*ALMOST* burnt my truck up!!!

[Treb]

Has anybody out there even HEARD of this happening?

My '94 was making a very strange noise the other day on my way to work. I started down the lane, and about halfway out to the highway realized something was wrong. My first thought was that I had spilled some oil on the fan belt and it was slipping. . .

I stopped, popped the hood, and couldn't hear the noise over the wonderful diesel combustion noise. Finally, I saw a little puff of smoke coming off the starter. Immediately tried to turn the motor off. The truck didn't die!!! Had the keys in my hand, the motor still running. By this time, smoke was POURING off of the starter!!!

After about 2 minutes of my trying to figure out a good way to kill the thing (no spark plug wires to rip out), the motor died, but now the starter was trying to start the truck!!!

I reached in the back of the truck to get my toolbox to disconnect the battery terminals when I realized I had taken the tools out the night before to work on the boat. All I had was a hatchet! I tried to use it to pry the battery cables off, no luck. . . by this time, I can barely see the battery for the smoke, so I just started hacking at (one of the) battery cables with my hatchet in an attempt to save my truck from burning up. . .

finally the starter quit when the solenoid burnt up. . .

Got the starter rebuilt, but now I found out the fuel shutdown solenoid also burnt up. I'm guessing because the starter turning at 50,000 rpm (or whatever speed it turned out to be running at) was generating enough electricity to power California for a few hours!!

I'm afraid I'll be trouble-shooting electrical problems for the next 6 weeks!!! Anybody got any advice?

 

[Joe G.]

The large relay on the firewall close to the master cylinder on the engine side is probably toast also. Check the blue wire from the left battery positive post. It may be burnt up too. It goes to a splice and becomes a black wire on the way to the above relay. That may be all that was hurt.

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Joe George
Eureka, CA

'95 2500 CC auto 4X4,3. 54,Combo EGT/boost guage,custom switch panel,PacBrake,TST #5,DTT TC/VB,Automatic motorhome steps on both sides,Foldacover hard bed cover,Cummins chrome kit,Black steel grill guard,Front hitch receiver

 

[Treb]

I checked the relay according to the manual, and it said it was bad (Supposed to be 75 ohms +/- 5 ohms between two posts, and no continuity between two other posts), but when I got the brand new one, it measured exactly the same as the one I had supposedly burnt up (55 ohms), so I'm assuming it's still good. This solenoid is definitely toast. . . it's got lots of black burnt goo oozing out the top, and it smells like somebody was burning tires!!!

 

[mikepvg]

Holy S$%#!
Glad you didn't burn completely up.

I'm making a mental note to myself: start puting some tools in the truck.

Mike
#ad


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94 2500HD 5sp 4. 10LSD 4X4 RWAL w/GearVendor OD, K&N Oval w/ Pre-Filter, Straight Exhaust, Geno's Fumotovalve, AW-Direct Idle Controller, DiPricol Boost/Pyro/Fuel w/ Kevlar BSS line, Mag-Hytec Rear, 126K miles. Halon Protected, NRA Member. V1.

 

[illflem]

Might be a good idea to install those lever type disconnects on the battery ground cables, this isn't the first time I've heard of this happening.

 

[SLittle]

Is there a relay or something that could be yanked out of the fuse box to shut down the power for situations like this??? That sounds like bad news.

Scott



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2001 HO 6spd 4x4 Dually - Jacobs E-Brake w/shifter switch, WAAG nerf bars with dually kickouts and Dodge/Cummins rear mud flaps.

 

[TomC]

Just a thought- when I used to drive the "big" trucks with a Cummins in them the starter would stick when the batteries were a little weak. What we did was use a hammer to tap on the solenoid since it would weld itself together and run on. There might be a power wire running from the starter to the fuel solenoid so it will be sure to get power when starting.
Tom

 

[Missouri Mule]

Treb and who it may concerned , I had several similar episodes with strong batteries. But my truck always shut down after a few minutes or less (after I turned off engine) starter never smoked.
The starter always made a whirring sound.

I had thought that pulling starter relay would stop it but Hemi-Dart tried that root and disconnecting connector between shut off solenoid and shut off relay with no results. Well it did kill the engine but the starter still kept going. He also took hammer to starter with no luck.

But I did research thru old service book where it stated if starter gear stuck in fly wheel (sorry don't remember cause, will have to look up)on manual trans engaging and dis engaging clutch would kick it back toward starter(auto trans vehcicles have to take starter off to do same thing). This worked last time it did it.
Since then I have fixed fuel lines an replaced contact point in solenoid. No re-occurence as of now.
If above does not work as illflem stated get your negative cables off. No ground no power.
I think diesel fuel welded/arched (or at least hepled early deteriation of) contacts points, or the angle of plunger as one contact point got worn down would stick in down position. But just guessing.


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Bill Thomas
Missouri Mule - 96 Wht 4X4 ST CC,5 spd, 3. 54, 8 ft bed, 1 ft high cheater boards.
99 Freightliner bl/wht FL60 ISB-5. 9 24v,215 hp,520 tq,6 spd, 3. 59 nsr,16 ft box, 19. 5 tires,Wt/gvw 11,000/23000

 

[HEMI®Dart]

I have been through that too Treb. I was lucky. I was at work when it happened and I didn't have my battery cables on real tight. I could just twist them off.

SSJL, Only way I could shut down the starter was to disconnect the batteries.

Tom, I wrapped on my starter & solenoid as it was engauged with a small sledge hammer. Nothing.


Treb, Good info in this thread: https://www.turbodieselregister.com/ubb//Forum1/HTML/002117.html

[This message has been edited by HEMI®Dart (edited 05-08-2001). ]

 

[Missouri Mule]

Food for thought.
Is it possible for the fuel shut off solenoid coils have power(electricity) to jump between coils?
Say the ignition coil side(which holds the rod up in run mode) has power jump to starter coil side(which pushes/pulls rod all the way to top in start mode- where the ignition run mode holds it in place)?

Treb several things you can do to check system out. You will need a test light/test lights and test lead (solid metal wire works good). I will e-mail you tommorow night with info/tips how to do.