Pretty sure the stealership is lying

[mankypro]

So, when I first got my 6.9 I had the stealership replace my glow plug controller. Recently it died. Since the work that was done by the stealership is warranted for a year I decided to take it back to have the controller replaced under warranty. I no longer go to these folks for anything I use local mechs who are faster, more courteous and less expensive.

I get a call from them after two days this afternoon and the service advisor says 7/8 of your glow plugs are dead and so is the controller.

Would the truck start - even if warm - with just one glow plug operational? The symptoms were that it wouldn't start unless connected to the block heater and the gp light wouldn't turn on. MY truck has the upgraded heavy duty glow plugs. So that is the first question. Could a dead controller burn out my gps? I think this is highly suspect and that this is the advisor simply trying to make more money off of me.

#2 he quoted me the replacement of the glow plugs at 500.00 and change - something like $29.00/pc on part plus the labor. How many hours of work is there in replacing 8 glow plugs? The 29.00 figure for the gp's is a few bucks more than I could get the heavy duty ones for.

Anyway help me figure this one out folks. My God I'm never going back there again no matter what. I don't trust them not to short out my glow plugs at this point.

 

[FordGuy100]

Yes, a Glow plug controller can cause GP to burn out. In fact it is pretty common for the 6.9 controller to burn out on the on position, so it burns out all the plugs.

The truck should start if warm, dont expect it to fire right away, it will take some cranking to build up some heat in the cylinders.

Beru/motorcraft glow plugs are like half that price they quoted you. It should only be a couple hour job at the most.

 

[Diesel JD]

I would take it home and not let these guys do anything to it. Even without any glow plugs a healthy 6.9 will start when warm. Just bring it home and fix it yourself, these guys don't know IDI engines or they want to score some big $$$ at your expense. I really wouldn't trust them to do it right. Make sure you bring each piston to TDC when working on it just in case you have a swelled or broken off tip so you can suck it out. I'd also get the manual momentary toggle you spoke of and upgrade to the AC Delco 12V glow plugs. They may cost a few more bucks but they are meant for 12V of current and they will probably last a very very long time. Ask for the plugs for a 78 Delta 88 Olds with the 350 diesel. Will fit like a glove and a lot cheaper than so called constant duty plugs. They won't heat up as fast but you should be able to leave them on as long as you need to to get an easy start. The other option is to replace it with International's solid state upgrade kit, but that will cost you around 200-300 bucks. Solid state controllers may eventually burn out some glow plugs but usually failure is a safe mode and plugs last several years and many many starts. Those guys didn't even know not to plug in an 84 due to the casting defect...do you really expect them to do a great job on the rest of the service?

 

[Andylad13]

your paying someone else to do work that you

a: dont want to do, or

b: dont know how to do

when you pay for someone's knowledge....it's always expensive. its real easy to do the plugs. and if you've never done it before, concider it an easy way to gain more knowledge of your engine. do that and a momentary switch with ac delco's, and you shouldnt have anymore problems with startup.

 

[rap69ri]

I bought some Motorcraft ZD1A glow plugs at Autozone in my area 3 weeks ago for $.01 each. When I was there they said the other store a few miles away had some as well. If you can't find any in your area let me know and I'll have look to see if they still have them, and priority mail them to you.

 

[Diesel JD]

Nothing wrong with using the ZD1As especially if they are that cheap. I have some ZD1As 7 of them you can have them for the cost of shipping, then you only need one...if you like.

 

[Joe Mc]

Who is the stealer so I don't use them by accident?

Without a turbo the glow-plugs are right on top of the engine and easy to get at, less than an hour to change them, if there are not any problems.

The last time a Colorado Ford dealer touched one of my cars was 24 years ago in Greeley. They lifted the back of my 69 Mustang by the bumper, something ALL the ford manuals tell you not to do...

The car came off the jack and out the door.

 

[KR69IDI]

I did the whole momentary switch deal for a little while and I just didn't care for it. Ended up with the Int. solid state kit and I love it. No worries about starting period!! Best thing I've done to the truck, not that I've done a whole lot.

 

[6 Nebraska IDIs]

The Beru ZD1A's are the best 6.9 glow plug ever made. All trucks came stock with them, and we never had to put a single plug in our grandpas 83. It lived for well over 650k and still had the original Beru plugs in it.

They are ****** you on that glow plug job! No freakin way is it worth $500+!!!! I did a friends truck a little while ago including cost of the ZD1A's I charged him $160. Took me an hour and a half to take out and put the new plugs in.

 

[hesutton]

The reason most guys go with a manual glow plug system with the 6.9 is because of this very senerio. The 6.9 (83-86) controller tends to fail to turn off (i.e. in the "ON" position) and will burn the plugs continuously until they burn out or it burns out, whichever comes first. It sounds like it burned 7/8 before it died completely.

The controller and GP job is quick without a turbo in the way. I think they are charging you the price for a PSD GP job. They are under the valve covers and I can see them charging that price to do PSD GP's, BUT NOT ON AN IDI.

Heath

 

[JPR]

One thing to watch for is leaking injector return caps once you finish with the glow plugs. If the o-rings are old, they only take a small bump to begin leaking. Not a big issue, a $25 cap, line and o-ring kit and you can replace everything.

 

[84TD]

Pretty sure the stealership is lying

Me to!!! Dood, I will walk you through the whole process before I see you spend $500 on glow plugs. PM me if you need any help.

 

[seawalkersee]

Ended up with the Int. solid state kit and I love it. No worries about starting period!! Best thing I've done to the truck, not that I've done a whole lot.

Got a link or a page to show/explain it to those of us who dont know?

Chris

 

[Diesel JD]

If you go strictly by the book you could make a big deal out of it. The hardest part to do "right" is to hook up that blue glow plug indicator light signal wire so that the "glow plug" lamp will come on only when the engine is first started "not in the afterglow cycle" like on the 6.9s, but the system is already wired so that the light gets juice whenever the glow plugs do, so I just leave it like that. It really simplifies things. IH used to and may still have the upgrade kit, including the 8 new glow plugs, don't know if they still do. Hoss69 posted the directions for doing it by the book, one time...don't know if you could pull it up with the search engine or not.

 

[160k87F250]

29 a piece for glow plugs. That is 232.00 in parts alone. Figure 1 hour of check out time to figure out whats wrong and give the estimate. What is the labor rate? We charge 78/hour. Figure 2 hours to install the plugs, hoping nothing goes wrong on a 20 some year old vehicle. Add tax and shop supplies, 500.00 doesn't seem too far off. A little pricey, but I wouldn't say they are blatently "ripping you off". If you know so much, replace the glow plugs yourself, and take it back for the controller.