CUCV Wont start

[Abntrooper82]

I have a 1985 CUCV and went out to try and start it. The engine cranked for about 1 minute, never turned over and then the battery died. I took both batteries in, one was good one needed a charge. Charged the battery up and placed them back in the truck. Tried starting it again and the truck cranked for about 20 seconds until no more juice was left. Check the batteries both reading 12. Checked the batteries while cranking and both read 9. I can wait about a min and it will repeat the process.. Wait light comes on for about 30-60 seconds prior to attempting to start. Weather here is in the mid 60s.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.. I am PCSing to Colorado soon and need her running.

 

[porkysplace]

Start with some good batteries , they should read 14v when fully charged.

 

[cucvrus]

12 volts from the battery is fine. How does the battery load test and what does the CCA read when checked with a battery tester? Test each battery separately. Good strong batteries will eliminate a lot of troubles in a good running CUCV.

 

[Rustyshackelford]

I agree, Charge the batteries and then load test them (must be a full load test). Once you verify if the batteries are good or bad, proceed from there.

 

[cpf240]

Also, if it "cranked" then it is "turning over".. .its just not "catching"...

 

[Abntrooper82]

Thanks everyone, I will check the batteries again at Autozone tomorrow. When I checked yesterday they said they were good and "reading slightly higher than their rating" whatever that means.

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

Also, if it "cranked" then it is "turning over".. .its just not "catching"...

Yep, and thanks for pointing that out. If terms mean different things to different people we can't communicate.



There's a good troubleshooting guide in the manual. Very helpful.

 

[Abntrooper82]

So I got the batteries tested again. 12.43V 936 CCA and 12.1V 931CCA. Sorry for the duplication in message. Im getting used to this forum.

 

[Abntrooper82]

Hi! I had them tester again 12.43V 936 CCA and 12.1V 931CCA, any thoughts?

 

[gottaluvit]

Then, I would consider the batteries good enough. If it is turning over (cranking), yet not firing, then there's no fuel. Could be glow plugs with the wait light taking so long to go out. Do you hear the relay clicking?

 

[Abntrooper82]

There is about a 1/2 tank of fuel. When I turned the key for the wait light I don't here any sound from the vehicle. It usually takes about 1 min for the wait light to go off.

 

[gottaluvit]

There is about a 1/2 tank of fuel. When I turned the key for the wait light I don't here any sound from the vehicle. It usually takes about 1 min for the wait light to go off.

Oh, no clicking whatsoever? How about looking at the voltmeter and note where it is when you first turn the key to "run", and if it moves any during and after the wait light cycle.

 

[cpf240]

I'd suggest going through the glow plug troubleshooting guide in the -20 TM, which is available in the TM section of this site. Some simple tests with a volt meter will tell you a lot about how the glow plug system is functioning, or not functioning, as the case may be.

 

[cucvrus]

Testing them twice is good. Put them back in and begin checking everything. It is possible you have a bad starter that is drawing the batteries down very quickly.

 

[porkysplace]

Also check your battery cables for resistance , just because they look good on the ends doesn't mean they are not corroded under the insulation .

 

[gottaluvit]

I feel we have a firing problem primarily. OP said it cranked for 60 seconds but no fire.

 

[porkysplace]

There is about a 1/2 tank of fuel. When I turned the key for the wait light I don't here any sound from the vehicle. It usually takes about 1 min for the wait light to go off.

Are you going by the gauge or have you checked the tank ?
is there power to the pink wire on the IP ?

 

[Miah]

On the fuel side, do you still have the stock fuel filter/mount on the firewall? Those are prone to leaking & allowing fuel drainback which causes hard starting issues, especially after the vehicle has sat. Have you tried cracking a nut on an injector & seeing if they have fuel while the engine cranks?

 

[NovacaineFix]

time to throw my 2¢ in, if I may.

I would start your problem by divide and conquer by the simplest means possible. It may be quick and dirty, but it will steer you in the right direction.
All the info before, is all good info, but too many roads to go down without definite proof of a problem.

Okay, you have tested the batteries and we can safely "assume" they are good to try to crank for a short period of time. We'll worry about charging them once we get it running or unless you replace them ahead of schedule.

It cranks, that's good. That tells us in the peanut gallery (including myself) that the engine is not locked up. Now we have to determine if it is fuel or fire.

Do you have a can of ether aka starting fluid?
give of a quick squirt, don't drown the engine and crank it.
What happens?

If it fires, then we have a fuel issue and we can go down that road for diagnosis.

If it doesn't, then we need to look at fire. Since it doesn't have spark plugs, we have to look at the glow plugs and/or the controller circuit and stuff.

Does it have any mods done to it?
Is it still 24 volts or has it been converted to 12 volts?
Does it still have the resistor block on the firewall (behind the metal plate dead center of the firewall)
The wait light comes on, correct? No sounds like clicking or relays switching are heard?
Please see the valuable info above for more good info.

If it fires, then we need to look at your fuel system.

Don't worry about what the guage says is in the tank, assume it is empty.
Put 5 gallons of fresh diesel in the tank, this is just to be safe.

Start your diagnosis of the fuel system, checking for air leaks, cracked fuel lines, leaking injectors, leaking IP and lines, clogged fuel filter and so on.



I don't mean to sound like I know everything, I don't.
But I have been diagnosing issues for a long time and the worst thing to do is what we call "Chasing the Rabbit."
It will lead you down the long road of diagnosis and replacing parts.

The TM's have a ton of good info, but can be time consuming to read, but worth it.
I read mine when I'm in the John, I'm already sitting anyway, may as well make good use of my time.

 

[porkysplace]

time to throw my 2¢ in, if I may.

I would start your problem by divide and conquer by the simplest means possible. It may be quick and dirty, but it will steer you in the right direction.
All the info before, is all good info, but too many roads to go down without definite proof of a problem.

Okay, you have tested the batteries and we can safely "assume" they are good to try to crank for a short period of time. We'll worry about charging them once we get it running or unless you replace them ahead of schedule.

It cranks, that's good. That tells us in the peanut gallery (including myself) that the engine is not locked up. Now we have to determine if it is fuel or fire.

Do you have a can of ether aka starting fluid?
give of a quick squirt, don't drown the engine and crank it.
What happens?

If it fires, then we have a fuel issue and we can go down that road for diagnosis.

If it doesn't, then we need to look at fire. Since it doesn't have spark plugs, we have to look at the glow plugs and/or the controller circuit and stuff.

Does it have any mods done to it?
Is it still 24 volts or has it been converted to 12 volts?
Does it still have the resistor block on the firewall (behind the metal plate dead center of the firewall)
The wait light comes on, correct? No sounds like clicking or relays switching are heard?
Please see the valuable info above for more good info.

If it fires, then we need to look at your fuel system.

Don't worry about what the guage says is in the tank, assume it is empty.
Put 5 gallons of fresh diesel in the tank, this is just to be safe.

Start your diagnosis of the fuel system, checking for air leaks, cracked fuel lines, leaking injectors, leaking IP and lines, clogged fuel filter and so on.



I don't mean to sound like I know everything, I don't.
But I have been diagnosing issues for a long time and the worst thing to do is what we call "Chasing the Rabbit."
It will lead you down the long road of diagnosis and replacing parts.

The TM's have a ton of good info, but can be time consuming to read, but worth it.
I read mine when I'm in the John, I'm already sitting anyway, may as well make good use of my time.

Ether and indirect injection DO NOT MIX . Ether in known to blow head gaskets or worse .
He needs to follow the troubleshooting procedures in the TM's .