1986 f250. Wanting to put a push button glow plug system in it. The factory system was working. but i found a cluster panel at the JY in really good condition but with the whole drilled in it for the push button, which was also present along with the wiring. So i started to read.
First mistake! I cut the PURPLE WIRE a few inches behind the plug that goes on the relay, thinking it was the wait to start like and that i needed to crimp a circle connector end on it and pull it over the the black wire terminal in order to make the relay and light come on when i push the button. WRONG!

Okay so i spliced the purple wire pack together, disconnected from the terminal, with a voltmeter on the sound setting, from the plug to the terminal it sounds, meaning it's making a connection, the wire is together fine. But when plugged back up, just like factory, as that's the only thing i've done to it. Nothing happens. My batterys are very weak, today i got in and tried the horn and it just sounded like a click, put the charger on it on boost and the horn worked fine, but when i turn the key. still no relay or light. ANY ideas? About to put the clutch and tranny back in this thing and need to be able to move it when thats all in!

 

So there's no tranny in it right now? What about the clutch hydraulics? Are you bypassing the switch on the pushrod?

 

if the batts are that dead, i dont even know if the GP relay would pull in. the gp's draw a lot of currrent wien they fire. throw a charger on it or try it with some fresh batterys

 

@MadPogue there is no tranny in it right now, the clutch disc and pressure plate is out as well as the flywheel. As far as bypassing the switch on the pushrod i'm not really sure what you mean.

@ countryboy that's what i'm thinking, and hoping. just sitting both batterys read around 4.68 and when boosted the main battery reads maybe 5.7. and even on the charger on boost when i try it nothing happens. the relay isn't shot because i can jump power to it and it clicks over.

 

Then obviously the hydraulic slave is just hanging there, right? Which means you're not able to push in the clutch pedal? Then you're not closing the switch on the pushrod that energizes the starter. You'll have to bypass it.

Oh wait - oops, forgot this is the IDI secion... That switch is actually on the clutch pedal arm. But in any event, it's the same principle. If you're not pushing the pedal, you're not closing the switch, so no current to the starter relay.

 

If your batteries are both at 4.68 volts, I'm pretty sure they are shot. Unless you just recently did something to drag them that low, they're worthless.

@madpogue, unless I'm reading this wrong, he doesn't care about the starter, he wants to know why the glow plugs aren't working, which has nothing to do with the clutch safety switch.

 

Oops, I saw the words "turn the key" and thought he was trying to start it.

Re. the battery voltage - don't bother with it while the two are connected. Disconnect one of the battery negative cables, then measure the voltage at each battery separately. At that voltage, either one or both are seriously shot. If one is way lower than the other, it'll pull the whole system voltage down. If it's just the glow plug circuit you're looking to test, and you find out that one battery has way lower voltage than the other, you could try putting a slow charge in the good battery, and removing the negative cable of the weak one to take it out of the circuit, and then try it.

But when it comes time to start the truck, you'll need both batteries to be of about the same strength, so if one is shot, it's prob. time for two new ones.

 

Well guys. took both my batterys to get tested. rated at 750 cold cranking amps
One was making 9
and the other 13
So i'm missing a few hahaha
In the basement we have an unused 850 cca battery that is only 2 years old. had it tested and it tested at 856 cca's. Would it be safe to buy another batter y the same kind and run the two?

 

When I first read 9 and 13, I thought you were talking volts. Yeah, those, are, ah, weak.....

Well, you're supposed to buy batteries in a matched pair. If you can find the same brand, same rating, you'll probably be okay. After all, you may buy two that were sitting on the shelf for different periods of time (although hopefully not two years...). At least you can use that one for your GP testing.

 

I can find the same brand and rating. Would you recommend using the older one as the main or secondary battery? Is the passenger side or driver side the MAIN battery?

 

There really isn't a "main" and "secondary" battery, since they're connected in parallel.

 

I always replace in sets . 2, 3 , 4, Depending on how many the truck has . I have a friend with an Eagle buss. Detroit 2 stroke 60 series I think. We put 3 in her almost each year . 890k on her now! The cold kills em . One bad will **** off the others and cause all sorts of problems !

 

lol 60 series arnt 2 strokes...probably a 6 -71. or a 6v-71

and as a side note if you have something that sits for long peirods a float charger will pay dividins. they make onboard hard wire set ups that are great for equipment that sits around. i rotate the portable ones on all my stuff throught the winter. really saves the batts

 

This 2 year old battery has never been used on a battery. would yall recommend taking it to like advanced auto and having them charge it and using that with the new battery? Trying to savea buck here guys come on hahah

 

[quote=Country_boy_2007;12657875]lol 60 series arnt 2 strokes...probably a 6 -71. or a 6v-71

LoL . I'm prety sure there is a 6 in it somewhere ! Not sure .