Bosch glow plugs

[tnmike55]

I just replaced the glow plugs on my 1992 7.3 IDI with Motorcraft brand.
The existing glow plugs were Bosch , only 3 out of 8 were good. None of them were swelled, came out super easy. Is Bosch a good brand for these engines? Starts 100 x better now with a good set installed.

I used the bottom of a Folgers plastic coffee can to insulate my glow plug controller while I was at it. Another member gave me the idea. I did cut a couple of slots in mine and zip tied it to the accelerator cable. It cannot move with that addition.

 

[DaveBen]

Motorcraft or Beru glow plugs ONLY! Beru makes Motorcraft glow plugs. Do NOT use anything else.

 

[79jasper]

Good old search function does wonders. Lol

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[icanfixall]

Motorcraft is what many of the long time members have found that works best. Nothing else can match them for longevity either.

 

[tnmike55]

What is typical length of life for the Motorcraft plugs?

 

[icanfixall]

For me I have 9 plus years on my ZD9 plugs. Still have the 7 or 8 second light too.

 

[rhkcommander]

Bosch are fantastic if you ditch the glow plug controller... about five seconds to start. Mine lasted 3 years until i bought berus just in case, saved the bosch for spares.

The beru take about twice as long to heat up, thus they can take the controllers' beating.

Every manufacturer is different as far as heatup and failure times go. Bosch arent as forgiving for long glow times, but they are quality otherwise from what i can tell.

I gladly use either, but if you rely on the controller beru is your only answer.

 

[david85]

I managed to burn out a set of brand new bosch plugs years ago when I had a defective controller. The controller wouldn't shut off, so the result was a 1 minute glow time (yes, I was still learning IDIs).

All plugs were destroyed by small pinhole ruptures through the side of the tips, but none of them broke off. I was able to remove all of them without any drama. I have no idea how they would have lasted on a properly functioning controller.

I might be tempted to test a dual coil plug, but after running berus for so many years, I just don't feel like being adventurous.

 

[79jasper]

I managed to burn out a set of brand new bosch plugs years ago when I had a defective controller. The controller wouldn't shut off, so the result was a 1 minute glow time (yes, I was still learning IDIs).

All plugs were destroyed by small pinhole ruptures through the side of the tips, but none of them broke off. I was able to remove all of them without any drama. I have no idea how they would have lasted on a properly functioning controller.

I might be tempted to test a dual coil plug, but after running berus for so many years, I just don't feel like being adventurous.

I still like telling this story. Lol
In my 6.2, I tried using a separate universal ignition switch to run the glowplugs and "cold" features. Well somehow the start function was bad right out of the box. Just key on would activate the start circuit. (So glowplugs)
So one day I was in a hurry or something and left them on for about a 30 minute drive. Never burned out. A.c. Delco 60G.
There's been guys doing 24+ hour run test on them.

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[rhkcommander]

left them on for about a 30 minute drive. Never burned out. A.c. Delco 60G.
There's been guys doing 24+ hour run test on them.

That is awesome! How long do those puppies take to get hot enough though?

 

[79jasper]

Not that long. 10 seconds or so.

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[Black dawg]

That is awesome! How long do those puppies take to get hot enough though?

they are very slow compared to a 7.3 plug, pretty tough, but not indestructible.

 

[franklin2]

Someone mentioned using different brand glowplugs without the original controller. That might work.

But if you are using the original glowplug controller, it's best to have the original type plugs. The only way the controller knows how long to glow the plugs is by the current flow though that z-bar strip to the glowplugs themselves. There is a very minor voltage drop across that z-strip when current is flowing through the strip, and the brain in the controller reads this very small voltage drop. As the glowplugs heat up, they demand less current. The brain in the controller monitors this and knows when to stop glowing. That is why when a glowplug burns out, it short cycles. It reads less current through the z strip with only 7 plugs, so it thinks they are hot enough and turns them off.

All this to say a set of glowplugs with different electrical characteristics will make the controller behave differently. This is probably the main reason other brands of glowplugs do not work properly.

 

[rhkcommander]

I fully agree, never knew all that about the controller, but if I had one i would only use beru plugs. Without one Ive had great luck with bosch, which are pretty popular in europe on other diesels from what ive heard.

The only other food for thought is some plugs glow hotter faster, others slower. From what i recall some may be 6v while others are 12v proper.the 12v would act like the ac delco whereas a 6v burns out quick. I could be wrong...