Cold weather idling for heat

[rhkcommander]

Your glow plugs are only meant to heat the cylinder for better combustion until cylinder warms up, they are not meant to warm the coolant.

Right, I don't think I said anything about coolant. I was just having a thought experiment wondering how much they really help to heat the cylinders beyond the precup area

 

[themechanicalford]

Your glow plugs are only meant to heat the cylinder for better combustion until cylinder warms up, they are not meant to warm the coolant.

Yeah and the wear on them wouldn't at all be worth it I wouldn't think.

 

[rhkcommander]

Yeah and the wear on them wouldn't at all be worth it I wouldn't think.

Thats what I'm thinking too, would be neat if we had any data on glowplug lifespan of first start glows versus those that do afterglows but I doubt there is any available

 

[Farmer Rock]

I personally don't afterglow my manual GPs,and I am sure most people don't either.I leave my block heater plugged in if it's really cold in general,so I don't think it would make a difference in my case,but I suppose on a cold block it would make a difference.I know most all kubota diesel equipment is supposed to be afterglowed when no block heater is used,and I am sure most IDI diesels are like that if not all,so I would assume there is truth to it and that it is done for a reason.
As for experiments,Just compare the life of automatic GPs and manual GPs since the automatics have afterglow.That is the main reason manual GPs last longer,since you aren't using them for afterglow.




Rock

 

[IDIBRONCO]

I hardly ever use my block heater(s). I believe that the after glow does help some. My engine takes longer to run really smoothly, when it's cold, without the after glow. Maybe it's only a few seconds, but it still takes longer. I afterglow mine for about two seconds, then off for about five seconds. If it's above 20*, I may do it a couple of times. When it's below 10*, I'll do it 5 or 6 times.

 

[Kevin 007]

The afterglow is also an emissions function. In attempt to reduce smoke after start-up, after glowing is used to promote a hotter combustion process until cylinder temps have increased to the point where combustion is happening efficiently.

I never afterglow unless the temps are low enough to cause missing on a few cylinders after startup, then I might glow again once, for about 3 sec's or so. Depends on the engine. Some run rough for longer then others after start up

After glowing is also ******* alternators. And with **** poor quality of everything these days, things like alternators and glow plugs don't need any more stress then necessary