Either Ether or something else?
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,168
Likes: 1
i have a tip for all owners of the 7.3 idi.. tip is to watch the voltage battery guage on the dash, turn the key to run, the gp light will come on and go off, but the glowplugs will still be warming up for another 10-15 seconds. watch the battery guage before starting the engine. after it jumps up then try to start the engine. the glowplugs will be much hotter and the glow plugs use a lot of juice from the battery that could be causing the starter from spinning so fast. in other words the glow plugs rob much needed battery power from the starter when in the cold especially. ("this is assuming the glowplugs are working at all") another tip i have learned over the years. use a starter from a 2002-2003 ford 7.3 powerstroke. there is only 2 bolts that hold the starter on, but they are much torquier starters and spin the 7.3 so fast that it will practicly start without glowplugs on a warm day 75*f or so. also the batteries and battery cables should be upgraded to larger cables and high quality, solder on, battery terminals especially the ground cables. i personally like to use 3-0 welding lead for the negative ground wires. hope this helps! or at least makes sense!
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,168
Likes: 1
and the ether-glowplug thing. ether will only hurt the engine if the glowplugs are hot enough to pre ignite the ether before its time. just a light squirt of ether less than 1 second or nearing 1 second for extreme cold will do. if using ether just go directly to start, do not give the glowplugs a chance to warm up. ether combust pre maturely when the glowplug is hot and tries to bend rods turn motor backwards, blow head gaskets. a lot of people falsly accuse ether of doing damage to the engine which the ether itself did not do. and diesels are not people.. they do not get "addicted" to ether thats false also. but im not going to argue about that subject. i do not care to argue about it, so please dont try to argue with me about that.. i know you want your motor to start without ether, and with an old tired starter, batteries, and battery cables. thats not going to happen sir. but first try letting the glowplugs warm up longer after the light goes off. till u hear the click from the glowplug controller. that will help more than anything
More Turbo
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 618
Likes: 3
From: Grand Rapids
My own preference when using Ether is a few seconds of cold cranking to get a little heat into the cylinders. Then a quick burst of Ether and start with half throttle. Works every time........... even in cold
Logistics Pro
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,737
Likes: 179
From: Western Mass
Hammer drills and glow plugs are completely unrelated. Would you buy a Ford TV because they build good trucks?
Think it sucks changing glow plugs in the cold? If they swell up, you'll be pulling the heads off, that will suck more. Do the smart thing and get Motorcraft/Beru glow plugs, even if you have to order them, its a lot cheaper in the long run.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 473
Likes: 1
From: dirty jerzy
either or glow plugs , not both, i have found that my glow plugs that have gone bad, even zd9's happened because the seliniod on the top of the controlmodul stayed opened
,got stuck opened, that's why they swell . so a manual spring loaded push button got installed. , a stuck controler selinoid will fry any brand glow plug. just went through
8 zd9s
,got stuck opened, that's why they swell . so a manual spring loaded push button got installed. , a stuck controler selinoid will fry any brand glow plug. just went through
8 zd9s
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 21,285
Likes: 15
From: Nutter Fort, WV
Motorcraft/Beru ZD 9 glow plugs are all that I will run.
You can buy them onine for less money than you have in the Bosch plugs.
Salesman did good, he made a 160 dollar sale.
He is not the one that will have to deal with them if they swell up when they burn out, you will.
You can buy them onine for less money than you have in the Bosch plugs.
Salesman did good, he made a 160 dollar sale.
He is not the one that will have to deal with them if they swell up when they burn out, you will.
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,168
Likes: 1
I twisted one off in the hole one time! I just saved that extra glowplug there in my door pocket along with a socket and ratchet that tip of the glowplug blew out about 3 months later when it was idling. So moral of the story is if u twist one off in the hole DONT MESS WITH IT! Dont poke it down in the hole
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,049
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From: Perry Georgia
Ether or.............
I agree, NO ether. I learned the hard way with an Isuzu Diesel. She kicked back when I tried starting with the ether and killed the starter. I've been using the motorcraft/beru GP'S and not having any trouble starting even the cold. I did find out if I needed help starting to use the highly flammable brake cleaner. I needed that before I changed to the right GP's.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,104
Likes: 138
From: Orcas Island Wa.
I should be getting my 8 beru ZD9s this afternoon when UPS gets here. My truck wont start without being plugged in and it's in the mid fifties here. Been getting harder and harder to start. Plugged in, she starts instantly. I tested the gps that are in it and 8 out of 8 are bad.....OK here's my question. I have a manual glow plug switch on the dash wired to a starter type relay. What is the correct amount of time to cycle them? What is the Maximum cycle when it gets cold? And yes, of course I'd buy a Ford TV, but I'd definately get an older diesel one.
More Turbo
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 618
Likes: 3
From: Grand Rapids
I should be getting my 8 beru ZD9s this afternoon when UPS gets here. My truck wont start without being plugged in and it's in the mid fifties here. Been getting harder and harder to start. Plugged in, she starts instantly. I tested the gps that are in it and 8 out of 8 are bad.....OK here's my question. I have a manual glow plug switch on the dash wired to a starter type relay. What is the correct amount of time to cycle them? What is the Maximum cycle when it gets cold? And yes, of course I'd buy a Ford TV, but I'd definately get an older diesel one.
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 419
Likes: 0
From: Timmins, Ontario, Canada
Agreed. My controller generally (on cold starts) glows ~4 seconds in summer, and goes out to ~8 in the winter.
The coldest start (it gets to -40 here) I reckon it glows for ~10 but I wouldn't recommend going there, you're best to glow shorter and try it and glow again if necessary.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,104
Likes: 138
From: Orcas Island Wa.
Thanks guys. They arrived and my 18 year old son and I just got them in, (I gave him all the hard ones under the injector lines). His hands work so much better than my 59 year old hands. Not to mention as a cabinetmaker I've cut my fingertips so many times I don't have any feelings left in them. I decided not to test them til morning as the truck was plugged in all day and completely warmed up. Here's my helper about 12 years ago.
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