Two stupid tricks I wish I knew when I first got my M1009 for starting and dash light

[The Baron]

These are just two simple tricks that I picked up owning the M1009 that I figured might help some of the new guys (especially if they are as mechanically inexperienced as I was when I first bought the Blazer). This first one will probably have the older guys rolling their eyes, but for young guys like me who grew up driving in late 90's cars and 2000's its not so obvious. I used to have problems getting my Blazer to start even when it was hot out, I couldn't figure out why I have to crank it for so long to get it to turn over. I ended up reading the manual and seeing that it states that if the weather is above 32 degrees you press the gas pedal down half way down, hold it, and while holding it down crank the key. For when its below 32 you press it all the way down. You don't actually half to press it down that much, but it sure makes a world of a difference. Its also a good idea to throw in a manual glow plug switch (it's cheap and will take you ten minutes to install) especially when you have those 60gs that need to cook a little longer.

When your dash lights aren't working a good first place to check is the headlight switch, it twist to adjust brightness of the dash lights. Sometimes those things get corroded and if you worked the switch back and for you can knock that corrosion off and it will work.

Like I said, nothing ground breaking, but maybe it'll help someone new.

 

[dstang97]

Sounds like you have an injection pump problem with hot starts or a glow plug problem. I dissagree with the push button glow plug switch.

 

[eme411]

for the cold weather install a Temro block heater , It will keep your truck happy for a long time or glow twice , starts every time, keep your system stock , the TM will mean something when you have a problem to solve also not very many guys want to buy a truck where everything has been messed with, when I look at trucks that have had the electrical played with 24v to 12v eg M-38a1 the price the seller will get drops like a stone , I see it as a $2500.00 bill to bring the vehicle back to stock , this is for those guys that still see the truck as a investment , for those that do not none of this matters,

 

[Drock]

X3 on the manual glow pug switch. Don't be lazy, fix it correctly. Whenever I see one of those I get visions of twisted together wires wrapped in duct tape.

 

[Warthog]

The starting instructions are on the sun visor. Flip it down and read. Some may be long gone by now.

 

[porkysplace]

The starting instructions are on the sun visor. Flip it down and read. Some may be long gone by now.

They are still in the -10 TM .

 

[topgun217]

I have a manual glow plug switch; its my anti-theft device. It blends in well and looks military issue; unless someone knows what's its for and where to look they'll never get it started, just ask my wife.