Push Button GP Setup

jayro88

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So in preparing for winter I am going through my GP's and replacing any that are needed. My WTS light isn't staying on as long as it should (about half as long), so am thinking I have a plug or two burned out. If not I an thinking I will just switch it to a manual push button so I don't have to worry about the controller etc.

If I remember right it is as simple as running a wire from one of the controller posts through a push button to ground. Is that correct? If so, which one?

I did a search, but didn't come across a thread that specifically lays it out.....although it could be that I just search right. Thanks
 

franklin2

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If you controller looks like the picture below, simply take the white wire off and tape it good. Then put a new wire where the white wire once was, run the new wire into the cab, put it to one side of a pushbutton switch, and wire the other side of the switch to a good ground under the dash somewhere.

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glow plug controller
 

jayro88

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If you controller looks like the picture below, simply take the white wire off and tape it good. Then put a new wire where the white wire once was, run the new wire into the cab, put it to one side of a pushbutton switch, and wire the other side of the switch to a good ground under the dash somewhere.

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glow plug controller

Thanks.

In the linked thread it talks about keeping the white wire on the GP controller as well. That way the GPs will function as normal when you turn the key to the on position, but it also allows for you to manually push the button as needed. I may try try that route so I have the option. While the job isn’t terrible, changing GPs in an IDI van isn’t a job I would want to do in a parking lot in freezing temps because it won’t start. I would much rather get it home where I can turn on the heater and enjoy a frosty beverage while wrenching.

Do u know if the WTS light turns on when you push the GP button? From the picture it looks like the wire that leads to it comes out of the controller part, not the relay part.


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Jason1377

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Thanks.

In the linked thread it talks about keeping the white wire on the GP controller as well. That way the GPs will function as normal when you turn the key to the on position, but it also allows for you to manually push the button as needed. I may try try that route so I have the option. While the job isn’t terrible, changing GPs in an IDI van isn’t a job I would want to do in a parking lot in freezing temps because it won’t start. I would much rather get it home where I can turn on the heater and enjoy a frosty beverage while wrenching.

Do u know if the WTS light turns on when you push the GP button? From the picture it looks like the wire that leads to it comes out of the controller part, not the relay part.


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Been wondering that same thing if the wts comes on or not with a push button
 

snicklas

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Honestly, I don't remember. I don't think it does, because its the controller that is turning on the light, not the relay being energized. But, you will hear the relay engage. If you are using the push button, you are the wait to start light. I could confirm this weekend, have a glow plug system to work on.
 

jwalterus

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Tap the WTS light wire (I can't remember the color at the moment) into your switched ground and it'll come on when you push it.
 

franklin2

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Really unnecessary to hook the light up or keep the white wire hooked up. Like someone said, you hear the "thunk" from the relay when it comes on, and if you have a volt gauge in the dash, you will see it drop to about 8 volts when the plugs are glowing. And manual is manual, if the controller is not working very well now, it is never going to work well until the problem is fixed, I just forget it and disconnect the white wire, when I let off the button, the glow plugs are off.

With this manual setup, the engine will start with some bad glow plugs. I started mine in the very cold winter with 3 bad plugs with the manual switch. It miss-fired like crazy on those 3 cylinders till they warmed up, but it did start and get me through till I got time to replace the 3 bad ones. No way would it have started with the controller and even one bad glowplug.
 

jayro88

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Just got a notification that my set of 8 plugs arrived in the mail today. Good timing because we are supposed to be in the low 20s tonight.

With all 8 GP my van would start fine after sitting in single digit temps. I just want to avoid the situation where I burn 1-2 out and then get stuck because it won’t start.


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Cubey

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I'm thinking about running a constant hot wire to the ignition terminal and having the white wire on a manual push button.

Why you may ask?

With an electric fuel pump, you have the potential to fill a cylinder with fuel, if I'm not mistaken. Turning the key turns on the fuel pump, so its sitting there pumping while youre running your glow plugs a cycle or more. If an injector is open, fuel will be pumped into the cylinder without the engine rotating.

Previously, I had my push button wired up but i switched back to the controller for a reason i can't remember now. I need to get off my lazy butt and do this extra mod. There's no point for those with the mechanical pump.
 

Thewespaul

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I'm thinking about running a constant hot wire to the ignition terminal and having the white wire on a manual push button.

Why you may ask?

With an electric fuel pump, you have the potential to fill a cylinder with fuel, if I'm not mistaken. Turning the key turns on the fuel pump, so its sitting there pumping while youre running your glow plugs a cycle or more. If an injector is open, fuel will be pumped into the cylinder without the engine rotating.

Previously, I had my push button wired up but i switched back to the controller for a reason i can't remember now. I need to get off my lazy butt and do this extra mod. There's no point for those with the mechanical pump.
That’s possible with a carb or gas injection, but not on these diesels. There’s no way for 5 psi inlet pressure to open a 2000 psi injector, and unless the engine is turning, there’s no physical path between the inlet of the pump and the injector, when the engine is off the fuel flow is dead headed in the pump
 

jayro88

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I'm thinking about running a constant hot wire to the ignition terminal and having the white wire on a manual push button.

Why you may ask?

With an electric fuel pump, you have the potential to fill a cylinder with fuel, if I'm not mistaken. Turning the key turns on the fuel pump, so its sitting there pumping while youre running your glow plugs a cycle or more. If an injector is open, fuel will be pumped into the cylinder without the engine rotating.

Previously, I had my push button wired up but i switched back to the controller for a reason i can't remember now. I need to get off my lazy butt and do this extra mod. There's no point for those with the mechanical pump.

So in this setup you could glow the plugs without the key being in the on position, correct?

While I guess it may be possible if an injectors is completely open for fuels to run out, I am thinking this would be very unlikely.

1. This would be the case with or without the controller. There a a lot of electric fuel pumps out there on these IDIs and I have never heard of anything like this happening.
2. I believe the injectors are pressure activated. Unless there was a complete and absolute failure of one some how I don’t see how the fuel pump could provide pressure anywhere close to enough to cause an injector to open....even a terribly worn one.

Setting it up like you are saying would work fine to run the plugs and start it. I don’t see any huge drawbacks, but I also don’t see and big benefits. But that’s just me. If you want to then have at it.


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Cubey

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That’s possible with a carb or gas injection, but not on these diesels. There’s no way for 5 psi inlet pressure to open a 2000 psi injector, and unless the engine is turning, there’s no physical path between the inlet of the pump and the injector, when the engine is off the fuel flow is dead headed in the pump

So, what opens the injectors pressure wise if not fuel pump pressure? The injector pump itself when rotating? I guess i misunderstood how it works. Now that I think about it, i guess that makes sense. It is a pump after all. I was just concerned about pumping fuel into a cylinder with the key turned but not cranking it.
 
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