Looking into replacing Glow plug wiring harness any good one out there.

Joseph Davis · Nov 29, 2017

I have a stock 1990 F250 4x4 HD 7.3l IDI without Turbo and was checking out prices. Where are the good one at?

So when I am ready I can knock it out and be happy.

the truck had a wire fry because old Owner used 20g wire tripled up to power up glow plugs? I replace all the tripled up wires and went back to 10g got a new Glow plug relay (from Napa) not installed yet. But read in another post I should use White Rodgers glow plug relay. What do you Think? and what works best?

I would like to only do the Glow plug system once! and I am looking for good advice. Thanks Oil Burner's

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rhkcommander · Nov 30, 2017

I've never heard of white rodgers glow plug relay...

If you use the glow plug controller, I would find a stock setup. Otherwise here is how I did it:

I didn't want to have anything go wrong on my truck so I made things simpler, push button starter to protect the steering wheel ignition components, and push button glowplugs. I also added a flip switch right at the starter relay in case I need to crank it while I'm under the hood.

I can control when and how much time is used to heat the plugs at the touch of a finger. No more relying on the old controller, which goes to crap if you have any glow plugs not working. When I bought my truck it would click on and off repeatedly just because of that, not get hot enough, and be a bear to start.

I made my own harness - from the relay to the glowplugs each plug got 14 gauge wire, more than enough for our plugs. Bullet connectors fit the glow plugs very well, I used heat shrink to help protect the connectors. I sleeved each wire for added protection from heat and rubbing. Each wire is ran to the relay, no soldered tees or fusible links to fail like the stock harness. Zip ties to help keep everything sorted, I ran it so I can take the harness off without having to cut any ties. I believe I am still using the original two-wire setup that goes to power the relay, I want to say they are two 8- or 10- gauge either brown or yellow wires but I don't recall right now.

I cant recall anyone using a custom harness with the stock controller, but if it were me and my truck and I was dead set on using the controller, I'd have an override push button ready to go for manual control. No fun being stranded or having to jump the relay when its below freezing. And I cannot suggest a push button starter setup enough, once you snap the pot metal ignition fork thing (I forget what it is technically called) in the steering wheel you'll know why!

79jasper · Nov 30, 2017

The white Rodgers isn't a glowplug relay. It's a constant duty relay used in snow plows.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

Joseph Davis · Nov 30, 2017

rhkcommander said:
I've never heard of white rodgers glow plug relay...

If you use the glow plug controller, I would find a stock setup. Otherwise here is how I did it:

I didn't want to have anything go wrong on my truck so I made things simpler, push button starter to protect the steering wheel ignition components, and push button glowplugs. I also added a flip switch right at the starter relay in case I need to crank it while I'm under the hood.

I can control when and how much time is used to heat the plugs at the touch of a finger. No more relying on the old controller, which goes to crap if you have any glow plugs not working. When I bought my truck it would click on and off repeatedly just because of that, not get hot enough, and be a bear to start.

I made my own harness - from the relay to the glowplugs each plug got 14 gauge wire, more than enough for our plugs. Bullet connectors fit the glow plugs very well, I used heat shrink to help protect the connectors. I sleeved each wire for added protection from heat and rubbing. Each wire is ran to the relay, no soldered tees or fusible links to fail like the stock harness. Zip ties to help keep everything sorted, I ran it so I can take the harness off without having to cut any ties. I believe I am still using the original two-wire setup that goes to power the relay, I want to say they are two 8- or 10- gauge either brown or yellow wires but I don't recall right now.

I cant recall anyone using a custom harness with the stock controller, but if it were me and my truck and I was dead set on using the controller, I'd have an override push button ready to go for manual control. No fun being stranded or having to jump the relay when its below freezing. And I cannot suggest a push button starter setup enough, once you snap the pot metal ignition fork thing (I forget what it is technically called) in the steering wheel you'll know why!

Well I am half way there because when I got the truck someone had cut the wires inside the truck to the Colum and they wired into the harness with switches that only powered up at 20 amps total and looking at the fuse box the total amps was 115amps so all the switches were getting red hot. I replaced switches with 35 amp (3 of them) and put starter on its own path which reduce it another 20 amps. They also wired an electric fuel pump on its on switch without a relay so it smoked that switch too. I put in a new electric fuel pump but I also put it on a relay so I was able to put it on the power switch because it only uses 5amp on switch and the glow plugs power up but just a faint clicking sound now. The old owner just hack into the old harness and I don't trust his work. I was out side today looking at the harness and I notice it is made out of green wire used for running outside appliances. right gauge but on 12v system not a good choice. So I will probably build a new harness and change out relay so I will have working Glow plugs. I have the wiring diagram now so, it should go smoothly I hope. I have been using the truck daily so it takes a long 20 second crank in the morning but starts and just idles 650rpm and rattle's a lot so it has been advance to far I think but after that, the truck starts first 1 second crank for the rest of the day. The lucky thing about where I live it only gets down into the high 40 at night. Thanks for the input and the push button starter is done.

Joseph Davis · Nov 30, 2017

rhkcommander said:
I've never heard of white rodgers glow plug relay...

If you use the glow plug controller, I would find a stock setup. Otherwise here is how I did it:

I didn't want to have anything go wrong on my truck so I made things simpler, push button starter to protect the steering wheel ignition components, and push button glowplugs. I also added a flip switch right at the starter relay in case I need to crank it while I'm under the hood.

I can control when and how much time is used to heat the plugs at the touch of a finger. No more relying on the old controller, which goes to crap if you have any glow plugs not working. When I bought my truck it would click on and off repeatedly just because of that, not get hot enough, and be a bear to start.

I made my own harness - from the relay to the glowplugs each plug got 14 gauge wire, more than enough for our plugs. Bullet connectors fit the glow plugs very well, I used heat shrink to help protect the connectors. I sleeved each wire for added protection from heat and rubbing. Each wire is ran to the relay, no soldered tees or fusible links to fail like the stock harness. Zip ties to help keep everything sorted, I ran it so I can take the harness off without having to cut any ties. I believe I am still using the original two-wire setup that goes to power the relay, I want to say they are two 8- or 10- gauge either brown or yellow wires but I don't recall right now.

I cant recall anyone using a custom harness with the stock controller, but if it were me and my truck and I was dead set on using the controller, I'd have an override push button ready to go for manual control. No fun being stranded or having to jump the relay when its below freezing. And I cannot suggest a push button starter setup enough, once you snap the pot metal ignition fork thing (I forget what it is technically called) in the steering wheel you'll know why!

Thanks Well I am half way there because when I got the truck someone had cut the wires inside the truck to the Colum and they wired into the harness with switches that only powered up at 20 amps total and looking at the fuse box the total amps was 115amps so all the switches were getting red hot. I replaced switches with 35 amp (3 of them) and put starter on its own path which reduce it another 20 amps. They also wired an electric fuel pump on its on switch without a relay so it smoked that switch too. I put in a new electric fuel pump but I also put it on a relay so I was able to put it on the power switch because it only uses 5amp on switch and the glow plugs power up but just a faint clicking sound now. The old owner just hack into the old harness and I don't trust his work. I was out side today looking at the harness and I notice it is made out of green wire used for running outside appliances. right gauge but on 12v system not a good choice. So I will probably build a new harness and change out relay so I will have working Glow plugs. I have the wiring diagram now so, it should go smoothly I hope. I have been using the truck daily so it takes a long 20 second crank in the morning but starts and just idles 650rpm and rattle's a lot so it has been advance to far I think but after that, the truck starts first 1 second crank for the rest of the day. The lucky thing about where I live it only gets down into the high 40 at night. Thanks for the input and the push button starter is done.

Joseph Davis · Nov 30, 2017

79jasper said:
The white Rodgers isn't a glowplug relay. It's a constant duty relay used in snow plows.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

Thanks, I guess the Napa one is going in.

rhkcommander · Nov 30, 2017

the relays only take a a few hundred milliamps to actuate. I would use the bosch relays on anything that doesn't need the bigger 100+ amp relays, then use switches to signal them. Keeps everything high amperage inside the engine bay, only low amp signal wires to the cab.

If you get the original style relay for the glowplugs you can control it with the ground post instead of the sensor wire (that one you have to supply hot 12v to, to trigger the relay), what I did: big post gets fed from large wires from 12v at battery, then make a jumper cable with a big ring terminal on one end and a small on the other, big goes on the big post with power from the batts. Little ring terminal goes to the S+ small post. Other big post goes to glowplugs. Last little post is the ground post. As long as you get the right relay (one that is NOT internally grounded) you then just ground it out to trigger the relay. Meaning you run one cable into the cab to a switch, then run a small cable from the switch to any grounded surface in the cab nearby.

Also if the prior owner replaced any cables, make sure they are strand wiring and not solid wire. Automotive you only use stranded because fatigue snaps the solid and causes arcs and heat and fire. Bad situation. I've seen people try to use household wiring in their vehicles..

If you have a good connection it should be a loud clean click on, click off. No repeated clicking, that means loose connections somewhere.

79jasper · Dec 1, 2017

I wasn't saying you can't use it as a glowplug relay. Lol

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Joseph Davis · Dec 1, 2017

Yea I agree that is how I hook up my fuel pump; so it is only the single wire coming back to cab, and as for the home wiring, it is going to come out this weekend. Then I will use it to light the Christmas Lights? Because I got my early present this year. LOL

mikeboggess · Dec 4, 2017

I have been told that the gp harness cannot be interchanged from year to year. If you have a '91 your replacement harness must be off a '91 and so on. True?

Thewespaul · Dec 4, 2017

mikeboggess said:
I have been told that the gp harness cannot be interchanged from year to year. If you have a '91 your replacement harness must be off a '91 and so on. True?

Not necessarily, the main difference between the harness is whether they use a spade or bullet connector, the controller changed over the years a bit and the serpentine trucks have a little different engine wiring harnesses but if you have the right connector for the glowplugs it should be able to work

mikeboggess · Dec 4, 2017

Thanks for the clarification, I will start looking for a harness, mine is spliced at this time.

Looking into replacing Glow plug wiring harness any good one out there.

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