What's better for the glows?

[F350camper]

So tonight felt like a good night to start some controversy.

Assuming you have the 7.3 GP controller, what's better for the GPs in warm temps? Like @ 70° My truck will start with no help from the GPs. So in these warm temps, is it better to wait for the WTS light to go out, and then crank? Or Should you just turn the key and fire it right up letting the GPs run through their cycle during the first few seconds of the engine running?

Obviously with the first choice, you are letting the system work as designed.
But with the second choice, it would seem the gps would heat up faster causing the cycle to be shorter, and perhaps extending their lives.

 

[Black dawg]

your truck will start without plugs? Ive owned 5 idi fords and none would do that even at 100 deg. How long does it crank at that temp?

 

[sle2115]

Mine will as well when warm, 70 would be pushing it, but 80 or more mine will fire right off. It may crank one full revolution compared to 1/2 or so with the plugs, but not a noticeable amount. I still let mine cycle. I only know mine will start because when I got it and got it running, it was warm and my first diesel!!! I couldn't remember to wait.

 

[Diezel_Cowboy]

That's one of the reasons I put the manual push button in. The glow plugs are not necessary at all if the truck is warm enough to start. Therefore, not using them when it is warm enough will prolong their life. The push button lets me decide when to use them and when not to, that's the beauty of it.
They are kinda like a light bulb if you never turn them on they should last forever!

 

[sle2115]

That's one of the reasons I put the manual push button in. The glow plugs are not necessary at all if the truck is warm enough to start. Therefore, not using them when it is warm enough will prolong their life. The push button lets me decide when to use them and when not to, that's the beauty of it.
They are kinda like a light bulb if you never turn them on they should last forever!

I wonder what the average lifespan is anyway? I let mine cycle, seems easier to start, even when warm and I figure that is the way it was meant to be, so I do as Beatles did and "Let it Be"

 

[Ironman03R]

My truck allways fires right off if the engine is warm, or if its above 70 or so out side, without the g/p's. Even during the winter, most times one cycle is required and maybe 2-3 seconds of crank time.
I've come a long way from the days of anything below 50 and it needs to be plugged in, and if it didnt start the first time I crossed my fingers and hopped there was enough juice left in the battery! (yes, just one!)

 

[82fordtruck]

I think it's a lot easier on the gps to have them on when the engine is running. Mine ran for about ten minutes with the engine on, but when I was diagnosing it, they fried in about a minute.

 

[Dsl_Dog_Treat]

As far as the life cycle of a glow, I think it would be how much and often they are used.
My dad's '86 just had them replaced for the first time last fall. Of course the truck only has about 70k on it.
Not too bad of a deal I think.

 

[sle2115]

That was my point, if you can get 70,000 of a set, I should never have to replace mine. I understand that if you drive 2 miles and shut it down and use the glow plugs each time, lifespan would be less (I would assume) than if you drove 1,000 miles each time you started the engine.

In any event, as long as these Beru's don't expand, it is really no big deal to change them every couple of years. Price is a little more pricey than spark plugs, but what the heck!

 

[93turbo_animal]

well I'm pretty sure my trucks plugs were original when I changed them 2 years ago with around 170-180k miles I'm pretty sure I'm not going to worry about if I don't use them every time buying me another year or so as by the time I beleive they will need changed I'll have forgot when I did it last anyhow besides the last thing I need is more wiring on my truck