realtime manual glow plug help

[raunch]

I am making the switch today and getting rid of the factory glow plug controller on an '83 suburban. I just can't find the right wires to tap into. I started by following a diagram based on the Ford solenoid method, and just applying the same connections to my existing solenoid on the firewall. This method removes the connector to the little terminals. I then ran a wire from one of the little terminals to my push button switch, and from my push button switch to the large terminal on the battery side of my existing solenoid. Turned on the key, pushed the button, and nothing.

I tried a couple of other things with the two wires from the little terminals (pink w/black stripe & blue-green) with no results. So I am guessing the those two wires are not part of what I need to do. That confuses me; if I unplug that connector to the little terminals the glow plugs will not come on, even if the factory controller was working. Before I go hacking up any more wires, I want to make sure I know the right wires to hack.

Thanks for the help.

[DmaxMaverick]

Make sure the relay is grounded. If it's bolted to sheet metal, R/clean/R it, or supply an independent ground. If it won't engage when grounded and power applied to the small pole, the relay is dead. Check the resistance between the small pole and case. If it's open, it's dead. About $15 gets you a brand new Ford starter relay.

[raunch]

Thanks. I did some more searching and found out that how I hooked it all up was not grounded. I just hooked the blue wire from the little terminal connector to the switch and grounded the other wire out of the switch, turned the key on, pushed the button, and it worked. Woo Hoo!