I am driving a 1991 ford e350 cutaway van with an ambulance package. Utalitarianly great, but this starting problem is leaving me stranded. I recently drove up to Oregon and had problems cold starting. Changed all 8 glow plugs, glow plug controller, fuel filter, air filter, oil change. All was finally going well for 2 days. I came back down to California and not my WTS light isn't coming on when I turn the key. I ran a volt meter across the Glow plug controller and this is what I got:

Key off: 2 large post 12 volts
1.7 volts to the always hot (across from bendy metal strip)
0 to key power (white)
key on: 0.25v across 2 big posts
1.45v control to big post

It is not working to jumper across the two big posts to force the glow plugs on (at least it didn't last night). Is it possible I fried a fusable link? If so where would it be? I checked all the fuses by my feet and all were good. I have no PCM fuse, not even sure if I have a PCM. I am traveling for work right now and this is happening at the worst possible time for me.

Also the horn is only working intermittently, and my tag light went out and didn't respond to new bulbs, not sure if that has to do with anything.

Thanks for your time.

 

I have put the old timer back in and now the wts light is flashing on and then immediately off again. As it did before I changed the glow plugs.

 

I had something similar happen a few years back turned out I had gotten defective GP from napa 3 of the 8 where bad replaced the old new ones and it solved the problem.

 

Check the wires that connect to your glow plugs and to your relay. I just found 3 wires that are shorting in the harness, I taped them up and it solved my problem.

 

Ok new glow plugs, just the motocraft ones right? Also, can defective glow plugs be returned?

How do I go about checking the wires? They appear good, but are packed so tightly into the van that I can't see much. When I changed my fuel filter A LOT of diesel sprayed all over the top of the motor. could this have something to do with it in your opinion?

 

You can use a volt meter with a continuity check youll have to disconnect the wires that connect to your glow plugs and take it out of the harness and disconnect it from the gpr (glow plug relay) put one lead to the end that came off the gpr and the other end to each connection one at a time, if it beeps your good if not you have a short.

as far as the fuel pressure that could be an indication of a clogged fuel line or a bad fuel pump ( the spring inside the pump can break ) if you have a high pressure fuel pump with stock gp's you might want to go back to a stock pump.

 

OK. So he cliking was a blown auto light glow plug, and I changed the all out for motocrft. Now I have no wts light at all. I did reurn my brand new cntrl module (th solid state) will try rebuying it but am at a loss...

 

I changed the fuel filter and the gasket at the water separator leaked for short while, puddles of diesel where the glow plugs sit. I guess it burned some out since the relay started clicking. I changed the relay and the plugs and it went back to normal, but they burned out again after a few days since I put in autolights instead of motorcraft. Replaced them again with the motorcraft, replaced a fuseable link, the relay and timer. Basically every part in the circuit has been replaced. Before I replaced the fuel filter and the weather got cold it was starting every time like a champ. Now I have to have the engine heater plugged it. Today after putting the new glow plug relay and control module in, I jumpered across the timer with a pair of jumper cables and the wts light came on and it did its usual when it wants to start but by that point the batteries were running low and I was not able to repeat the process and get the light to come on.

 

Ok. So another new piece to the puzzle, No power to the FSS, fuel shutoff solenoid. I think it may have fried when I had my fuel leak, or blew the fuse. Anybody know where the Power Distribution box in the engine compartment is, after months of headache and hundreds of dollars I would be tickled silly if it is just a fuse...