GPR "Only " thread
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Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2006
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GPR "Only " thread
I am also burning through GPR's
Lets try to keep this pertinent to the GPR . Testing , results ect.
I have been through 10 or so GPR's in the 5 or so years I have owned the truck . The first one obviously was on the truck when I got it .. After it failed ,I cut it apart. Contacts burned to a crisp ..I used Motorcraft at first , no improvement , I also tried a GPR 110 from napa (It weighed a little more for some reason) shorter life ..
Settled on Napa GPR 109s due to the fact that they have a 1 year warranty, & it takes 2 minutes to change..
Some time when I am thinking about it , I will order the stancor .
The only time I think abut it is when I need it
(now)
I At first tested the ground coming from the PCM & watched for the test light to go off .
Next , tested voltage drop across both of the large posts . Test was inconclusive. Apparently the voltage was there but could not carry the load ..
The last test was a jumper cable clamp .. Fired right up
Just for the record I had also tested the GP 's . all ohm ed good . TJ ,Chris Bruno along with others had some good info.
How about we try this again. A little shorter version than the Sticky
Lets try to keep this pertinent to the GPR . Testing , results ect.
I have been through 10 or so GPR's in the 5 or so years I have owned the truck . The first one obviously was on the truck when I got it .. After it failed ,I cut it apart. Contacts burned to a crisp ..I used Motorcraft at first , no improvement , I also tried a GPR 110 from napa (It weighed a little more for some reason) shorter life ..
Settled on Napa GPR 109s due to the fact that they have a 1 year warranty, & it takes 2 minutes to change..
Some time when I am thinking about it , I will order the stancor .
The only time I think abut it is when I need it
(now)I At first tested the ground coming from the PCM & watched for the test light to go off .
Next , tested voltage drop across both of the large posts . Test was inconclusive. Apparently the voltage was there but could not carry the load ..
The last test was a jumper cable clamp .. Fired right up
Just for the record I had also tested the GP 's . all ohm ed good . TJ ,Chris Bruno along with others had some good info.
How about we try this again. A little shorter version than the Sticky
Hotshot
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 10,410
Likes: 77
From: Plankinton, SD
Have you ever tried one of these that Bill (Madvan) recommended? It's been a year or two since I saw him mention it, but saved the info so I could get one when needed. FWIW he recommended this one over a stancor in the thread I'm remembering.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 10,121
Likes: 3
From: Orrville, Ohio
Have you ever ohmed out or replaced the GP's in the time you've had the truck? If you have a multimeter, put it in the resistance setting (Ohms) and ohm between the large post that carries voltage to the GP's and a good ground. I am curious as to what you will find for a reading. It is essentially the same as ohming all the GP's individually (except you're going to be doing them all at once). It would also be interesting to see what you have for a reading if you ohm the GP's individually through the VC's. I'm thinking you may have a GP or two that has shorted to ground and has substantially increased the load being put on that GP circuit.
Burned up contacts typically mean you have either voltage or amperage (load) outside the operating range that the contact (in this case the GPR) is rated for. Since I am assuming your truck is starting fine other than this GP issue, I doubt that voltage is the issue. Have you by chance replaced the batteries since you have had the truck?
Burned up contacts typically mean you have either voltage or amperage (load) outside the operating range that the contact (in this case the GPR) is rated for. Since I am assuming your truck is starting fine other than this GP issue, I doubt that voltage is the issue. Have you by chance replaced the batteries since you have had the truck?
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 737
Likes: 0
From: Page Az.
I've been using Napa's GPR111 for several years on my truck along with about 4 other trucks here and haven't seen a failure. It sounds like you have something shorting to ground when the relay is on. It may not be doing it all the time making it a tough problem to find.
Thread Starter
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Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2006
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Likes: 39
Have you ever tried one of these that Bill (Madvan) recommended? It's been a year or two since I saw him mention it, but saved the info so I could get one when needed. FWIW he recommended this one over a stancor in the thread I'm remembering.
eBay - New & used electronics, cars, apparel, collectibles, sporting goods & more at low prices
eBay - New & used electronics, cars, apparel, collectibles, sporting goods & more at low prices
Thread Starter
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Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2006
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I have heard the coil doesn't work right .. & they fail ...
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Cargo Master
Joined: Feb 2010
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From: College Station, TX
Well don't want to do that then 
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Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 10,121
Likes: 3
From: Orrville, Ohio
Not much IMO. I am guessing that the 15V rating is the coil voltage, meaning it is designed to use 15V to pull the coil in and turn the GPR on. That would certainly make it a possibility that the GPR would be intermittent on our trucks with a system voltage that drops below 12V when the GP's are on. I would stick with the 12V relay if it were me.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 26,966
Likes: 50
From: Texas
Feel free to ignore me if this sounds stupid. I still have my factory GPR at 389k miles, but that's because I live in Texas and don't have near as many cold starts as some of you. So short of moving to Texas, has anyone considered using a starter relay and push button to just activate the glow plugs manually?
I've seen pics of the standard GPR disc that shorts out and seen pics of the Stancor and I think the snow plow relay that is the other option. A heavier disc on the big relays sound like a good idea. I've seen one guy fab up a bracket for his Stancor so the disc is free to rotate so it doesn't burn a spot at the same contact point every time that might happen if it's laid on it's side.
The older tractors has a manual glow plug circuit. Push a button or hold a lever to energize the glow plugs. Sometimes you had to leave them activated as the tractor warmed up a little, most of the time it was just activate them for a bit, then start.
A manually activated relay might be an easier way around only remembering the problem when it's too cold in the morning. I would imagine the starter relay should be robust enough to handle the load for more than a year.
Out of curiosity Rick, how many months is winter where glow plugs are needed up there? Since you don't really need them in the summer, the lifespan sounds like it's even shorter than a year.
Since you're moving on from the NAPA relay, I'd cut it open and see if the entire contact disc is burned up or if the disc has stayed in one position and only burned up at the 2 contact locations. I'd love to see pics of what yours looks like.
I've seen pics of the standard GPR disc that shorts out and seen pics of the Stancor and I think the snow plow relay that is the other option. A heavier disc on the big relays sound like a good idea. I've seen one guy fab up a bracket for his Stancor so the disc is free to rotate so it doesn't burn a spot at the same contact point every time that might happen if it's laid on it's side.
The older tractors has a manual glow plug circuit. Push a button or hold a lever to energize the glow plugs. Sometimes you had to leave them activated as the tractor warmed up a little, most of the time it was just activate them for a bit, then start.
A manually activated relay might be an easier way around only remembering the problem when it's too cold in the morning. I would imagine the starter relay should be robust enough to handle the load for more than a year.
Out of curiosity Rick, how many months is winter where glow plugs are needed up there? Since you don't really need them in the summer, the lifespan sounds like it's even shorter than a year.
Since you're moving on from the NAPA relay, I'd cut it open and see if the entire contact disc is burned up or if the disc has stayed in one position and only burned up at the 2 contact locations. I'd love to see pics of what yours looks like.
Thread Starter
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Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 10,764
Likes: 39
Feel free to ignore me if this sounds stupid. I still have my factory GPR at 389k miles, but that's because I live in Texas and don't have near as many cold starts as some of you. So short of moving to Texas, has anyone considered using a starter relay and push button to just activate the glow plugs manually?
I've seen pics of the standard GPR disc that shorts out and seen pics of the Stancor and I think the snow plow relay that is the other option. A heavier disc on the big relays sound like a good idea. I've seen one guy fab up a bracket for his Stancor so the disc is free to rotate so it doesn't burn a spot at the same contact point every time that might happen if it's laid on it's side.
The older tractors has a manual glow plug circuit. Push a button or hold a lever to energize the glow plugs. Sometimes you had to leave them activated as the tractor warmed up a little, most of the time it was just activate them for a bit, then start.
A manually activated relay might be an easier way around only remembering the problem when it's too cold in the morning. I would imagine the starter relay should be robust enough to handle the load for more than a year.
Out of curiosity Rick, how many months is winter where glow plugs are needed up there? Since you don't really need them in the summer, the lifespan sounds like it's even shorter than a year.
Since you're moving on from the NAPA relay, I'd cut it open and see if the entire contact disc is burned up or if the disc has stayed in one position and only burned up at the 2 contact locations. I'd love to see pics of what yours looks like.
I've seen pics of the standard GPR disc that shorts out and seen pics of the Stancor and I think the snow plow relay that is the other option. A heavier disc on the big relays sound like a good idea. I've seen one guy fab up a bracket for his Stancor so the disc is free to rotate so it doesn't burn a spot at the same contact point every time that might happen if it's laid on it's side.
The older tractors has a manual glow plug circuit. Push a button or hold a lever to energize the glow plugs. Sometimes you had to leave them activated as the tractor warmed up a little, most of the time it was just activate them for a bit, then start.
A manually activated relay might be an easier way around only remembering the problem when it's too cold in the morning. I would imagine the starter relay should be robust enough to handle the load for more than a year.
Out of curiosity Rick, how many months is winter where glow plugs are needed up there? Since you don't really need them in the summer, the lifespan sounds like it's even shorter than a year.
Since you're moving on from the NAPA relay, I'd cut it open and see if the entire contact disc is burned up or if the disc has stayed in one position and only burned up at the 2 contact locations. I'd love to see pics of what yours looks like.
My Batteries are motorcrafts , & are about 4 years old. I have had this problem with the GPR since the batteries were new ..
I just need a better GPR ...
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 26,966
Likes: 50
From: Texas
I know you've been using the NAPA one for a while now. I just didn't know if maybe the disc inside that one rotated around or held in place and led to it burning up too quickly. I thought if you were going to try the Stancor unit you wouldn't need the warranty anymore and might have one to cut open. Of course getting a new spare for free is probably a better idea.
Here's one cut open where the disc did rotate around like it's supposed to. Not that it helped much.
Or perhaps the problem is with the studs, which are flipped over in the bottom of the pic. Maybe that's what burns up first and then ruins the disc.
Here's one cut open where the disc did rotate around like it's supposed to. Not that it helped much.
Or perhaps the problem is with the studs, which are flipped over in the bottom of the pic. Maybe that's what burns up first and then ruins the disc.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,386
Likes: 1
From: Spokane, WA
Feel free to ignore me if this sounds stupid. I still have my factory GPR at 389k miles, but that's because I live in Texas and don't have near as many cold starts as some of you. So short of moving to Texas, has anyone considered using a starter relay and push button to just activate the glow plugs manually?
I've seen pics of the standard GPR disc that shorts out and seen pics of the Stancor and I think the snow plow relay that is the other option. A heavier disc on the big relays sound like a good idea. I've seen one guy fab up a bracket for his Stancor so the disc is free to rotate so it doesn't burn a spot at the same contact point every time that might happen if it's laid on it's side.
The older tractors has a manual glow plug circuit. Push a button or hold a lever to energize the glow plugs. Sometimes you had to leave them activated as the tractor warmed up a little, most of the time it was just activate them for a bit, then start.
A manually activated relay might be an easier way around only remembering the problem when it's too cold in the morning. I would imagine the starter relay should be robust enough to handle the load for more than a year.
Out of curiosity Rick, how many months is winter where glow plugs are needed up there? Since you don't really need them in the summer, the lifespan sounds like it's even shorter than a year.
Since you're moving on from the NAPA relay, I'd cut it open and see if the entire contact disc is burned up or if the disc has stayed in one position and only burned up at the 2 contact locations. I'd love to see pics of what yours looks like.
I've seen pics of the standard GPR disc that shorts out and seen pics of the Stancor and I think the snow plow relay that is the other option. A heavier disc on the big relays sound like a good idea. I've seen one guy fab up a bracket for his Stancor so the disc is free to rotate so it doesn't burn a spot at the same contact point every time that might happen if it's laid on it's side.
The older tractors has a manual glow plug circuit. Push a button or hold a lever to energize the glow plugs. Sometimes you had to leave them activated as the tractor warmed up a little, most of the time it was just activate them for a bit, then start.
A manually activated relay might be an easier way around only remembering the problem when it's too cold in the morning. I would imagine the starter relay should be robust enough to handle the load for more than a year.
Out of curiosity Rick, how many months is winter where glow plugs are needed up there? Since you don't really need them in the summer, the lifespan sounds like it's even shorter than a year.
Since you're moving on from the NAPA relay, I'd cut it open and see if the entire contact disc is burned up or if the disc has stayed in one position and only burned up at the 2 contact locations. I'd love to see pics of what yours looks like.
I did this GPR mod using a momentary switch. It seemed as though I got a lot of negative comments so I'm sure not recommending any one do this mod, but it does work well for me so far.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,508
Likes: 2
From: The boonies by Dallas OR
Just curious if some of you that burn them up all the time have the glow plug relay cycling or just staying on? I would think that the cycling has got to do much more wear on the contacts compared to just staying on steady.
I've noticed that if both batteries are good, battery connections are good and all glow plugs are functional that the glow plug relay won't cycle.
I've noticed that if both batteries are good, battery connections are good and all glow plugs are functional that the glow plug relay won't cycle.