Opened up a can of worms

[sht2kll]

My m1008 started having starting problems about a month ago. The wait light would come on then go out after about 15 seconds, pedal 1/2 way down , and it would fire up then die. After a couple of times of doing this ,it would stay running and would runn normally until the next day, when it would do it again. I decided to change the glow plugs. I put a new set of 60G's in it. when I would turn on the key, wait light comes on and I see a draw on the volt meter. The wait light goes out and it would crank and crank then finally start. The volt meter still stays in the yellow band and the GP relay does not cycle. After a short time, I hear a weak solenoid sound and the voltmeter comes back to the green. That is the least of my problems. I decided to convert it to 12 volts because the starter would not always work. I converted it like some instructions I had found through this site. To Make a long story even longer, I found after the conversion that the GP relay was not actuating the solenoid, so I put a pushbutton switch in. I now have power to the GP side of the solenoid but this thing does not start very well. I am not sure if I am having fuel issues also or if maybe I fried a few GP's in this process.

 

[True Knight]

Sounds like air in the fuel. I converted to a spin on filter. If it starts, it should stay running if there is fuel to feed the engine. If it dies its because the fuel runs out, because there is a leak and air is getting sucked into the fuel lines somewhere. Look around the fuel filter area and check for dark/wet spot that might show where there is a leak. Once you fix the fuel issue it should start and continue to run every time.

As for the glow plug issue, it sounds like it is working properly. The wait light will go out before the glow plugs have fully cycled. When you turn the key on you will hear the click of the glow plug relay sending power to the glow plugs, and the volt meter will show in the yellow because of the draw. The wait light will go out after a bit, but continue to wait, listen for the sound of the glow plug relay to click off, and watch the volt meter to see when the draw has stopped. Then crank the engine, it should start very quickly.

 

[sht2kll]

Thanks: I agree with you about air in the system. I have heard that the Filter housing is notorious problem giver. I have been trying to find a housing to use. Like stanadyne or racor. I am not sure if i need to find one that has a heater though. Tom

 

[Djfreema]

I have had this problem on 3 trucks. First truck had bad injector pump throttle shaft seals and would allow fuel to drain back into the tank, once started the fuel would leak around the throttle shaft until it warmed up. The other two trucks it was the fuel filter housing. On both of them I removed the fuel pressure sensor behind the filter and tapped the port then stuck a bolt in it, problem solved.

 

[True Knight]

A lot of guys have done the spin on filter without a heater. I guess it depends on how cold it gets where you live. Being in sunny CA I will never need a heater, so I went without.

 

[sarge62]

I was having a similar problem until I replaced the o-rings I the filter housing. Took some hunting before I found a guy at NAPA in Apple Valley who took the time to match I to some lost ones he had.

 

[cshaw07]

I just bought the marine one from walmart for $26. Came with two filters that say "do not use with diesel fuel" i did anyway. no problems for 2 months.

 

[gungearz]

Definitely sounds like a fuel/air issue.... Check it out and keep us posted. So we can keep helping you out.