Glow Plugs

[KyleQ]

My truck has no glow plugs and I'm a bit sick of giving it 1/4 second shots of ether to get it to start every time. Before i start it I always crank the engine for ~ 15 seconds to get some fuel in the cylinders and the oil pressure up - I know it's still not good for it... do what ya gota do.

I'm really worried about breaking them off in the head - I don't want to have to pull the head in this weather.

It is easy to tell if a GP is going to break off in the head? Can I start pulling them out and stop if it gets stuck and screw it back in? I know the truck doesn't need every glow plug to start, but if I can replace enough of them to stop the ether I'll be happy.

Should I give it a shot or do they break off without any effort?

If it does break, can I remove the injector and insert a rod and turn the motor over by hand to find TDC and then try and blow it out by bursting air into the GP hole? The glow plugs look tiny compared to the injector, it looks like it should come out of that hole...

I just don't want my truck to be down - I've got two other vehicles and the truck only pulls my trailer around, but I'd rather not dive into another project.

 

[Silver Burner]

Does your block heater work? If so, just plug it in overnight and you shouldn't need glowplugs at all. It'll start up like it's a 100 outside. That'll at least get ya through to warmer weather.

 

[KyleQ]

Does your block heater work? If so, just plug it in overnight and you shouldn't need glowplugs at all. It'll start up like it's a 100 outside. That'll at least get ya through to warmer weather.

Yeah - that works, lol, almost forgot about that.

I can do that if I know I'll be using the truck, but that isn't always ideal.

 

[Sycostang67]

In my experience, as soon as the plug is unthreaded you will know if it's gonna fight you. The best thing is not to wiggle it side to side, that is what causes them to break off. Just pull straight up while turning them. If you get one that sticks, spray a little lube on it and keep trying. Some times they get soot built up on them and that can make you think they are swollen. Another trick with a sticky plug is to lay a board over it and crank the motor to try and get the compression to pop it out of the hole. I pulled 5 swollen plugs from my 86, one of them took about 30 minutes of twisting and pulling, but it came out in one piece. If you do have one break off, there is a trick with a vacumn and compressed air that can help you get the piece out without head removal.

 

[KyleQ]

Great - I may give that a shot this week. Daylight savings time and 50+ degree weather is forcasted this week.

So I can pull and twist, but no wiggling? lol - how can that not sound dirty

 

[johneich]

For every GP you remove make sure that cylinder is at TDC, if one does break off you most likely can get it out the injector hole with a good vaccume in the injector hole and compressed air blowing in the GP hole.

Using this procedure you remove 2 GPs at one time, rotate the crank 90 degrees and remove two more, etc...

The engine rotates in a clockwise direction as seen from the front of
the truck, and for every 1/4 turn of the engine(crank) each next piston
will arrive at TDC. So, When the line on the vibration damper is at the
2 oclock position, cylinders 2 and 5 will be at TDC. When the mark is at
the 5 oclock position, cylinders 7 and 6 will be at TDC, 8 oclock has
cylinders 3 and 8 at TDC, and back to 11oclock, 1 and 4 will be at TDC.

 

[KyleQ]

Thanks - this tidbit gives me the rest I need.

Cylinder numbers are assigned 1,3,5,7 on the left(passenger) bank from front of truck to back, and 2,4,6,8 on the driver's side, front to back. Firing order is 1,2,7,3,4,5,6,8.

 

[FordGuy100]

When I broke a glow plug off (OBS powerstroke) it gave resistance from the get go. The others had the initial "torque down" you had to break loose, then came up easy. The other glow plug was hard to turn throughout all of its revolutions. If its hard to turn for more than a quarter turn, I would stop.

 

[johneich]

The cylinder numbering and firing order is correct, here is one more tidbit that might help you sometime.

To ensure the #1 piston is at TDC compression remove the inspection cover on the oil filler/gear cover. You will see a dowel pin from the IP if it is at 4 oclock that is TDC
compression stroke, if it is at 11 oclock that is TDC exhaust stroke.......

 

[KyleQ]

Never removing that cover before - is that an easy task? Require gasket sealant to reinstall?

 

[johneich]

Yes, its easy, two bolts and its off, scrape it cean, clean with brake cleaner and use blue RTV for gasket material. For the GP removal it does not matter which which stroke you are at (you don't need to remove the cover) you just want the piston at TDC (compression or exhaust) to keep the broken GP tip from falling into the combustion chamber where recovery is near impossible.

 

[johneich]

Kyle, here is a pic of the timing marks so you know where to start, when the line on the harmonic balancer is lined up with the "tube" on the left #1 & #4 are at TDC, Note-my belts are off making this eaiser to see.

 

[KyleQ]

Thanks - my started pushed the magic smoke out and now the motor won't turn over... Great - another project. It did this once before, but i was able to take it apart and clean it. Not so sure I'll be that lucky again...