should the top of the glow plug get warm?

[Junkyardslug]

Greetings all, still banging around trying to fix the hard start problem (starts on first crank with block heater plugged in, if it's not plugged in it won't fire if the outside temp is below 60 degrees). Got New Beru Glow Plugs, new solenoid, all wires check out for continuity (and I built a new wiring harness that seems to make no difference). I also have 2 new batteries and the starter turns over quick until I wear the batteries down from trying to start the truck.

Here is the question:

Should the tops of the glow plugs get hot? I know the part that sticks down inside the cylinder glows red but I can cycle the plugs and touch the GP nut and around the head where the plug is threaded in and it seems like they are both at ambient temperature. Is this normal? It seems to me that if the bottoms glowed red hot it would transfer some heat to the top?

Thanks

 

[franklin2]

There is a lot of metal around where the glowplug mounts. That's a good heat sink. Does your volt gauge in the dash drop to around 8 when the glowplugs are on?

 

[Junkyardslug]

yes, drops to about 8.5

 

[franklin2]

How much oil does it use? Looks like you covered everything, so I am thinking low compression may be the problem. Do you get lots of white stinky smoke out of the tailpipe when you are cranking and cranking and it won't start?

 

[OLDBULL8]

The heating element is insulated from the steel body.

 

[Junkyardslug]

How much oil does it use? Looks like you covered everything, so I am thinking low compression may be the problem. Do you get lots of white stinky smoke out of the tailpipe when you are cranking and cranking and it won't start?

Nope, it doesn't use oil or blow any smoke at all

 

[SearsMech]

Check voltage drop at the main harness connector by the right valve cover.

 

[OLDBULL8]

If your not getting any smoke with lengthy cranks, then your not getting fuel to the injectors. Check the connection on the IP FSS for 12VDC with just the key on when it don't start. When you plug your truck in, it turns over a lot faster when warm.

 

[Junkyardslug]

Check voltage drop at the main harness connector by the right valve cover.

This is an IDI in a van chassis, no main harness. To see if there was a problem with the GP harness I built a new temporary harness (same gauge wire, same lengths, bullet connectors on one end, ring connector on the other). Made no difference

If your not getting any smoke with lengthy cranks, then your not getting fuel to the injectors. Check the connection on the IP FSS for 12VDC with just the key on when it don't start. When you plug your truck in, it turns over a lot faster when warm.

Will check the FSS when I go back out to wrench on it (am pulling and checking the Glow Plugs one at a time out of the engine). Would the FSS work better when the block heater was plugged in? Either way I'll test and clean up the connectors

 

[79jasper]

What about trying a new harness from the batteries to the gp solenoid?


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[helidiesel]

you said the same gauge wire but did you use fusible link wire? The gp controller mesures resistance of the system to determine the amount of glow time. IDK if the wire you used has a higher resistance than fusible link but might be something to look into. How long is the WTS light coming on for? What is the voltage drop across the gp relay when the key is in the on pos and engine off with gp leads connected to the gp? should be 9-10 volts with 8-9 volts at the gp lead end its self. when you say new solenoid what part are we talking about here? do you here clicking from the relay/controller? its odd you are not getting any unburned fuel smell or any white smoke while cranking. with that info and you say when it pluged in it starts right up so the fss seems to me like its working. i would look into the cold idle advance/ fast idle warm up wiring as this wiring and the gp wiring are in the same area on the right side of the motor. The cold idel advance and fast idle warm up are controlled by water temp sensor that is just to the right of the injection pump when looking fwd behind a water passage tube ( i think its the thermostat housing). two bladed connector sensor should open at 113*F from what my research shows. you say two new batterys but most people dont know a 12 volt battery is dead at 12.4 volts. Must be 12.6volts to be fully charged. I just went through all this bs on the F250 im working on. The fix was one bad gp and a gp realy. good luck.