Glow Plug Frustration

[rockchuk]

I have read most everything in this forum for the past week and need a little help. I need to know if the voltage readings on the controller that I have sounds correct. Also If i have miss matched plugs will that have an effect with the controller.

I have a 1991 F350 4X4 dually flatbed 7.3, 5 sp manual hubs, std. cab. I am down to the glow plug part of the motor. All the wires on the controller are connected correctly and have a good clean tight connection. The batteries are at 12.34 volts. I have 12.34 volts at the battery side of the controller. The 2 yellow wires were melted at the plug. I replaced them with the correct size of wire and lugs. When I turn the key on I have 11.05 volts at the ignition terminal and the WTS light is on. At the main glow plug terminal I have 11.95 volts when it is cycling. When the light goes out the main glow plug terminal has 5.05 volts. I also checked each glow plug terminal and they are the same voltage.

I started this project a month ago. 2 weeks ago I started the motor with difficulty. The motor when warmed up runs great and zero smoke. I tested the glow plugs at that time and 6 of the 8 were bad. I had some old glow plugs and tested those and found 5 ones that worked. Needed one more and went to the auto parts store and bought an autolite plug. Now with 8 I put them in and thought I had the glow plug problem licked.

Today I tried to start the truck and very hard to start. Thinking it might be glow plugs I decided to test them again the simply way and use a test light. 3 were good and 5 were bad. The autolite was bad and wouldn't come out. Did the dill thing and it come? It was budged. I have known idea what brand the rest of the plugs are. I am ready to quite chasing my tail and start fresh.

 

[gonecrazyi]

I have never tried autolights but have had problems with them swelling in parts motors. Its a general consensus here to only use motocraft beru blugs from germany. I have a few bosch plugs in mine though that I worked well for the last 4 years without any problems. Mine starts right when you bump the key when the plugs are used.

 

[adamg]

i used 8 autolite plugs on my truck and they only worked for about a week. I tested them all a few weeks later and they were all junk. I think the solution is to buy good plugs, buy cheap ones and its just a waste of money.

I think i left mine on to long and burned em out. They are setup on a momentary switch and i was holding for 10 sec then starting. My hard start issue was a fuel leak...now i need 8 new plugs.

 

[adamg]

double post..weird. only clicked once

 

[gatorman21218]

http://dieselfiltersonline.com/Zd9-Ford-7-3-Liter-Diesel-Motorcraft-Glow-Plug-Zd9.aspx

I too have had autolites swole up in the hole. My advice to you is to click on the link and order 8 glowplugs. thats the cheapest ive found.

Start with that and go from there. there are numerous reasons why it can be hard to start

 

[rockchuk]

Have you found the diesel filter online a good site to deal with? I also was starting with a fresh fuel filter. They had motocraft filters for $25

 

[RedTruck]

Maybe this has already been covered, but when you had 8 working glow plugs did it start easily when it was cold?

How cold is cold?

 

[rockchuk]

It has been in the 30's. It kinda of strated ok but at the first but I really don't have any good strating history. ( meaning I have been fixing all the little things) bad wiring, bad glow plugs,no check valve at the filter and so on. I have been chasing my tail on this for 2 weeks. I think I will order a new fuel filter and 8 motocraft glow plugs. I have another controller and I am going to check it out to see if it works. Install the new plugs and controller. Try to srart it and take notice. Then plug it in and start it again( let it sit over night) and go from there

 

[Flagship]

FWIW, just trying to give you a base line, I can leave my truck outside for several days and, after the WTS light goes out, it will start within 10 seconds of cranking even when temps are -17. It misses one cylinder for about 10 seconds and then runs fine.

If I plug it in for about 8 hours, it'll start like I just shut it off. It won't even go to high idle.

I find it starts a little easier and a little smoother when I dose it with Power Service.

I love being able to park it, leave it for 12 hours or so, and know I'm not walking home!

Hope you get your's like this.

 

[RedTruck]

Once warm you say it runs fine, but if you let it sit for an hour does it fire up ok?

 

[gatorman21218]

Have you found the diesel filter online a good site to deal with? I also was starting with a fresh fuel filter. They had motocraft filters for $25

Yes Ive bought two sets of plugs over the years (most recently last month) and have not had a problem.

As far as the fuel filters go, I went to filterbarn.com and got International brand filters for around 9 bucks a piece. Of course I ordered 12 to get the 100 dollar and up free shipping deal.

Sometimes a gp problem can be compounded by other engine problem(s). If you have weak batteries, a worn IP, corroded cables etc, the truck may start with all 8 plugs working. but as soon as you loose one or two plugs, the other problems compound the situation and the result is no starting.

I would consider cranking speed to be as if not more important than glowplugs. You have to remember that diesels use the heat from compression to ignite the fuel, and therefore the faster the air is compressed, the hotter the air is going to be, and the hotter the air is, the more likely it is to ignite the fuel. On the other hand, glowplugs heat the air in the precup, but once you turn the engine over a couple of times, all that heated air goes out the exhaust port. even though the plugs are still hot, they now only have a fraction of a second to heat the air instead of the 10 seconds before you turn the key. So those first 2 revolutions of cranking are going to give you the best shot at starting.

 

[franklin2]

I have read most everything in this forum for the past week and need a little help.

I don't believe the above statement. If you read all the glowplug threads, you would have seen over and over don't buy any brand of glowplug except Motorcraft/Beru. You would have also read the controller will not work it's best without the Motorcraft/Beru type plug. And then you go buy a autolite and put it in your engine?

 

[rockchuk]

When all there is available borsch our autolite over the counter and you only need one. To see your truck will start for the first time and you having been working on installing to motor for 2 weeks. Remember I have never owned an IDI motor ever and I don't ever expect to be an expert. I usually do all the work myself and didn't think that brand of glow plugs were so critical. Now I know

 

[rockchuk]

Thanks for the tip gatorman. I just ordered 8 plugs and a filter from www.dieselfiltersonline.com hope they come soon

 

[86F3504x4]

I ordered "constsant duty" glow plugs and installed them about 4 years ago.
Haven't had one starting problem from glow plugs since. At $30.00 a pop, they're expensive but never have to worry about them.