1986 BJ70 will not turn over to start

[LDowney]

All,
Thursday, the BJ70 (Sept man. date) would not turn over. All I get is the click sound indicating that the glow plugs have warmed up. The batteries are fully charged with fairly new cables and good connections. I swapped out the starter with my spare and it made no difference. I have checked the connections at all the relays, except the EDIC relay, and they were all in good condition. I would have checked the EDIC relay, but I can't find it. Chassis manual showed it under the right kick panel and the parts showed it under the left. It was not under either one.

Previously, I have had corroded battery cables (which were replaced) and a body grounding problem (which was solved by added new grounding straps - body-to-frame, frame-to-engineblock and body-to-engineblock).

Searches of the archives for similar problems indicated that corroded connections and parts was the most common cause. I have chased those and they have checked out good. I know that I am missing the location of the EDIC relay to check it out. What else am I missing?

Thanks

 

[Radd Cruisers]

From your post, you're going after things that create a no-start and or no-crank condition, but you're talking about a no-crank condition in the first sentence.

So, which is it?


~John

 

[LDowney]

From your post, you're going after things that create a no-start and or no-crank condition, but you're talking about a no-crank condition in the first sentence.

So, which is it?


~John

John,
It is a no crank condition. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[seapotato]

with no crank, all the edic stuff doesn't really matter, that's kindof secondary to the starter not getting power.

I imagine if you jump the starter it would go?

did you check for voltage at the smaller wire on the starter when you turn the key? I'd be chasing that wire down to find a break in it, as it sounds like it isn't getting power there from the ignition switch.

does an 85 bj70 have the fusible links at the battery?

wiring's tough to diagnose at the best of times, so many places things can go wrong.

good luck with it.

cheers
r

 

[Radd Cruisers]

Test # 1 - pull your dipstick - Do you have oil?

Test # 2 - put a breaker bar and socket on the crankshaft nut - does the engine rotate?

~John

 

[LDowney]

John & Seapotato,
Thanks for the suggestions.

Some of the things I checked tonight were

* Engine oil level is fine
* Collant level is fine
* Batteries are charged
* All battery connections are tight and show good electrical continuity
* Fusible link was not blown (only found one for certain)
* Turned the starter & engine over with a jumper directly from battery to small wire lead on starter
* Verified the ignition switch matched the continuity checks in the chasis manual
* Rechecked voltage to small power wire to the starter. Tonight it failed (would not illuminate circuit check light), but passed on Sunday when I checked it (check light came on when key was turned to start)

The engine manual lists the following as possibilities
> Low battery charge
> Bad battery connections
> Blown fusible link
> Bad starter
> Bad ignition switch
> Bad neutral start switch (autotrans only)

The broken or bad wire will need to be checked too.

I have checked a few items off the list, but I don't feel like I have made any progress. I am still open to other items to check and confirm. Thanks

 

[seapotato]

well, I think you've made some progress, you've narrowed it down.

the intermittent power to the small wire to the starter sounds like the issue..if that wire gets power, the engine WILL turn over. (as you proved by jumping it.)



even if it doesn't start, the starter will engage.

( this is assuming the big cable is good on the starter, but that's kindof obvious...;p)



there's a funky connection somewhere along that little line.


my girlfriend had a honda with this problem....I stuck a push button switch under her dash to get her by for the week until I had time on the weekend to chase down the fault...3 years later she sold the car with the switch still there....

I'd check for consistent voltage to the starter pole on the back of the ign switch when you turn the key. if it's good...after that....well, either chase the wire from A to B looking for something or you could run a new one.

I could well be wrong, but I don't think there's anything in line between the ign switch and the starter, other than a couple wiring harness plugs.



cheers,
r

 

[Eric Winkworth]

get under your truck and smack you starter a couple times... then try and start it!

 

[LDowney]

Finally solved the problem the other night. I was mistaking #2 glow plug relay for the starter relay. I found my error when I started looking for wire breaks; I pulled the battery & found two relays behind the battery tucked into the fender. One of the relays was labled glow plug relay and the other had no lable, but matched the description for the started relay in the engine manual. I pulled the same relay from the project truck and she fired right up. It is humbling to dumb in public, but that is the short answer.

Thanks for all the help and patience.

 

[Eric Winkworth]

John,
It is a no crank condition. Sorry for the confusion.

That makes absolutly no sense... your glow plugs have nothing to do with a no crank situation!

 

[LDowney]

That makes absolutly no sense... your glow plugs have nothing to do with a no crank situation!

Eric,
The starter relay was bad which is why it would not crank. #2 glow plug relay is what I originally misidentified as the starter relay. Once I found the 'real' starter relay and corrected my error, I was able to fix the truck by replacing the starter relay with one that worked

 

[FullyLitLED]

Hate to resurrect an old thread but I had a no crank condition as well on my 1985 BJ70

Key turned it will just click and if I click it multiple times at some point it just turns over

Does this indicate a starter that is going out? Or possibly just the starter relay?

 

[LDowney]

I would check all battery and ground connections to start with. A few years back, the 70 would not crank properly like the batteries were dead. After a lot of checking and charging the batteries, I decided to change out the battery ground cable because the connection at the battery was elongated more than ideal. When I went to remove the bolt connecting the cable to the block, the connector crumbled away ... just rust in the shape of a connector. As soon as I installed a replacement ground lead, she fired right up.

My lesson was Looks can be deceiving, so check the obvious too.

Good luck