Temperature dropped and now HMMWV won't Start HELP Please

[cclary25]

So the past two days the weather has been around 40's and have started the car right up and drove it and had an appointment today to bring the car in to have the glow plugs changed out. So I parked the car in the garage and everything to be safe. Well, today I went out to take the car into the shop and now it won't start at all when it ran perfectly yesterday. The only difference is its now 20 degrees outside but I even parked it in the garage to play it safe. The only change I made recently was I put a key ignition switch in and used that connector grease it came with. I went ahead and switched back to the original switch just to see if this was the problem and noticed that grease was really thick and hard on the connectors. So when I turn the switch the normal light comes on for a few seconds but then when it goes off and turn the switch to start nothing at all happens and this has never happened to me even when had it parked outside in the cold.

Please help really want to get this into the shop today and not have to fork out another couple hundred for a tow when it ran perfectly the day before. Man, the guy who sold me this really lied to me about all the problems it had and this has just been a nightmare, especially when spent my entire savings on it and was told it was running perfectly and no problems. Now they tell me oh sorry I never drove it so had no idea it had all those issues...

Thank You

 

[Dock Rocker]

First make sure your batteries have a GOOD charge. The cold may have killed one or both. If you don’t have a 24 volt charger pull the jumper between the two batteries and charge each for 24 hours minimum with a trickle charger. Clean all your connections and try again. If that doesn’t work pull them and have them load tested after they have had a good charge.

If it’s not your batteries you have likely toasted your glow plug controller. What version do you have? It’s under the dash behind the steering wheel.

A quick search will revel hundreds of posts just like yours. Start charging your batteries and then sit down and read threads on batteries and glow plug controllers.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cclary25]

That's a real bummer the previous owner the one thing he did do was just put in a new glow plug controller and when I got it, it had a dead battery so purchased brand new one and other one was fine. Also, put grounding kit in as soon as I got it as well. Also, have been putting it on a battery maintainer every night and just checked the charger and it shows 100 percent. Would be a real bummer if the new glow plug controller went out that quick, however, I know it's not the batteries.

 

[fasttruck]

What does the volt-ammeter say ? If you turn lights on and engage starter and they dim battery is weak. If they do not there may be an open circuit.

 

[98G]

That's a real bummer the previous owner the one thing he did do was just put in a new glow plug controller and when I got it, it had a dead battery so purchased brand new one and other one was fine. Also, put grounding kit in as soon as I got it as well. Also, have been putting it on a battery maintainer every night and just checked the charger and it shows 100 percent. Would be a real bummer if the new glow plug controller went out that quick, however, I know it's not the batteries.

Replacing just one of the two batteries sends up red flags for me. You should always replace them in pairs. Otherwise the mismatch (even slight) will kill them in short order.

Does it crank at all?

Edit - apparently it doesn't crank at all. I suspect weak batteries, even though the charger shows them at 100% they fail under load.

 

[cclary25]

Wow I feel like a moron and think I may of found issue, just got to put everything back before I try it, but did as you said and searched the problem and the very first comment was check to see if it was in neutral and went out and check and all though it looked to be in Neutral and it wasn't in neutral it was in drive so thinking this may have been the entire issue and if it was then I am going to feel really stupid.

 

[cclary25]

Yep started right up, I may have made a dumb mistake but glad took your advice and looked it up and found that first comment to check that it was in neutral or would have paid 200 for a tow to find it out. Plus at least now I don't have to sweat that something else is out on the vehicle.

Thanks Again!

 

[Bulldogger]

Congratulations on finding the problem. I think all of us at one point in time have gotten frustrated trying to start a vehicle, only to find out it was not in neutral or park. Good on you for keeping us updated even if it was a little embarrassing. In the end we are happy for you!
Bulldogger