please help with balzer starting issue

This is an '85 K5 6.2L diesel Blazer. Both batteries are very new.

Now backing up a bit. In the winter when temps linger around 28-40 overnight on the average, every morning on my way to work when I turn the ignition and then the glow plug light is supposed to come on, it most of the time didn't. I would have to pop the hood and poke at the switch a bit and then it would come on. But because the switch didn't turn on or whatever causing the light not to come on, it would turn, but not turn over and start.

So now that temps are fine, it seems that for the last couple of months or so, every now and then when I go to start the truck, it turns strong, I can smell fuel being supplied, but it doesn't turn over. Most of the time it does. Especially in the mornings when the engine is cold. My understanding is that every time you turn the key on a diesel, that the glow plug switch has to do something.. Well sense the batteries are strong, and I think it is getting fuel filter has been changed recently too), my guess is that the switch is messing things up for me. What are you folks thoughts on this?

A while back during the cold months I went to Chevy parts dept. and tried to get the switch, but you can't get it anymore. A mechanic friend at one point told me to just bypass the switch. While it would do the glow plug thing everytime and maybe wear them a little bit faster, that at least that switch would be out of the way and the problem might be solved.

So if indeed the switch is the culprit, how do I bypass it safely? It is behind the throttle body by a large wiring harness.

So to conclude, could it be this causing this? What else could it be on this type of diesel? Again, fuel filter is fairly new, is good fuel, batteries are fairly new, it turns very strong until I keep turning and turning hoping it will just start.

Sorry for the long post and I hope some of you can help. Thanks much.

Reply to
Mark G.
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Hi!

Take a look at your starter. Is it (and the solenoid on it) any good?

I had a case of the odd weak start and went underneath to find that my starter solenoid had more or less disintegrated. The starter wasn't looking so good either. Parts of it were broken. I am assuming that your starter is in good working shape since you say it will turn the truck over "all day long". It won't hurt to look though, especially if it is the original unit.

The glow plugs are presently malfunctioning in a similar way on my 1984 GMC Sierra with 6.2. I know the relay/solenoid underhood to be good...it's the control/timer module that is not working properly. Doesn't affect the cranking one bit though. I can just spin the truck over and over without getting anywhere until the glow plugs do eventually fire.

I don't know about any switches located on the throttle body. As best I know, the solenoid that fires the plugs is located on the inside of the driver's side fender. This is, of course, remotely controlled. I think the remote control module is located up around the main fuse block inside the cab. That's where I can hear the soft click it makes before the solenoid goes "thunk" underhood.

If there is anything on the throttle body, wouldn't it be more of a thermostat type of thing?

Anyway, I would think that you could disconnect the low current trigger wire running to the glow plug solenoid underhood, provided that it is good. Insulate that wire and put it away. Then take a switch, run 12V to it and put it inside the cab. Take another wire out to the solenoid. Use a

*momentary* contact switch and spend the money for a good one. Then just "mimic" the operation of the original automatic control by pushing on the momentary contact switch. That should in turn close the solenoid and make it run the glow plugs.

I may do this on my truck. I already know of someone who did this on a Diesel Chevette when the automatic control quit working. It worked quite well at the time.

Someone who knows more than I do might post here...but as far as I know, the glow plugs and starter circuit are not linked together...

William The Guesser

Reply to
William R. Walsh

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