filter assy, check with a light, other wise remove the filter cover and open the drain and see if it goes down.....as for the glow plugs, just because the wait to start light goes out doesn't mean the relay shut off, typically they stay on up to 2 minutes even though the light may go out, watch the relay and check the voltage on the out put side with a meter and maybe somebody turning the key on for you.. Definately sounds like you have a glow plug problem if your plugging in at 50 degree's but I'd start with the GP relay before anything else...

Slick!!

 

[aaklingler]

What for numbrs should I be seeing on the glow plug relay?
Allen

 

[yoslick]

Should read same as the other big post or darn close (it's a straight shot from the batterys so should be current battery voltage), if theres a difference it shows that your contacts inside the relay are fried.. Another problem that shows up on these older trucks is the battery cables get old/fragile due to the amount of current going thru them and do need to be changed out once in a while, found mine on E-Bay for about $90 recently..

Slick

 

[aaklingler]

What all is there to the glow plug system? What do you suspect to be bad, just the 4 post starter type selonoid?
Allen

 

[aaklingler]

Did you find any problems with the battery cables or how did you decide they were bad?
Allen

 

[aaklingler]

I see 3 different lenghts for battery cables, how do I know which ones I need?
Allen

 

[yoslick]

I measured mine to be sure I got the right length, don't wanna end up short, my cable started to come apart from the battery post part and was all blue/black inside. As for the Solenoid, make sure it's a GP rated, last time I got one at NAPA they gave me a starter one and it didn't last more than about a month.. If the relay turns out to be ok, then I'd check the valve cover harnesses/plug ins and if they are ok then ohm the GP's them selves, quite a bit of info here and other PSD sites on all that just do a search..

Slick!

 

[aaklingler]

I pulled the hose off the drain and got it to drain. I had the starter checked and there telling me the armature is bad.
Allen

 

[yoslick]

Did your water in fuel light go out after you drained it? Good time to change that filter as well..

Slick!

 

[aaklingler]

Yeah, it went out, the po said he had just changed the fuel filter a couple weeks ago. It is cranking much better after putting the new starter in.