New starter.... WOW....

[82F100SWB]

My 6.9 has always started what I figured was pretty decent, but, as of late, the starter was starting to make weird noises and do bad things, I finally got around to changing it on Wednesday before it turned cold, and, quite frankly, I am plain old amazed, it has NEVER started this good since I've had it, and I thought it was easy to start.
This morning, it was about -16F(-26C, wind chill of -36F/-38C) when I got up, 10 seconds of glows, and it fired on the first piston up. That was plugged in, so, it wasn't even on high idle(the coolant in the block stays warm enough to kick it off, but, after about 30 seconds the colder water from the rad cools things down and it will set.)
They're moving snow in the yard at work, so, I couldn't park it where I normally do and plug it in. It doesn't run long enough to even get close to temperature in the morning, it's only about a 4 minute drive.
I figured when I went to fire it up before lunch I was going to be hooped, as it's actually gotten colder (-18F/-28C, -40 Wind chill) since this morning, and I'm currently only running a single group 31 battery.
Gave it 12 seconds of glows, and what do you know, fired on the first piston up again... I couldn't believe it, especially since a co-workers CTD took him 3 tries to start(it'd fire for about 10 seconds then die...)

 

[6 Nebraska IDIs]

I dont know how you're getting your glow plugs to last at that rate. 6.9 glow plugs will only last 7 seconds of juice through a manual switch, before they swell or burn out. I even run Beru plugs and burned a set up running them for 9 seconds, all of them.
So what are you running for plugs?

 

[Agnem]

Actually stock beru glow plugs with a stock controller operating properly will push 13 to 14 seconds on a really cold day. One of the typical failure modes of the manual switch, is when folks don't turn them on long enough, can't start and then re-heat them. A good 10 to 12 second burn ONCE, is the best.

 

[6 Nebraska IDIs]

No kidding Mel?
My dad always told me, no longer than 6 seconds with those, and one time it didnt start from the 6 so I did 9. And that was all she wrote.

 

[oldmisterbill]

Nope Mel isn't kidding. The colder it is the longer it takes to warm them up.Thats way the controller in the first place,otherwise it would only need a timer. The cold mass of the cast iron engine block & head helps suck the heat from the glow plugs,and that varies according to ambient temperature. I use a manual switch-my preference (because I only heat the glow plugs just enough to start it). Makes the glow plugs last longer ( I am a cheap old ***). Some times Ill flick it a little to keep it running in extreem cold. Hope I made sense. Mr Bill

 

[subway]

Actually stock beru glow plugs with a stock controller operating properly will push 13 to 14 seconds on a really cold day. One of the typical failure modes of the manual switch, is when folks don't turn them on long enough, can't start and then re-heat them. A good 10 to 12 second burn ONCE, is the best.

thats what mine runs on a good cold day, glad you got the starter fixed it should be easier on everything starting right off like that.

 

[82F100SWB]

Yup, that's about how long the stock controller ran them. When it's really cold, I've seen as long as 18 seconds out of mine before it died, it was -38 that morning. I do agree that the after glow/re cycling is VERY ******* the glow plugs.
I usually do a 10 second cycle first start of the day, summer or winter(if it's plugged in,) in the summer that's the only one for the day, and even today, if it was at O/T when you shut it down, it'll start without glows for about 3 hours of sitting.

As for glows, I'm running the loved/hated Wellman dual coil 6.9 glow plugs, haven't had a lick of trouble with 'em, and this set is on it's third winter, I did have one go bad during the first winter, but it was covered under warranty.
I had thought I had lost a bunch of them and even bought a new set to put in about a month back(which ended up in my buddy's 7.3,) but, it turns out that the starter was the problem, not the glows.

The old girl has gotten alot of attention in the last month or so... New battery, new alternator(warranty on that one thankfully) new alternator harness, regulator, new starter, all just to keep her on the road because my F150 isn't on the road yet... Now I just need to do the body...

 

[[email protected]]

I've chased a lot of starting problems in the past year.. New Beru GP's and controller, it was 20 degrees out the other day. GP came on for 13 seconds exactly. Started up in half a second. I hear there is actually a chart which shows the GP time versus temperature? Anyone ever see that?

Wayne

 

[greythorn3]

i would love to get a hold of that chart to look it over

Ray

 

[Diesel JD]

Wayne I've seen that chart in the Haynes manual. I don't remember what the #s were. I'm suspicious of it since it covers several years of glow plug controllers which all act differently.