View Full Version : Looking for Help w/6.2 motor
Hey, I'm a newbie to this forum. I have a 84 C10 w/6.2 liter diesel and i'm having problems with the starting of the truck. I think the glow plugs or not getting hot enough and there about 2 weeks old and if the motor is hot it will start without a problem. I was thinking about wiring the glow plungs to a switch so I can control the amount of time and when. But I would like them to work like there supposed to.
P.S. And I'm looking for more power to and would appreciate any suggestions.
Thank You
akarpf@aol.com
john8662
10-28-2009, 06:57
Tell us a little bit more about your truck.
Is it using the factory glow controller? This will look like a "cigar" but larger around on the back of the engine on the driver's side. It's the controller and there is an actual relay to turn on the plugs that hangs out on the firewall.
So, if your setup "automatic" where you turn the key, the light comes on and then goes out after around 8 seconds?
If so, you'll also want to verify that your plugs are still working. This is easy to do. Just get a 12v test light and plug the wire terminal on your (+) terminal on the battery. Then you'll use the pick end of the test light on the actual terminal of the glow plug. You will disconnect the wire off the plug you're checking when checking it though. If your light illuminates, the plug is still good.
What brand and part number plugs did you use? A lot of the aftermarket plugs out there have a short life, especially those marked as "quick heat."
60G delco plugs are about the best choice for these engines.
Another issue that is much overlooked is the condition of the injectors in these engines.
When the injectors get 100K miles or more the POP pressure and the spray pattern deteriorates drastically.
When the injectors start peeing a stream of fuel instead of spraying a fine mist cone of fuel, starting becomes far more difficult even with good glow plugs.
A coarse stream of fuel will not ignite readily and actually can cool off the glow plug.
I would recommend that the injectors be checked (Unless recently replaced with known good ones or new ones)
This is not a big job and can shed a lot of light of starting issues.
If the glow system is putting power to the plugs for 8-10 seconds and the plugs are getting hot, the starting issue is not the plugs.
Check this stuff out and let us know.
Missy
Anything recently done tothe fuel system?
The reason I ask is this past weekend I had trouble starting my 87. Crank and crank with no hope of starting. Once it finally caught, it idled rough for a while, smoothed out and ran well for most of the day. Started hard again in the afternoon.
While I had the dump body up for some wiring issues, I noticed that the new fuel hose I used when replacing the fuel tank was crimped. Also the hose clamps were fairly loose. Haven't had time to check for starting issues after I fixed those things (the truck at my father's shop, 130 miles away from my house) so I'll check for air next time I'm there.
If any air enters the fuel system, it is very hard to start. There are threads here that describe testing for air.
Well john, the truck is a 1984 chevy silverado 1/2 ton swb with a auto and we'll guessing the miles r around 120k. I just bought the truck last thursday. The guy I bought it from put new glow plugs in it the day before i picked it up. and I'm not sure about the part number but i know there delco ones. and on the glow plug relay i'm not sure. but the wires that r going to the plugs do come form the back of the motor. and I have not had time to look for the relay ( i work 14-18hrs a day ). and when i turn the key on i do not get the glow plug light in the cab( and i do not get any light but the e-brake ( its stills on )and two more. but not the glow plug light. and i will check the power to the plugs this weekend.
Ok robyn i'm not sure about the part number on the glow plugs. and one more note the guy i bought it from had it for 3-4 mos and he works on a drilling rig so he use off-road diesel in the truck and i'm not sure if thats a little bit of the starting problem.
Ok crashz I will check all the fuel lines too. the guy i bought it from put in a clear filter up top to see the fuel.
P.S. the guy has used starting fuild to start it some time in the morning. And i have seen not to use starter fuild to start a diesel so i'm not using it.
One more Question the trans line is leaking the guy put a small hose to fix it but its leaking again can i get a new line the replace it or is it a two pieces line.
OUCH :eek:
Dont even want to use Ma Startly in one of these engines AT ALL
The tranny line leak ???
Get the hose off of there and find out what the issue is.
These trucks normally had a pair of steel lines that connect the tranny to the radiator cooler.
Could be a broken line or a hole worn in the thing.
Just figure out what the issue is and proceed.
You can use a ferul fitting and tighten tyhe fitting enough to crimp the ferul onto the line on both sides of a break (line cut) and then remove the fitting and slide a section of suitable tranny cooler hose over the area and clamp with stainless clamps behind the feruls.
Simply sliding a hose onto the tubing is not a good deal. If there are no feruls the hose can blow off and result in loosing the fluid.
I would pull the glow plugs and check each one using jumper cables and make sure they all work.
If the plug all get nice and red in about 8 seconds of powered on time your good there.
Next make sure you have power to each plug wire.
All good here, then I would yank the injectors and get them checked at a reputable injector/pump shop.
Likely the injectors are in poor shape.
Starting fluid is a real rough ride on a glow plug engine and can wreak havoc on it.
Keep us posted.
Robyn
john8662
10-29-2009, 07:03
and when i turn the key on i do not get the glow plug light in the cab( and i do not get any light but the e-brake ( its stills on )and two more. but not the glow plug light. and i will check the power to the plugs this weekend.
From the sounds of this, your glow plugs are not working. The plugs are likely in great condition but the system operating the plugs isn't working for some reason. Search the forum for tips one troubleshooting your glow system, keeping in mind the sytem on your truck was used from 82-84. In 85 a new system was introduced, which is superior and can adapted onto your engine.
P.S. the guy has used starting fuild to start it some time in the morning. And i have seen not to use starter fuild to start a diesel so i'm not using it.
Sounds like this is the reason why you got the truck. The previous owner was having big issues getting it started, due to a non-operational glow system.
I'd plan on parking the truck for awhile until you sort out all these little issues, fix the glow system, and repair leaks.
J
Hey John, I check for power to the plugs and I'm not getting any. I've try to follow the wires and look for a relay and i'm not finding one. But I may be over looking it. Is there a fuses in the cab for the glow plug system. I'm thinking about gong to town and looking for a manual book for the truck of a diesel tech book.
P.S. do you know what size the trans line?
Hey Guys , I put in a new Glow Plug Relay Today and I tryed to start the truck but it was a big no. So I start back at the glow plugs checking for power and I was not getting power so I what back to the relay and check for power to the relay and then leaving the relay and I checked the first connection before it went in to the wiring loom and then I started checking wires all in the engine bay. And I think i check the Glow Plug Controller for power and it had power. So I check to see if a fuse was blown. But I do not see anything saying glow plugs for etc. ( but i'm not sure if there is a fuse in the cab ). and at the same time I was using my company truck to keep power to the truck so I could check for power and leave the key on. So about the time i started to clean up and put my tools up and I looked in the cab and the glow plung light was on so I tryed to start it and it started so I let it run for 20 mins and then I drive it up and down the street. when I leave the house the brake was slow and then hard so I forget a left a hose off to the EGR Valve so I stopped and put it back on and the brakes same better. but I get on it hard and I hit the brakes and it seem like the brakes locked up and was very soft and I left two black marks. so I drove slow and check the brakes 4-5 times and it same great so I slowed to turn around and it what back soft so what do i need to do about that. And On The Glow Plug Problem I'm going to try it tomorrow after I get home from work ( I would try it in the morning but I think my wife and 2 yr old and my 6 mos old girls would not like it at 2am so I'm going to do it when I get home after work and i'll post what happens tomorrow .
P.S. Sorry about the Rambling
well i just got home and i tryed to start the truck and it did not start. so im not to sure what i need to done next. so if anybody has a clue what i need to do i'm here with open ears.
The first thing I'd do is apply 12V to the small terminal on the glow plug relay (remove the wire that's on it first.) Give it 10-12 seconds then have someone crank. Does it start? If so then I'd say the glow plug controller is your problem. If not, put 12V to the relay again and check for power at every glow plug wire. If they're all getting 12V, pull the plugs and check each and every one with jumper wires hooked to the battery. The tips should glow red almost instantly, if they don't glow at all or take more than 1-2 seconds to turn red they're junk. If they're all good, a cheap & easy thing to look for is a corroded or missing block to chassis ground. Clean a bolt on the engine to bare metal and jumper to a cleaned B- post, and try starting again.
If the controller turns out to be bad, my recommendation would be to install AC60Gs if you haven't already and use an ignition-hot momentary switch to turn the plugs on. 8-10 seconds is good for a warm day, I've used as much as 30 seconds at temps around -30F (and the block heater, too.)
Hey NH2112 or anybody , I called me local part store that I deal with and asked for a Glow Plug Controller and there do not find a glow plug controller for my truck but they have a glow plug switch is that the same thing.
And is the AC60G going to be new glow plugs.
The controller is the thing about the size of a couple D batteries that sticks out of the coolant crossover tube, in front of the air cleaner. It may be the "glow plug switch" the parts stores mentioned, because it does switch power to the control terminal of the glow plug relay. IIRC (it's been quite a few years) the brown wire on top of the controller comes from the alternator, and inhibits the controller when the engine's running. If your alternator has bad diodes I believe (again, IIRC) that the voltage "leaking" out through this wire with the engine off will keep the controller from working.
Hey, I was playing arond with the truck yesterday for a little bit. I start by turning the key on and trying to start it ( no glow plug light came on ) so I start to check the power to relay then the plung leaving the relay and then I trouch the blue/green wire the relay clicked and then I check for the light inside the cab and it was on. so I turned the key off and I repeated the same steps but this time when the relay clicked I checked for power to the glow plugs and I had power So I tryed to start the truck and it start but when I turned the key off the engine was still running and I turn it back and fronted to get it to kill the motor and it did not work. ( but at the same time when the key is off the glow plug light was on and if I turn the key back to run the light what off ) So I was thinking Is the Key switch in the cab bad and will that make the glow plugs relay not click.
THANK YOU
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