Electrical Issue In Hilux

[Jason KE30]

Hey guys, I'm having trouble starting up my hilux. It hasn't been started in quite a while and now doesn't want to fire up. It cranks over but then nothing. It's a 2.4 Diesel and the globe lights aren't coming up when i switch on the ignition. I've checked all the fuses and I've replaced the busted ones but still nothing. If anyone has any experience with these hilux's please help me out. Oh and I should probably mention that I replaced the ignition barrel but I doubt it has anything at all to do with why it won't start.

 

Cheers

Jason

[Medicine_Man]

If you have got no dash lights then you have lost ignition somewhere, Most likely cause is a blown fusible link..

[Jason KE30]

Nah I have all ignition lights except for the one that comes on just before you start it up. The globe? one. And I've replaced almost all the fuses anyway.

[Medicine_Man]

So the glow light is not coming on when you turn the key on is that what you mean? It should go out once the glow timer has timed out. If thats what is wrong then it sounds like something in the glow plug circuit is f@$ked. Could be the glow plugs, bus bars, fuse link or even glow plug timer.

[Evan G]

you mean the glow plug light, theres a couple things you can do to test them witch i will explain later on,

 

just check the nut on top of the glow plug isnt corroded or missing

 

 

quick storie about diesel, we had a diesel van come into work with 'check and repair glow plug warning light not coming on", so were testing the glow plugs, a couple were kaput, then we check the timer relay, that was kaput so we swaped with a test unit

 

so after 4 hours trying to diagnosing the glow plugs/timer relay/ wiring harness

 

turned out the globe in the cluster had blown !

 

electrical = allways check the basics first

[Medicine_Man]

Yes, That is why you check you are getting voltage to the bus bar first.

 

Secondly you should have heard the timer go *thunk* when it timed out..

 

It is very common for the glow plugs to burn out, but more common for the bus bar connections to burn out or break apart due to vibration.

 

test the glow plugs individually (bus bar removed) by a test lead applying 12v to them. If you see an inductive spark it means they are drawing current and are good.

[Jason KE30]

Ok we have tested the glow plugs and we got no spark. So that means something else is wrong. I am wondering whether it is the relay thats gone but I have no idea where it is in this thing. Any way of finding it? Thanks heaps for you help guys.

 

Cheers

Jason

[Evan G]

Yes, That is why you check you are getting voltage to the bus bar first.

 

Secondly you should have heard the timer go *thunk* when it timed out..

 

It is very common for the glow plugs to burn out, but more common for the bus bar connections to burn out or break apart due to vibration.

 

test the glow plugs individually (bus bar removed) by a test lead applying 12v to them. If you see an inductive spark it means they are drawing current and are good.

 

they also rust were the glow plug screws into the head there for giving a high reistance and not working, i thinks its something like anything above 0.3 ohms its faulty (mercedes spec)

 

remove from head when testing, check reistance or apply 12v to the glow plug with a set of jumper leads for a couple of seconds. they glow there good

 

 

also there a CUNNTTT to get out if rusted, theres a chance they mite snap in the head, drench in wd40 for about 20mins

[Medicine_Man]

You don't need to remove them from the head when testing them, In fact by doing that you are not testing the frame return side of the glow circuit. You need to have a good eye for the difference between an inductive spark and a spark of a dead short.

 

When you say you got no spark, is that when applying 12v to each individual glow plug?

 

No spark means that the glow plug is open circuit and needs to be replaced..

[Evan G]

thanks for the info on the sparks, gonna ask the auto elects at work 2moro and get him to show me

 

thanksss matee

[7shades]

It'll be the glow relay. They shit themselves with alarming regularity. Mine did...

[Jason KE30]

When I tested the glow plugs they had no spark, and that was directly into the head. Do you know where the relay is for the glow plugs 7shades? Cause I have a strong feeling thats the problem.

[Medicine_Man]

If they don't spark it means they are rooted..

[Evan G]

check for power to the glow plugs with the ignition on?

check resistance of the glow plug? (more than 0.9 - 1.1 ohms replace)

 

thats the glow plugs & power supply out of the equation.

 

 

 

also today i got one of my foremans spare glow plug, hooked it up to the jumper leads and tried arc'ing them and it didnt spark nor get hot. so i thought the jumper batterys were f@$ked so i test the resistance of the glow plug. 19 mega ohm. i gave up and went back to work.

 

and i jerry'd just then why they didnt spark.

 

 

 

thanks medicine man, ill use this technique next time I'm checking glow plugs.

 

legend :P

Edited October 9, 2009 by Evan G

[Jason KE30]

Thats what we did, checked the power going to the glow plugs with the ignition on and there was nothing. Which makes me think that the relay is busted. If I knew where the damn thing was I'd check it out and if it was fine then I would replace the glow plugs.

 

Cheers

Jason