2 Diesels, 4 Continents

[24vRHD]

Hey guys,

Sorry to be out of touch. You will all be happy to know that I ran the trip right up to days before starting a new job in Texas. Wanted to pack in as much as I could right!

As such the last week was full of organizing the logistics to ship the truck out. Then I literally landed in Texas hours before starting work. I thought, for sure I will have time while starting a new job to catch everyone up on my travels.

WRONG, hit the ground running.

But don't worry, I've got pictures and movies that you wouldn't believe. Video of driving at 16,000' with no windshield, we found a road that was worse than Bolivia's Highway of death and of course, the gear review!!!

All coming in good time. Hopefully worth the wait

 

[The Jade Bean]

Very nice, can't wait! Where are you in Texas?

-Daniel

Sent from deep in the mountains of Honduras using only sticks and rocks.

 

[CruiserStuff]

Oh, we're just dying for an update....suffering from withdrawals.....not pretty.....

 

[mailking]

he clearly sold his Cruiser and is driving around in one of those shiny new company cars and has all forgotten about his true friends

 

[CruiserStuff]

so sad.....so sad.....

 

[crushers]

pitter patter, lets get at 'er.
i want to see how the final days, weeks of the story. don't leave your loyal followers hanging here

 

[24vRHD]

A Diesel with Spark!

Hey guys,

Happy T-day to everyone. I'm in Houston and the truck has been hanging out in the garage.

Getting ready to have it inspected tagged and titled here in Texas. The starter has been rebuilt 2 times now (The latest time cost $400!). Thats the price you pay for having a 24v JDM diesel in Texas!

Still having starting problems. I thought it was my much abused red tops (made in Mexico). Took them and got them tested. One tested at 97% of life remaining and the other at 100%.

I've been getting intermittent dead battery symptoms (Hear the solenoid click but nothing) Funny thing is the headlights would still be strong...

Then it would start right up next time and be good for a week or more.

Recently had to get something out of the truck and thought I would just turn it over and try to catch it out. It was cold, like 45 degf. and it was a little anemic, still started first time but it took about 5s of cranking instead of the usual 1s.

Didn't think much of it and shut it down.

The nice young lady that was trailing me around looked kind of puzzled and asked: "This might be a stupid question, but does it usually spray sparks out of the bottom when you crank it over and then black smoke out of the back once its running?"

!!!!

Well... NO... and YES.

I tried to get her to crank it so I could find my spark and guess what, now it won't start!

Try typing "Starter" and "Spark into IH8MUD and you get tons of info about gassers. for a diesel... Well, not a lot out there.

I will investigate further tomorrow but I've got a good idea what it is. Would love to hear your guesses.

Update soon!

 

[bj40green]

Still having starting problems.

.....I've been getting intermittent dead battery symptoms (Hear the solenoid click but nothing) Funny thing is the headlights would still be strong...

.....Then it would start right up next time and be good for a week or more.

.....Recently had to get something out of the truck and thought I would just turn it over and try to catch it out. It was cold, like 45 degf. and it was a little anemic, still started first time but it took about 5s of cranking instead of the usual 1s.

.....The nice young lady that was trailing me around looked kind of puzzled and asked: "This might be a stupid question, but does it usually spray sparks out of the bottom when you crank it over and then black smoke out of the back once its running?"

I will investigate further tomorrow but I've got a good idea what it is. Would love to hear your guesses.

So, everything works fine, batteries are OK, headlights are bright but when cranking sometimes just a click from the starter relay..........

My guess.... bad connection/contact in the battery to starter cable.

Rudi

 

[24vRHD]

I've just realized now how derelict I've been. Poked around on the work computer and this is the only pic I could find... I've got some work to do!

 

[24vRHD]

Hey Rudi, I thought the same thing, Trust me I checked, rechecked and checked again because I was feeling pretty lazy about pulling that starter!

Plus that cable is always hot, so it wouldn't explain why it sparks only during cranking. That being said I agree, I think the sparks are electrical in origin. As opposed to being mechanical... that would be REALLY bad

 

[24vRHD]

I haven't figured out what the problem is yet, but I have a guess but I'd like to hear folks' thoughts

 

[bj40green]

The starter is the lowest visible electrical point under the truck.
The nut can be "not tight" or the cable can sit "a bit loose" in the ring terminal.
Temperature (shrinking and expanding) plays a role in this.

But............... electrical problems can send you in the wrong direction.
Murphy's Law 478: The problem is not where you expect it to be.

Rudi

 

[24vRHD]

Yeah this is exactly what I suspect. I bet between the starter being serviced (and re-painted) and being out of the truck for a month that I don't have a good ground. I bet by sanding the contact surfaces I'll fix the problem.

Will keep you posted!
-z$

 

[cruisedeisel]

Jesus owned a landcruiser?

 

[cruiserpilot]

Your solenoid isn't getting enough to kick over. I just went through this, hooked up a relay from the solenoid power and the solenoid now gets its power straight from the battery instead of through the harness. Make sense? I had an auto marine electric specialist wire the relay. It took him 10 min, would have taken me all day as I'm electrically challenged....

 

[24vRHD]

Interesting, that totally makes sense. I can still hear my solenoid clicking, could you still hear your clicking when it was doing that? Thanks!

 

[BC40]

Ground problem would be my guess.

 

[waiting for time]

Ground the starter directly between mounting and frame. It is your biggest electricity consumer so ground problems are first visible there.

 

[cruiserpilot]

Yes, still clicking, just not enough juice for the solenoid.
If you want a visual aid, pull the solenoid plunger, if the contacts are showing larger contact patches
then that is bad. It will look like bad weld arcs, with black around it. A normal contact patch is clean,
and the contact marks are consistent and smaller.

 

[Pacer]

Did you mention you painted parts/the block? The starter grounds through its housing to the block and needs clean contact surface.

my $.02