2B Not Starting (1 Viewer)

[Pptarmigan]

A few days ago, I had trouble starting my BJ44 after leaving a store even though the engine was warm. Didn't want to turn over, but caught and drove fine home. I went out to start it cold the next day and can't get her to start. Glow plug indicator comes on after 15 sec or so, but when I turn it to start, it sounds like it slowly tries to turn over once or twice and then I just get a rapid clicking sound. I figured it was one of the batteries, but both are registering 12V (one was at 11.5V). Did a little poking around this afternoon using the repair manual, but I'm basically a newbie with diesel engines, so couldn't track the issue down. One thing I did notice is that the injector arm from the EDIC motor doesn't move to the overinjection point when the key is turned. It does move through the full range once when the key is released.

Any thoughts? Thanks for any suggestions/help.

 

[doug720]

Battery(s) are low - 11.5 is way low! They should read at least 12.4+ sitting

Charge the battery's first, then check the charging system for 13.4 or higher volts.

 

[gerg]

11.5 for a battery is pretty much completely dead. Even 12.4 is very low.

 

[Pptarmigan]

Well, I guess that shows how little I know about cars in general. Guess I assumed that a 12V battery would carry 12V. Thanks for the replies. I checked my multimeter against another vehicle and got 12.7 on that one. The two batteries in the BJ are reading 12 and 11.7. I'm trying to charge the 11.7 one now, so we'll see. Otherwise, it looks like it might be two new batteries for me. Thanks again.

 

[gerg]

Yeah so sorry if I came across as critical. Electrical stuff is not my strong point and I use to think much the same as you, but 12.7 would be 100% and 12.6 would be like 80% etc. By the time you get to 12.4 or so the battery is down to around 20%. Discharging a battery like that shortens its lifespan by a huge amount. Fully discharging might completely sulfate it. There are some really cool electronic battery chargers that have desulfation cycles that can revive a battery somewhat. Ive got a genius 3500 and it really like it. Has revived more than one battery I wrote off. Has more than paid for itself. I highly recommend it. Only thing id do different is get the one size up which is the 7500 model. Clean up the contacts on your batt posts and add a smidge of dielectric grease. Adding an extra cable to your starter and cleaning up all your grounds can dramatically improve your starting ability. Bad grounds plague these trucks. Search all over your engine for little cables that connect the engine to the frame or the frame to the body and buff them with fine sand paper and add a bit of dielectric to improve conduction. Is well worth the effort.

 

[Pptarmigan]

I didn't read your post as critical at all, so no worries. I have a couple of battery chargers and both say that the battery is fully charged even though I'm reading 11.7, so wondering if the battery is completely shot. The second battery is still a Japanese model from before it was imported, so probably time to replace that one as well. Thanks again for your help and for the tips on cleaning up the grounds.

 

[gerg]

Yeah if it's reading full at such a low voltage I wouldn't trust it.

 

[mudgudgeon]

another simple test is to read voltage under load, ie read the voltage while some one turns the key to start. If the battery shot, you'll possibly see voltage under load drop way down to 6 or 7 volts.
if both batteries are used to start, if one is shot, it will drag the other down with it and you can end up with two dead batteries in a real short period of time.

 

[Mr Cimarron]

^^This is the bummer part if you don't catch the one going south quick. I had this happen before and it hurts having to buy two huge batteries for a diesel in the same day.

 

[Pptarmigan]

It looks like the batteries are wired in series, so I assume both are used to start. I pulled the biggest offender and managed to get it charged back up to 12.7 and am charging the other one now. We'll see if that fixes the start issue and if they hold the charge.

 

[BreckenridgeCruiser]

Not sure if anyone mentioned it but if you have ANY taps pulling 12v off of either battery (radio or any accessories) you need to remove it before you replace the batteries. If you don't you will just fry the next two you put in...

Also having two mismatched batteries will also create an influence that can cause your issue. When you replace, try to get identical batteries with sequential S/N or at least the same build date.

Good luck!

 

[mudgudgeon]

Also having two mismatched batteries will also create an influence that can cause your issue. When you replace, try to get identical batteries with sequential S/N or at least the same build date.

Good luck!

thats a good point. Basically for best battery life with dual batteries you will probably need to replace both at the same time.
Its a PITA. I recently swapped out my dual batteries for a F-off sized optima which easily handles starting and occasional winching for me. Mine is all 12 volt though.

 

[Pptarmigan]

Thanks everyone. I charged up the batteries and was able to get her started again. After waiting a bit, the batteries were low again, so I replaced both with the same model battery. Thanks again for all of the help.

 

[Pptarmigan]

Grrr.. I replaced the batteries late last night, so didn't try to start her until this morning. I'm getting no power from the batteries at all. No interior light, no click when I try to start the glows, no aux power. I checked and both batteries are reading 12.5 or better. When I check the the series by using the multimeter on the ground cable connector (-) on the driver's side battery and the cable connector going to the starter (+) of the passenger side battery, I get a reading over 25, so I assume the connections on the batteries are sound. Had to get out the door, so didn't have time to trace the cable to the starter to ensure nothing happened there, but is there anything else I should be looking for?

 

[gerg]

Might consider changing over to 12 volt next year as your issues are more common than not. We live in a 12 volt continent and are very 24v unfriendly.

 

[ozcrusier]

So are you saying you have a negative wire from the battery going to the starter motor if this is the case you have the wiring wrong.

 

[Pptarmigan]

No, battery 1 has negative connected to ground and positive connected to negative on battery 2. Battery 2 has positive connected to starter. I can't for the life of me think of what else could have changed. I literally disconnected the terminals for both batteries, put new batteries in, and reconnected the terminals.

 

[ozcrusier]

Check the fuses you may have popped one when hooking the cables up.

 

[ozcrusier]

Also the truck should have 3 fuse type link wires from one off the positive posts on the battery you may have left one of them off or maybe fried one. Have a good look for those fuse wires.

 

[Pptarmigan]

So I did a little more digging this evening. Like I said, I'm getting power to the battery cable going to the starter. Fuses all look good. I checked and the starter wire is getting power. I also checked each connection that was exposed along the wires attached to that cable and have power at each one. At one point as I was moving the cables around, I got a spark as I reconnected the positive cable, heard a click, and had power to my interior lamp and could turn the key to Aux and get power. I didn't start it as I had the garage closed. Once I got everything picked up and ready to try starting it, I had lost power again. You can see the setup in the attached pictures. All I can think is that I either have an issue with a connection inside the cab where that set of cables goes through the firewall or there is a ground issue somewhere. My rig as the factory air conditioner, so I can't get to those wires easily, so haven't been able to check the connections. So far, I've also only found the main ground wire off the driver's side battery. Should I expect to have additional ground wires in this area somewhere?