Newbie help! BJ60 won't start, starter relay problems?

[jalong]

Hello All!

My '83 BJ60 has been starting perfectly until 2 days ago. Suddenly, when I turn the ignition key to where the glow light should turn on, a black box on the fender apron of the engine compartment starts making a grinding sound. When I try to engage the starter, it acts just like I have dead batteries, which I don't, because 10 minutes previously the engine was starting fine.

I've attached a picture I "borrowed" from the FAQ on the "wilson switch" which shows the "black box" (I've got a red arrow pointing to it). From the searches I've done on this site, I'm guessing it's the starter relay?

One hitch to the story... my wife wanted to use the truck to drive to her sisters yesterday, and it started for her like nothing was wrong. So off she went and when she wanted to start it this morning to come home, the "black box" started grinding and the BJ60 won't start. She tried to boost it, but the "black box" just keeps grinding away.

So now I'm trying to troubleshoot the problem with my truck 200 miles away. Is there any way I can tell whether it's the starter relay without buying one (if I can find one!) and driving the 200 miles to see if it works?

Help!

Thanks,
John

 

[Mike Shull]

Why don't you pop start her and try to fix at home?

 

[Mike Shull]

I suppose I take that back...It must be very cold up there right now...you would probably have to pull it with another truck for a mile or so before she'd detente. Not too good on her I imagine

 

[jalong]

I suppose I take that back...It must be very cold up there right now...you would probably have to pull it with another truck for a mile or so before she'd detente. Not too good on her I imagine

It's not too bad at 20°F. But I don't think my wife and sister-in-law are quite up to pop-starting it!

 

[crushers]

where are you located (where is the truck?) ? maybe one of us have a spare starter relay laying around...(like me for instance)

 

[M John Galt]

Try heating the 'black box' with a hair dryer or electric heat gun.
Make sure block heater is working and pluged in.

 

[jalong]

where are you located (where is the truck?) ? maybe one of us have a spare starter relay laying around...(like me for instance)

The truck is at Rocky Mountain House. And a spare starter relay would be fantastic... except...

I'm not so sure it is the starter relay. My daughter took a picture of the "Black Box" with her cell phone, sent the picture to me, and it is clearly marked "Glow Plug Relay." But that doesn't make sense to (mechanically-challenged) me. If it was the glow plug relay that wasn't working, the starter would still turn over... the engine just wouldn't fire, right?

So maybe I didn't look close enough two days ago and it was really the silver relay rather than the black relay that was making the gggrrrrrrring sound?

AAARGH! This would be easier if the truck were here!

 

[jalong]

Try heating the 'black box' with a hair dryer or electric heat gun.
Make sure block heater is working and pluged in.

Thanks for the advise. Maybe that would be enough to get it started so I could get it back to Edmonton!

 

[jus cruzin]

just a bump, have noticed that you haven't visited MUD for a while, but I am having the exact problem to the letter, just wondering what the out come was, or if anyone else has any tips or info

 

[cruiser_guy]

Usually the "grinding" noise is dirty battery terminals (enough power to pull in the contacts but not enough to power the glow plugs so the contacts chatter or "grind"). The starter not cranking is either the battery terminals or the starter contacts.

 

[Rig of Mortis]

Usually the "grinding" noise is dirty battery terminals (enough power to pull in the contacts but not enough to power the glow plugs so the contacts chatter or "grind"). The starter not cranking is either the battery terminals or the starter contacts.

X2 on this, I had a similar issue shortly after I had installed two new Optima red top batteries...

...it turned out to be as simple as a loose battery terminal, I had the same whirring relay sound.

Its usually the 10¢ piece which stops the machine!