Glow Plug Controller Broke Off!

[Stu Bailey]

So I was putting in new glow plugs, then went to install the new controller and when taking the old one off it snapped just above flush with the block. Anyone have any advice on getting that sumbeetch out? I am now going to just do a bypass and install a manual switch and forget the OEM design.

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[Cubey]

Why not just leave it alone? The bottom part should still be there acting as a plug for the threaded hole.

 

[Stu Bailey]

Is it solid at the bottom? My damn knees hurt so bad from sitting on the grill deck and it was so cold and dark by the time this happened I cracked a beer and closed it all up. Never looked down in there to see what was going on

 

[Selahdoor]

I'm pretty sure that if it wasn't solid, you would be seeing coolant in that top pic. Looks dry all the way down into it.

Yeah, I'd leave that alone, and just remove the purple wire from the solenoid, and put your own pushbutton switch in it's place.

 

[Cubey]

Is it solid at the bottom? My damn knees hurt so bad from sitting on the grill deck and it was so cold and dark by the time this happened I cracked a beer and closed it all up. Never looked down in there to see what was going on

It should be, yes. This is on oreilly for a new one. Take your phone and take a picture from the top if you want to see down in it.

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[dgr]

That sucks.

It looks solid. I would expect to see coolant there if it wasn't. What is that brown glue looking stuff?

Three or four layers of cardboard support my fat self while napping on top of the engine.

Upside is the left head is easier to pull.... Sorry

 

[Chief]

Looks like it had been leaking before and someone sealed it.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

I'd leave it as long as it's not leaking. When I first bought my current 1985 F250, the heater didn't work. It turned out that there was a broken piece of an old controller stuck in the thermostat and was holding it open. I still have it (from 2013) and drag it around with me as a conversation piece. I even showed Wes last year while I was down there visiting him.

 

[Cubey]

Looks like it had been leaking before and someone sealed it.

Looks like spray foam insulation. That stuff is very gluey. Probably why it broke, that bottom is glued in place.

 

[SlippyRider]

When I did the passenger side valve Cover gasket and my fuel return lines, my knees felt like solid bruises afterward. And, I managed to massage a leak into the top radiator cap. Eeediot.

 

[Stu Bailey]

Hahah well thankfully I didn’t massage any leaks, at least that I know about... She is solid at the ottoman like y’all mentioned, boy does that make me happy. I wanted to do the manual bypass originally but figured I would take what I thought would be the easy route lite and just just replace the controller. So turns out I’ll be doing it anyways. I know there is a lot of posts about it on here so hopefully this goes smooth. Mom is coming to visit us for a couple weeks and if we don’t have a second vehicle then the women in the house will go bat **** crazy. Oh and I’m going to clean up all that yellow crap.

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[Thewespaul]

You would be surprised just how often this happens. If it doesn't leak now leave it, but its going to start leaking at some point especially if someone went in with something already to fix a leak. When it does, drill a hole down the center of it and use an easy out to back it out of the port and plug it for good.

 

[Stu Bailey]

Hell yeah, thanks Wes Paul. Think I should take a torch to it before to help ease it out of there? Was thinking could heat it up cool it down a couple times before backing it out

 

[BeastMaster]

I am a bit puzzled. I have a 94 E350 van, 7.3 L N/A, glow plug controller at the rear of the engine, easily accessible via removal of the dog house in the cab.

I flat do not trust that relay. It is claimed to have aluminum contacts. I have had nothing but disaster follow every time I have ever mixed amperes with aluminum.

Something to do with deformation of the aluminum, oxide formation, subsequent resistance, followed by current induced heat, followed by an inevitable thermal destruction. Spitzen mit Sparken. With fire.

I bought some industrial White Rodgers contactors to replace it, but it's not an exact mechanical fit.

https://www.amazon.com/RODGERS-586-902-CONTACTOR-SPST-NO-BRACKET/dp/B00DE3HY4K

Is there some surprise lurking for me beneath the existing controller?

Was it a glow plug, or something in that controller ( engine temp sensor ?) that broke off?

I want to pull the whole controller assembly, and replace it with that White Rodgers contactor and a pushbutton.

Later maybe I'll have an Arduino output pin do it, but button for now.


I often don't need to cycle the glow plugs at all. And I want to clean that area out so I can install a homebrew current monitor to make me aware of plugs that aren't taking their proper current.

 

[Cubey]

I am a bit puzzled. I have a 94 E350 van, 7.3 L N/A, glow plug controller at the rear of the engine, easily accessible via removal of the dog house in the cab.

The 84-86 6.9 GP controller location is circled:

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