[F350 Dude]

Hey guys, I swapped out all 8 of my glows a week or so ago with the ZD9's (after 1 failed...and 5 of the other 7 were Autolites). Hooked all my charged batteries back up....and she fired up great on the first cycle. Drove her around the lake where I live. Started her again a few minutes later....no problem. Started her 3 or 4 times in all over a few hour period...no problem.

Then I go out of town for work, she sits for a week, I go to start her up this morning, turn my lock cylinder....and the gp relay rapidly clicks (or at least I'm assuming that's what it is). No WTS light comes on at all when I turn the ignition key to the normal gp cycling position. The clicking lasts only about 4 or so seconds...and then seems to automatically shuts off (with the key still turned on). Hence, the reason I'm 'assuming' it's the relay -- I turn the key, then try to jump up on my ladder step, and by the time I get my head back in there, it's already stopped.

Can't think of anything I did to the truck at all between replacing my glows, taking her for 2 or 3 drives that same day...and then trying to fire her up this morning.

Am I looking at a burnt out relay? I probably should have checked the relay more thoroughly when I swapped my plugs out...but I wasn't exactly sure how. I've got a multimeter that a neighbor gave me a few years ago, but my knowledge of how to use that thing goes maybe a step at best beyond 'household battery tester'. And most of the reviews I've read on how to actually use a multi to test your relay generally assume better multimeter proficiency than my pay grade! Frankly, the instructions to swap out a relay (assuming I have an identical one to match it) sound easier....because I'm generally pretty good when I can see how things disconnect for the subsequent reassembly with a new part.

Thanks in advance.

 

[chuckster57]

Using an OHM meter to test the GP's is easy once you have the right "scale" on the meter. Just put the (+) lead on the top of the GP where the wiring harness attaches and the (-) lead on a good engine ground. A good GP will have about 2 OHMS of resistance.
Rapid clicking is usually an indication of either bad GP's or a bad ground. Before you changed out any GP's how long did the WTS light stay on?
It is possible that you don't have the wiring harness pressed all the way down on a GP or two, making the controller think that everything is warm already and therefore the fast cycling.

 

[F350 Dude]

Sorry, I meant to say WTS light above, not WIF....but then you probably already knew that!

Before the glow plug swap, it would typically stay on about 6 or so seconds....while the gp relay did it's usual slow tick! On the initial startup after the swap....same basic thing.

I'll recheck each of the 8 connectors of the gp wiring harness. 6 of the 8 should be about exactly as they were....but a couple of them were impossible to get off without some damage to the connectors. One in particular had a good chunk of sleeve come off. That very well could be my problem. So all would take is *one* to come off....and the relay will do that?

 

[F350 Dude]

It is possible that you don't have the wiring harness pressed all the way down on a GP or two, making the controller think that everything is warm already and therefore the fast cycling.

Well, dadgumit....Chuckster is the Diesel man!
:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:

I decided to re-check all my gp's with the last ounce of daylight remaining....and sure enough, I think I found our problem --

Cylinder #8 it is!!

I think that was the first one I pulled off when swapping the gp's....and my needle noses bit off quite a bit of casing in the process. And when I checked it tonight, the wiring was lose and the above is what I pulled off the connector-end tip of the glow plug. [That's the connector inside the casing...or WAS inside the casing!! Just to be clear!]

OK....so now what are my options, now that I think I found my problem (assuming of course that one disconnected glow plug is enough to make my relay rapidly click!)???? Never dealt much with electrical stuff...so I'm curious if anyone has any idea of how to make something that I can fit on there.