Manual glow plug button good temp fix?

[Cubey]

Out of Limit

Hmm a website I just now read actually says “Some models say “OL” (Open-Loop)“.

In any case, that’s what I got on two plugs.

I wonder what the number of bad plugs it takes to really cause this level of a problem.

The voltage reading on my plug in meter only drops to about 11.2v now, with the plugs manuy turned on. It initially drops to 10.x but goes back up. I know it used to read 9.x with the glow plugs on back in February, so I guess half or more went bad. Sheesh.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

I'd say that it's time to start replacing them.

 

[Cubey]

I'd say that it's time to start replacing them.

Probably so. They are cheap on Amazon for genuine Motorcraft ones. About $40 less for the set vs O’Reilly. At least I got paid a little bit today for changing a Taurus thermostat for a friend’s daughter’s car. That pays half the cost of the plugs. I’ll probably order them tomorrow, after my morning full readings.

 

[madpogue]

OL means you're Out of Luck..... And yeah, it's high time to replace them. I think even Dave Ramsey would say you're doing right toward paying down debt by driving an older vehicle. But he wouldn't tell you to skimp on maintenance. You're already ahead of most people in debt with your DIY option.

Meanwhile, I would seriously think about disconnecting the bad plugs. No direct experience, but I wonder if continuing to run bad glow plugs might increase the risk that they'll swell and create problems on removal.

 

[Cubey]

Meanwhile, I would seriously think about disconnecting the bad plugs. No direct experience, but I wonder if continuing to run bad glow plugs might increase the risk that they'll swell and create problems on removal.

If a plug has no resistance, it’s basically like a burned out light bulb. It uses no power because the element is broken inside. They can’t swell if they don’t even heat up anymore. That’s why my voltage reading doesn’t drop as much as it once did with the plugs on, because several plugs are no longer pulling power.

 

[Cubey]

Eh I won’t bother testing resistance on them until I pull them out for replacement. I just ordered the new plugs, $68 on Amazon with free slow shipping and a little over a dollar in points I redeemed. They are supposed to be delivered between the 2nd and 7th. I’ll just have to deal until then. Retail pricing of $106 with tax is a big difference. I can stand to wait a week longer, I suppose.

The manual switch will probably stay hooked up anyway after the new plugs are installed.

 

[madpogue]

If a plug has no resistance, it’s basically like a burned out light bulb. It uses no power because the element is broken inside. They can’t swell if they don’t even heat up anymore. That’s why my voltage reading doesn’t drop as much as it once did with the plugs on, because several plugs are no longer pulling power.

If a plug has no resistance, it's shorting to ground (or at least potentially shunting a LOT of current to ground). A glow plug with a broken element, like a burned out light bulb, has infinite resistance. Those aren't the ones to worry about. The ones with too-low or no resistance are the ones to be concerned about.

 

[Cubey]

Well, yesterday I did leave one disconnected that I got no reading on, then checked voltage with the rest of then plugs on, but it made no difference in the voltage reading. So I put it back. Only one terminal seems a little loose, the drivers side nearest to the firewall.

I only had a little trouble starting this morning but it was a little warmer and I stepped on the throttle more when cranking as per I’ve read was suggested by Ford for cold starting.

 

[franklin2]

Have you checked the wiring at the plug near the A/C box? If it's burnt up like most are, that can cause a power starvation problem to the plugs, those two fat yellow wires are what supply the power to the glowplug relay and the glowplugs. It's either been fixed before, or it's melted.

When I had 3 bad glowplugs, it would start right up and keep running, but it would miss and run rough and smoke like crazy till those cylinders started kicking in. It would take about 10 seconds of running and they would all finally be firing. But it would always fire off and run. And it was in the 30's and lower that winter.

 

[Cubey]

Have you checked the wiring at the plug near the A/C box? If it's burnt up like most are, that can cause a power starvation problem to the plugs, those two fat yellow wires are what supply the power to the glowplug relay and the glowplugs. It's either been fixed before, or it's melted.

They look fine and original. It’s overhanging from the wheel well, between the alternator and vacuum pump. After the connector, they appear to go over to a fusible link at the starter solenoid on the fender, but I didn’t look super close. Something in the bundle does.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Sidewinded_idi]

What’s weird is after doing this my controller seems to be working better. Before it would only light up for a second. After two days of manually holding them 8-10 seconds my wts light is now almost back to staying on normal time

 

[KZF250]

Pressing the gas peddle allows the plunger to activate when your cold advance solenoid kicks in. It bumps up the idle speed and only needs the peddle pressed once after the solenoid is triggered.

 

[OLDBULL8]

Pressing the gas peddle allows the plunger to activate when your cold advance solenoid kicks in. It bumps up the idle speed and only needs the peddle pressed once after the solenoid is triggered.

Your partially correct. Pressing the go peddle once after the key is turned on before start lets the Cold Hi Idle Solenoid plunger extend , the Cold Advance Solenoid is in the IP fuel control cap, that Advances the IP timing, holding the IP throttle open, the cam on the IP throttle shaft will advance the IP timing even more.
If the Go Peddle (Throttle) is not cycled once to the floor, the Cold Hi Idle Solenoid coil can burn out, there expensive if you can even find one.

 

[franklin2]

They look fine and original. It’s overhanging from the wheel well, between the alternator and vacuum pump. After the connector, they appear to go over to a fusible link at the starter solenoid on the fender, but I didn’t look super close. Something in the bundle does.

You must be registered for see images attach

Unplug that connector and look at it close. I can't believe it's not melted. That would be a rare one.

 

[Cubey]

Unplug that connector and look at it close. I can't believe it's not melted. That would be a rare one.

I’m not going to mess with it right now. Old plastic like that has a habit of breaking if you start pulling connections apart.

When I was looking around for that one, I saw another that looked cracked up, probably from somebody pulling them apart.

It was fine earlier this year in February when I got it, so I suspect it’s probably the plugs. It would be funny if it suddenly melted this summer, after 30 years.

It looks like the new glow plugs might be here Tuesday, so I’ll probably get to install them Wednesday.

Any old ones that still show good resistance will be kept as emergency spares.