Kawasaki Mule diesel

[whizznbyu]

I have a utility vehicle with a 3 cylinder diesel. Right about 19 years old. Battery is about 2 months old. When starting, the glow plug light turns on, and disappears and turn the key and the motor starts, just like a diesel. Today, when the glow plug went out and I turned the key to engage the starter, I think the solenoid tried to engage the starter but didn't turn it. It sounded like the way a weak battery tries to turn a starter. Then starter noise stopped with the key in the start position, . I released the key, turned it off, and the glow plug light stayed on even with the key pulled out.
The only way to turn the glow plug light off was to disconnect the battery. Disconnected and reconnected, and the light stayed off. Turned the key on, and glow plug light stayed on and never went away, starter would not engage. Turned key off, glow plug light stayed on. Disconnected battery cable, light out.

What could have happened?

 

[Fourdiesel]

Sounds like a stuck relay or a failed glow plug controller/relay.
Unless it is cold weather you probably don't really need the relay anyway. Try disconnecting the power to the glow plug relay and see what happens.
The starter not engaging is a bigger puzzle. Try seeing if voltage is present when it should be all the way to the starter solenoid and make sure that solenoid works. (apply +12V to the solenoid coil contact)\Good luck.

 

[Mozambiquer]

Sounds like a stuck relay or a failed glow plug controller/relay.
Unless it is cold weather you probably don't really need the relay anyway. Try disconnecting the power to the glow plug relay and see what happens.
The starter not engaging is a bigger puzzle. Try seeing if voltage is present when it should be all the way to the starter solenoid and make sure that solenoid works. (apply +12V to the solenoid coil contact)\Good luck.

I've seen on Kawasaki mules where the voltage at the starter solenoid is low which will cause it to not crank, check the voltage at the start solenoid, and make sure you're getting 12 volts at the start terminal.

 

[Tom in PT]

You might not need the glow plugs at all. I have a 20 year old Yanmar 3 cyl diesel and although it has glow plugs they are not needed even below freezing. If your battery is good (per last post) and the starter still does not crank the engine, remove it from the engine and take it to a shop that refurbishes alternators and starters or find a rebuild kit and do it yourself.