Dead horse
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Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Northern BC.ca
Dead horse
Is this normal?
When I go to start my truck the WTS light comes on for <10 seconds then most of the time I hear some clicking and I will crank over the truck usually twice for a couple seconds and it will start with a big puff of white smoke. If I do not hear the clicking it will not start.
Now I think it needs new glow plugs. But what would cause the clicking to come and go?
Relay?
This is not my first diesel however it is my first North American diesel.
A pic for views
When I go to start my truck the WTS light comes on for <10 seconds then most of the time I hear some clicking and I will crank over the truck usually twice for a couple seconds and it will start with a big puff of white smoke. If I do not hear the clicking it will not start.
Now I think it needs new glow plugs. But what would cause the clicking to come and go?
Relay?
This is not my first diesel however it is my first North American diesel.
A pic for views
Thread Starter
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Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 43
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From: Northern BC.ca
Originally Posted by bc6.9
Nice looking truck!....when you don't hear the clicking does your WTS light come on? The clicking your hearing [I think] is GP relay cycling.
Yes the WTS light does come on.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 7,782
Likes: 221
From: Huntington Indiana
The clicking is from the glow plug relay/controler. The white puff is from possibly not waiting quite long enough for the glow plugs to get up to temp. Try this - wait to start light goes off - still hold key in position - here the clicking for 3 times - then turn on starter.
If you don't hear the clicking you possibly have a bad ground as "Learath has stated". I had that problem and here is the fix for that... take grounds off both batteries so you won't have sparks flying. Find the controler which is located behind the air cleaner on a 7.3 - - remove the black plastic cover - see a black wire going to a bolt which holds down the controler/relay to the engine. Loosen it so you can add a wire of same or larger size. tighten down bolt with added wire ( give yourself enough wire to run to the ground of the battery) put on the ground straps on the batteries. Add the new wire from the controler/relay to one of the grounds on the battery. This should solve that problem. It has on mine for 4 years now.
Go to Dave S. (moderator of forum) in his pictures he has a picture of the controler/relay
If you don't hear the clicking you possibly have a bad ground as "Learath has stated". I had that problem and here is the fix for that... take grounds off both batteries so you won't have sparks flying. Find the controler which is located behind the air cleaner on a 7.3 - - remove the black plastic cover - see a black wire going to a bolt which holds down the controler/relay to the engine. Loosen it so you can add a wire of same or larger size. tighten down bolt with added wire ( give yourself enough wire to run to the ground of the battery) put on the ground straps on the batteries. Add the new wire from the controler/relay to one of the grounds on the battery. This should solve that problem. It has on mine for 4 years now.
Go to Dave S. (moderator of forum) in his pictures he has a picture of the controler/relay
Last edited by bigredtruckmi; Oct 24, 2006 at 08:00 PM.
Thread Starter
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Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
From: Northern BC.ca
Originally Posted by bigredtruckmi
The clicking is from the glow plug relay/controler. The white puff is from possibly not waiting quite long enough for the glow plugs to get up to temp. Try this - wait to start light goes off - still hold key in position - here the clicking for 3 times - then turn on starter.
If you don't hear the clicking you possibly have a bad ground as "Learath has stated". I had that problem and here is the fix for that... take grounds off both batteries so you won't have sparks flying. Find the controler which is located behind the air cleaner on a 7.3 - - remove the black plastic cover - see a black wire going to a bolt which holds down the controler/relay to the engine. Loosen it so you can add a wire of same or larger size. tighten down bolt with added wire ( give yourself enough wire to run to the ground of the battery) put on the ground straps on the batteries. Add the new wire from the controler/relay to one of the grounds on the battery. This should solve that problem. It has on mine for 4 years now.
If you don't hear the clicking you possibly have a bad ground as "Learath has stated". I had that problem and here is the fix for that... take grounds off both batteries so you won't have sparks flying. Find the controler which is located behind the air cleaner on a 7.3 - - remove the black plastic cover - see a black wire going to a bolt which holds down the controler/relay to the engine. Loosen it so you can add a wire of same or larger size. tighten down bolt with added wire ( give yourself enough wire to run to the ground of the battery) put on the ground straps on the batteries. Add the new wire from the controler/relay to one of the grounds on the battery. This should solve that problem. It has on mine for 4 years now.
I always wait for the WTS light to go out and wait for about five seconds of clicking before I try to start it and it still puts out the white smoke. This is why I think I need new glow plugs but there is also something else wrong with the Relay/ Controler so I will try the Ground fix when I change the glow plugs(with the proper ones) this weekend.
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2006
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I'm not all that familar with GP systems in the newer IDI's, I have the older set up in my 86 & 84...the clicking sound is usualy the noise the relay makes powering the glow plugs [cycling] but with the older system, the WTS light will not go on if the relay is not working? The relays on the older style were prone to problems replaced with a "push button"....corrected supposely with the system you have in your truck.
Some questions for you
How long have you owned the truck?
Have the glow plugs been replaced?
If so when?
There is a test for glow plugs but if there are the original plugs, I'd serious think of replaceing them. Some one will be along with a lot more knowledge of year of truck. lol
Some questions for you
How long have you owned the truck?
Have the glow plugs been replaced?
If so when?
There is a test for glow plugs but if there are the original plugs, I'd serious think of replaceing them. Some one will be along with a lot more knowledge of year of truck. lol
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Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 7,782
Likes: 221
From: Huntington Indiana
Another thought which is quick... Do you use a fuel additive? If not add some diesel clean in a gray bottle. Use 16 oz. This will raise the cetane level of the fuel and give it some lubricant. This new fuel is starting to give fitsw in the older diesel engines and a lot of people are having problems of bad fuel, low cetane, etc.
myself I get 51 cetane with biodiesel added at 20% for summer and 5% for winter. Never had a problem and other people have come to me to try some and buy it for themselfs later.
myself I get 51 cetane with biodiesel added at 20% for summer and 5% for winter. Never had a problem and other people have come to me to try some and buy it for themselfs later.
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Thread Starter
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Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 43
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From: Northern BC.ca
Originally Posted by bigredtruckmi
Another thought which is quick... Do you use a fuel additive? If not add some diesel clean in a gray bottle. Use 16 oz. This will raise the cetane level of the fuel and give it some lubricant. This new fuel is starting to give fitsw in the older diesel engines and a lot of people are having problems of bad fuel, low cetane, etc.
myself I get 51 cetane with biodiesel added at 20% for summer and 5% for winter. Never had a problem and other people have come to me to try some and buy it for themselfs later.
myself I get 51 cetane with biodiesel added at 20% for summer and 5% for winter. Never had a problem and other people have come to me to try some and buy it for themselfs later.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 21,285
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From: Nutter Fort, WV
This is a picture of the glow plug controller with the cover removed.
The terminals are labeled as to what they do.
Battery terminal is always hot with battery voltage, so be careful unless the batteries are unhooked.
The ignition terminal has power to it when the key is in the ON position.
There is a ring terminal on the end of the black ground wire, I did not realize it was turned sideways till I uploaded the picture. That ring terminal is probably under one of the mounting bolts.
Controller is just to the drivers side of the turbo mounted to the back of the intake manifold.
Do you have the test procedure for glow plugs?
Also when you change them, only replace with Motorcraft/Beru ZD 9 glow plugs.