glow plugs stopped working!!
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Cross-Country
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 65
Likes: 1
glow plugs stopped working!!
Hello....I have a 1984 f-250 with the 6.9 IDI diesel, that ran perfectly fine, then one day on a cold morning, when I went to start it, I noticed that the wait to start light wouldn't come on, and of course the truck wouldn't start. The thing that is weird, is that I can hear the glow plug solenoid click about 10-15 seconds after I turn the key on, but no light, and they obviously aren't working, because I never had any problems starting it before.
I priced a new controller, and WOW! Before I spend that much, I want to make sure that is my problem, any way to test the controller? How about the solenoid that is mounted on the inner fenderwell? Could that be the problem, even though I can hear it clicking? Another option I thought would be the ignition switch on the bottom of the steering column, but everything else works fine, such as the radio and such when I put the key to the on position. Any suggestions would help!! Thanks.
I priced a new controller, and WOW! Before I spend that much, I want to make sure that is my problem, any way to test the controller? How about the solenoid that is mounted on the inner fenderwell? Could that be the problem, even though I can hear it clicking? Another option I thought would be the ignition switch on the bottom of the steering column, but everything else works fine, such as the radio and such when I put the key to the on position. Any suggestions would help!! Thanks.
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,175
Likes: 0
From: Kent WA
Originally Posted by pjohn192
Hello....I have a 1984 f-250 with the 6.9 IDI diesel, that ran perfectly fine, then one day on a cold morning, when I went to start it, I noticed that the wait to start light wouldn't come on, and of course the truck wouldn't start. The thing that is weird, is that I can hear the glow plug solenoid click about 10-15 seconds after I turn the key on, but no light, and they obviously aren't working, because I never had any problems starting it before.
I priced a new controller, and WOW! Before I spend that much, I want to make sure that is my problem, any way to test the controller? How about the solenoid that is mounted on the inner fenderwell? Could that be the problem, even though I can hear it clicking? Another option I thought would be the ignition switch on the bottom of the steering column, but everything else works fine, such as the radio and such when I put the key to the on position. Any suggestions would help!! Thanks.
I priced a new controller, and WOW! Before I spend that much, I want to make sure that is my problem, any way to test the controller? How about the solenoid that is mounted on the inner fenderwell? Could that be the problem, even though I can hear it clicking? Another option I thought would be the ignition switch on the bottom of the steering column, but everything else works fine, such as the radio and such when I put the key to the on position. Any suggestions would help!! Thanks.
Attach length of jumper wire to the control terminal of the relay. Then hook the + side of a voltage meter or test light to the "cold" terminal of the relay. Hook the - side to a good ground. Then touch the free end of the jumper wire to the + terminal of the battery. If the relay is working it will immediately click LOUDLY and your test light will light up - or the voltage meter will read 12 volts.
If the relay works then the next suspect would be the controller. To figure out if that's the problem, just bypass it with a wire from the + terminal of the battery, to a fuse, to a push button inside the cab, and then back to the control terminal of the GP relay. That's all there is to converting to a manual GP control. Just be sure you don't hold the pushbutton for more than 8-10 seconds at a time or else you'll burn out your GPs.
Dave Sponaugle has some good pictures and diagrams in his gallery.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 21,285
Likes: 15
From: Nutter Fort, WV
Check for a good ground at the ground terminal.
Using a short piece of wire from the positive battery terminal, touch it to the controller terminal (Purple wire) and the relay shoud close. If you also have a test light on the glow plug terminal, it should light when the relay clicks closed. Your glow plug terminal should have two big orange and white stripe wires on it. 10 seconds for glow plugs on is about all the time you have to check for power at one time or you will toast the glow plugs.
Also check the glow plugs. Motorcraft/Beru ZD1A for replacements.
