EESS Issues

tgejesse · Dec 31, 2021

Action said:
Maybe i misunderstood what the guy in your linked video said. I got the impression that he removed the start wire from the back of starter switch and let it hang. Then put a new wire into the switch, leading to his glowplug relay. Now he can turn the plugs on with the start switch. BUT, how does he start the truck? I didnt hear him say to splice the 2 wires at the switch. The starter wire is just hanging under the dash.
And you cant splice those or it will crank before plugs are hot.

The video addresses two problems. Starter and glow plugs, I think you're mixing them.

Retiredwarhorses · Dec 31, 2021

tgejesse said:
Its beat to death twice weekly because its a very real issue. Everyone experiencing this for the first time has to go down the same rabbit hole of PCB, EESS, S3, Narturon, KDS.... its not a very clear answer. Instead of confusing people who are not very technical when it comes to electronics, they should be pointed towards user friendly and well documented guidance.

I've done almost a full 24 hours of research on this issue and have read every thread I can find on this forum. I've spoken to experienced members on this topic like TOBASH on the phone. He has a great solution but has yet to come to market with it or created an instructional video on how to make it.

The most user friendly workaround I've found for this awful "smart" army solution was a simple relay and a new glow plug harness: Here

I think guidance to first timers with this issue should be:
1) Install grounding harness (regardless)
2) Look for shorts / open the box and see if there is any visible damage, if so see if it can be fixed... ie. replacing the mosfets.
3) Decide if you have $1k fun money to toss on a new S3 box and hope you don't one day fry the box again.
4) Create your own custom glow plug solution for less than $150 using a 24v 200amp relay some wires and a momentary switch.... and leave the "smart" box in the past.

Yes, I'm over simplifying it but... there should to be a sticky with the best knowledge surrounding this issue if it's a "twice weekly" issue.
There's a lot of information, but its all over the place and its not clear who knows what they are talking about and who doesn't.
So instead of the "use the search bar bro" method maybe senior members with all the "expertise" should band together to come up with a single sticky with the best information available for this issue. It would surly benefit the greater community and reduce the number of these threads.

BS, it’s beat to death because folks won’t use the search function….and please don’t tell me about banding together, I’ve written my fair share of white papers on this and other issues in the past 30yrs on these trucks.
i try not to reinvent the wheel, TACOM has been dealing with these issue for 30yrs, they have identified the main reasons
why in many cases from the PCB to the S3 EESS where the failures are, since the EESS, it’s mostly user induced.
I don’t have these issue on S3 boxes, I’ve owed hundreds of trucks, are there failures? Sure, like anything electrical with an 18yr old Pvt and. GT score of 55 and not following best practices outlined in training and at Tech school.
FYI, the push button glow plug solution is as old as the 6.2 engine, same sort of issues on the civilian line of GM truck’s that uses this same IDI Diesel engine.
FYI, a PCB is a “protective control box” same as used in most tactical vehicles since the 1980’s, there is a bit more going on in a PCB/EESS box than Turning on your glow plug timer for 9 seconds.
The biggest problem with these boxes is the mis-information that folks spew about these boxes…

EESS Issues

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tgejesse

Well-known member

Retiredwarhorses

Well-known member