WTS light just flickers?
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 859
Likes: 2
From: Port Orchard, WA
WTS light just flickers?
I've had a problem for about 6 months now where the WTS light just flickers on and then off real quick with the engine cold. I cycle the key a few times and eventually it kicks on and stays on for the 5-12 seconds and then I start the engine.
I thought it was a low voltage problem wherein the voltage wasn't high enough to open the relay. But I've had the charger on for 24 hours and no matter how many times I cycle the key the WTS light will only flicker. So now I'm thinking it's a bad controller. Is this a common problem?
I will probably just run a manual switch. This truck needs a LOT of small things fixed (speedometer, temp gauge, radio, front drive shaft, massive oil leak, fuel leak) which I've just been living with, but this issue is keeping me from starting it, so guess which one I'll be fixing first.
This truck is my daily driver. My '67 mustang doesn't do so well in snow.
Edit: '89 with a 6.9.
I thought it was a low voltage problem wherein the voltage wasn't high enough to open the relay. But I've had the charger on for 24 hours and no matter how many times I cycle the key the WTS light will only flicker. So now I'm thinking it's a bad controller. Is this a common problem?
I will probably just run a manual switch. This truck needs a LOT of small things fixed (speedometer, temp gauge, radio, front drive shaft, massive oil leak, fuel leak) which I've just been living with, but this issue is keeping me from starting it, so guess which one I'll be fixing first.
This truck is my daily driver. My '67 mustang doesn't do so well in snow.
Edit: '89 with a 6.9.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,576
Likes: 262
It could also be the relay on top of the controller, if the contacts inside of it are all arced and burnt away it could cause that also.
How's the ground connection on the controller? is it clean and tight?
How's the ground connection on the controller? is it clean and tight?
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 20,383
Likes: 846
From: Mi'kma'ki
16 yr old kids don't work for beer! lmao
that's all the 87+ system will do with blown gp's.it's probably just a few dead glow plugs brother.nothing 1-2 mins testing with a test light can't diagnose and 20 mins worth of time to replace them can't cure.do it yourself.you'll stay out of jail lol.
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,065
Likes: 2
From: western washington
the wait to start light is not an indicator of the glows heating time, watch the dome lite to see the length of time the glows are on, depending on manufacturer of the controller, one of the ways the controller can go bad, the sensing feedback side, is to give a default of 2-4 seconds of glow time. thus the only way to get the glows hot enough to start the engine is to cycle the key. even with new zd9's ask me how I know...
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
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Likes: 846
From: Mi'kma'ki
true,there will be more glowing after the light goes out,but that is after glow,and you shouldn't wait to start the engine until the dome light is done flickering.those pulses are to help aid in reduced white startup smoke and help the engine run smoother/not stall when very cold.
^this is talking about a correctly functioning 87+ gp system.
edit;
if you find your engine doesn't like to start until the interior dome light is finished flickering (using the systems afterglow for additional glow time) then this means there is a problem with one or more of your systems (starting,glow plug,fuel,perhaps timing or compression.)
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 859
Likes: 2
From: Port Orchard, WA
Burnt out plugs, you say?
That is unlikely, I replaced all of them with new Motorcraft a few months ago. But, I will check them.
It is much more likely due to bad wiring. This truck's wiring is a straight up disaster.
But I have an hour or two of sunlight left. I'm going to go diagnose it, and even once I find the problem, I may end up putting in a manual switch anyway.
Thanks
-Matt
That is unlikely, I replaced all of them with new Motorcraft a few months ago. But, I will check them.
It is much more likely due to bad wiring. This truck's wiring is a straight up disaster.
But I have an hour or two of sunlight left. I'm going to go diagnose it, and even once I find the problem, I may end up putting in a manual switch anyway.
Thanks
-Matt
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