Please help... Another electrical meltdown

[Bretsuaz48]

I have a 1984 m1009. It has been sitting for some time, and decided to drive it today. After starting it several times with no problems, I started it and the starter would not disengage. As a result got all the cool smoke coming from the truck. I couldn't get the batteries disconnected before the truck just quit running. No telling what is now fried.

I know this issue has been beaten every which way, but I am asking again since I am seriously about to have a heat stroke from working in ths 113 degree heat.

1. What are the possible causes?
2. In what order should I diagnose this problem?
3. What got damaged from this incident?

A little history...... This truck had a bad starter when I bought it. I bought a replacement from a company that was recommended from someone on this forum. It also has two new batteries. I really think this is a starter problem, as the starter that was put in did not sound like starters I had in other CUCVs, and it seemed to spin too fast, but this company assured me it was the right starter for a CUCV.

I think in addition to whatever else I damaged, I need a starter. Would anyone have one that I can buy or be able to tell me where to get the right one?

Any help would be tremendously appreciated guys.

Regards,
Bret

 

[NDT]

Ouch. It seems like every two weeks someone posts about this same problem. It is caused by the starter relay under the dash failing in the closed position. If your (now fried) starter was previously doing the job, it was not the wrong one.

I think that a condition of membership on this forum should be that if you own a CUCV, you must install a kill switch in the dash to break the starter circuit when, not if, the starter relay sticks.

 

[lelant]

Insatll the "doghead" relay mod and replace the starter. instructions can be found for relay mod using search function. http://www.steelsoldiers.com/cucv/3...ay-modifcation.html?highlight=doghead+starter

 

[Blood_of_Tyrants]

Like has been said above, the problem is a crappy quality starter relay under the dash that sticks in the closed (on) position. Replace it with doghead's solution and the problem will not bother you again.

Yes, you might have fried your starter and will need a new one.

 

[doghead]

The relay modification that I had posted, is a cure for this issue. I have never seen or heard of an underdash starter relay failure, after anyone has made the relay modification.

If you do not convert your under-dash relay, eventually, you will have a problem, the only question is, When.

 

[Cucvnut]

can you pull the relay while the starter is going crazy ?

 

[waayfast]

I hate to Hi-jack but since the topic is near and dear here(kids'truck has CONSTANT starter/battry problems)-----is a Civie 1984gmc heavy half 6.2 Diesel w/2 battrys prone to the same problem? Would the "doghead" mod work on this truck?This POS is about to break us all-----besides-- we need it running to get the dang thing to the transmission shop to get THAT part of it working

 

[lelant]

can you pull the relay while the starter is going crazy ?

Yes. You have to be quick and have a replacement.

 

[Bretsuaz48]

Do you think I fried anything else? Does anyone have a starter they would like to sell.

I will be honest, I usually have someone else do my work. Not that I probably can't do it, I just really don't enjoy doing it. However, I am tempted to take this one on. Is this a project a newbie like me can take on? What is the difficultly level to replace the starter and do the "doghead" mod?

Where should I try to get a starter? Should I just go the Napa route and shell out the big bucks and make sure I get the correct one? I really don't think I had the right starter in there since it just didn't sound right. It didn't sound right from day one. I had another M1008 and an M1009 and neither one sounded like this one. If I am going to go through all this, I just want to make sure I do it right so that I don't have do deal with the same problem again.

Guys, thanks for all the help. It is tremendously appreciated.

 

[doghead]

The relay modification is very simple. Basic tools are all you need. Any questions on doing the modification, can be answered here in the forums.

Do you have your old original starter? If so, I would try finding a local re-builder and repairing it.

I would expect you may have burned out a fusible link or two. Not too hard to identify and replace.

 

[Bretsuaz48]

This is the starter I put in. Should I get another one of these?

24V CUCV DELCO STARTER 10461453 10465015 10479611: eBay Motors (item 360269389521 end time Sep-02-10 14:25:48 PDT)

After I do the Doghead mod and replace the starter, what else and in what order do I need to check other things?

 

[doghead]

First off, that Ebay seller is a decent seller. I like them. ( I have not purchased that starter, but see no reason why not to)

The most likely reason you noticed it sounded different is, that is a gear reduction starter. They do sound different than the original starter. They should work just fine.

I suspect your only issue was, your under-dash relay stuck on, causing the starter and what ever else to burned up.


You didn't answer, what you did with your original bad starter.

 

[Bretsuaz48]

Sorry, I didn't keep the original starter, which now I am kicking myself in the but for. I didn't even think of rebuilding the other one. Since I am new to all this stuff, I guess you live and learn. Best thing to do now is move forward, so I will order another one from that same place. I didn't know anything about these solenoid problems until after I saw all the pretty smoke coming from my truck. First thing that came to mind was that I put the wrong starter in.

I will order the solenoid tomorrow from NAPA, and the starter from EBAY.

I am going to attempt these myself. Once I get these in, do I hook the batterys back up and see if it starts, or do I need to check something else first. Is the starter hard to replace?

Again, thank you so much for your help.

 

[Bretsuaz48]

The relay for the glowplugs was smooking. Should I replace it too? Is it probably bad? Where do I look to find these fusible links you speak of?

 

[rhinob]

Any chance the starter bendix stuck out and the starter became a generator or is this relay 100% of the issue when these symptoms emerge? I'm feeling very proactive at the moment. No use waiting to cook things...

 

[NDT]

Any chance the starter bendix stuck out and the starter became a generator or is this relay 100% of the issue when these symptoms emerge?

If this were the case the carnage would stop when you cut off the ignition key, With the earlier desrcibed condition, if you cut off the key, the starter just keeps cranking (as you panic).

 

[doghead]

I would bet the blue fusible link above and to the left of the GP relay, was the source of smoke(not the GP relay).

 

[doghead]

Rhrinob, you been around long enough, you should know to change your relay by now!

 

[dstang97]

instead of buying another starter do the relay and try again. If it is messed up get it rebuilt and remember to use the correct bracket.

 

[beanman1]

i see a road trip in someones near future lol