Starting and Exhaust issues

[The Warden]

you'll never have to buy that expencive set up if you do this!Ive had mine set up like this since before my controler failed and I hardly noticed my controler had failed except i intentionally pushed pushed the button one day after it was warmed up and found the glow light was still cycling on and off!

My $.02 on the button...

I actually wired my glow plug relay to a pushbutton a little over 2 years ago, now. My controller had failed and I figured replacing it was a waste of $$. I was always real careful about not holding the button down too long, but somehow managed to burn out the plugs anyways. My best guess on this is that someone else drove the truck (which happens from time to time), and didn't know that the pushbutton couldn't be held down for more than 8 seconds at a time.

I guess my point is, the pushbutton is NOT idiot-proof! If you know for a fact that no one other than you will be driving the truck, or that if anyone else who's going to drive it has the button procedure explained to them with a 2x4 then you'll be okay. But, after this last failure, I decided to go with the 7.3l system...while I know that some people on here in recent months have bad-mouthed the system, other people say that it's far more reliable than the 6.9l system and is as close to idiot-proof as it can get. The real key is keeping the connections clean.

I paid about $120 for the 7.3l controller, and I still need to buy the wiring to re-do my harness...but I don't think that'll cost more than $50 or so (making it myself). IMHO, for a system that's idiot-proof and reliable (not 100% reliable, though, but IMHO the pushbutton isn't either), it seems like a worthwhile investment.

Your mileage may vary, though...and who knows? Maybe I'll be changing my tune after I install the system and have problems with it.

 

[Fred Hemer]

My $.02 on the button...

I actually wired my glow plug relay to a pushbutton a little over 2 years ago, now. My controller had failed and I figured replacing it was a waste of $$. I was always real careful about not holding the button down too long, but somehow managed to burn out the plugs anyways. My best guess on this is that someone else drove the truck (which happens from time to time), and didn't know that the pushbutton couldn't be held down for more than 8 seconds at a time.

I guess my point is, the pushbutton is NOT idiot-proof! If you know for a fact that no one other than you will be driving the truck, or that if anyone else who's going to drive it has the button procedure explained to them with a 2x4 then you'll be okay. But, after this last failure, I decided to go with the 7.3l system...while I know that some people on here in recent months have bad-mouthed the system, other people say that it's far more reliable than the 6.9l system and is as close to idiot-proof as it can get. The real key is keeping the connections clean.

I paid about $120 for the 7.3l controller, and I still need to buy the wiring to re-do my harness...but I don't think that'll cost more than $50 or so (making it myself). IMHO, for a system that's idiot-proof and reliable (not 100% reliable, though, but IMHO the pushbutton isn't either), it seems like a worthwhile investment.

Your mileage may vary, though...and who knows? Maybe I'll be changing my tune after I install the system and have problems with it.

Warden in this case his controler is still working in the start cycle!It will shut off after the apropriate time!It is sticking on in the after glo mode thats where This fix is a little driffrent ,the button is an interupt not actually firing the relay on it own!

 

[The Warden]

Oh, okay Fred...I forgot about that. On my truck, I had to bypass the controller completely; the controller was stuck "on" at all times.

I had actually completely forgotten about the pushbutton wired in series with the controller method that you did...

 

[Fred Hemer]

No Worrys !You are correct the button is not idiot proof!

 

[tbirdfiend281]

its not my controler that has failed, im pretty sure its a short to power somewhere in the system, itll come on, and hold on, as im going down the road, and occasionally go off...its wierd i need a diagram

 

[tbirdfiend281]

and ya mine stll functions fine when the truck isnt moving, so ill just put a powerside switch in the glow plug system, to activate and deactive the sucker

 

[Fred Hemer]

and ya mine stll functions fine when the truck isnt moving, so ill just put a powerside switch in the glow plug system, to activate and deactive the sucker

yup Either way will acheive the same end.

 

[Macguyver82]

Is the controller on a 6.9 round with 5 or 6 pins? I saw one at the junkyard on an older Ford and it looked very similar to the 82-84 GM setup...

tbirdfiend281, mine did the same thing- it was the alternator. Here's why (Hayne's helped here)

The preglow is dependent on the controller temperature and the afterglow is dependent on the alternator field voltage vs. battery voltage.

Say it's cold out and you just started the engine- the alternator will be required to put out a lot of power, so there is more current/voltage in the field winding. The voltage difference across the bi-metal timer strip in the controller is small so it takes longer to heat and break the circuit. (7VDC or so on the field and 12VDC on the battery)

When the engine's hot, there is a smaller load on the alternator so the field current/voltage is less. Hence, there is a bigger voltage difference across that strip so it heats up faster and breaks the circuit sooner. (12VDC on the battery side and 5VDC or so on the field side)

On the Chevy, one of the rectifiers in the alternator was open, causing the voltage regulator to increase field voltage to maintain the correct voltage output to the battery. This excessive voltage fried the controller which in turn fried the glow plugs. D'oh! I replaced the controller first, ops checked without the plugs connected. It acted the same damn way!

After overhauling the alternator the system worked fine. pretty cool huh?

 

[The Warden]

Is the controller on a 6.9 round with 5 or 6 pins? I saw one at the junkyard on an older Ford and it looked very similar to the 82-84 GM setup...

Yes...in fact, I seem to recall hearing somewhere that Ford's and GM's glow plug system are practically identical. I know that the 6.9l/7.3l and the 6.2l/6.5l (and the all-mighty 350 diesel ) use the same valve lifters, and the fuel injector pumps are very similar (except one spins the opposite direction; IIRC the Detroit IP drive gear is a chain-drive, while the IH drive gear is direct-gear driven)...