Hit the search tab above. Filter it on the right to the 99-03 7.3 forum. Type in GPR or glow plug relay in the top search field. Tons of info. You run a single wire from your relay off the post that is energized when the key is turned on. Add a inline fuse(optional) and a Radio Shack led light and mount to your favorite place inside the cab. Mine will stay on for over a minute when its cold outside!

 

Thanks alot. When I get my gauges ordered Ill do this at the same time.

P.S. I need to get off this site. You guys are making my bank acount get smaller and smaller.

 

Youre welcome

 

If you order a pillar pod from riffraff you can order it with a GPR LED.

Riffraff Diesel: AutoMeter Pillar Pods

 

http://www.dieselbombers.com/ford-po...tml#post735911

Little write up I did a few years ago...

 

So looking at yours, you are supposed to wait for the glow plug to go off before starting. Which the WTS light is not always right. Do I have that right? Im still trying to learn the ways of the diesels.

 

Correct. The wait to start light is not tied directly to the glow plug relay. Some people like to wait for the GPR to turn off so they know the temps are up. Living is sunny SoCal I dont need to worry about it.

 

I like that idea! Save a lot of needless drain on the batteries and extend the life of the GPs. How would ya wire that up with a GPCM and not throw a code?

Another benefit to knowing when the GPs are off is then you have full voltage to start, not asking your batteries to do both simultaneously. I can imagine a weak system with borderline voltage might not fire simply because the GPs are on. Turn them off, go from 10.1 volts to 10.9, and presto your sticks are squirting. Or (going outside the box here, opinions sought) turn the GPs off and use ether.

FWIW I use a cheap Ebay volt meter in the dash to monitor the GPs, and it's nice to get a general idea of battery status, alternator output, etc.

 

Didnt think about that. Maybe I should stop cranking as soon as my key hits the tumbler

I also like that push button idea, but I too have a GPCM. It would be easy with a GPR.
A GPCM to GPR conversion would require a PCM swap too...

If we were lucky there would be a signal wire to the GPCM that indicates a "start up" and that could fool it. But that would be wishful. Anyone have a pin diagram?

 

I did have one... But trashed it when I trashed the GPCM.

 

I installed a GPR LED about a month ago and I like knowing when it is coming on and off. But I notice that after the truck is warmed up the LED doesn't light up. So what I was wondering is that because the pcm is using the oil temp sensor to know when to fire up the GPR ? If not what tells the pcm that it need to put power to the GPR?

 

The glow plug system is electronically controlled by the powertrain control module. If the temperature is below 55°C (131°F) the powertrain control module will energize the glow plugs immediately after the key is placed in the ON position. Then, depending on the readings from the EOT(engine oil temperature) sensor and the BARO(barometric pressure, internal to the PCM) sensor, the powertrain control module determines how long the glow plugs will be on.

If either the EOT sensor or BARO (internal to the PCM) malfunction, the GPR will not activate.

The powertrain control module protects the glow plugs by energizing them for short durations if the battery voltage is abnormally high. The purple - (blue) wire is the battery voltage monitoring sensor wire from the GPR to the PCM and is protected by a fusible link.

That is a little cut and paste from some of my posts of information I have gathered.

Also if you have a GPR not a GPCM, you can simply provide a ground through a switch the to relay coil PCM wire and activate it manually.

 

Thanks Al for explaining it to me.

 

On the 6.9 engines the glow plug controller could fail in the on position and the result would be burned glow plug pieces dropping into the cylinders. (they are 6 volt glow plugs and heat up in a hurry).

I though about this when I did the LED on my 7.3, but I have not heard of this happening on the 7.3, has anyone else?

 

I knew that I had bought a GPR109 at my local NAPA a couple of years ago. When I thought that I was having trouble with it last winter I went in to NAPA and said I thought it was going bad and only had it a year and a half and was there some type of warranty on it (off the cuff, knowing it is electrical). The guys looked it up and said, "Yes, 3 years or 36,000 miles". He noted on his computer that I had bought one there and said bring in the old one and they would switch it out at no cost.

I buy all of my electrical parts with the 'life time' warranty if I can, only costs very little more and usually the same part just priced higher. I found out from O'reilly Auto parts that I have a 'life time' warranty on my fender starter relay on my '91 Ford F-150. I thought that my '01 F-250 fender starter relay was going out and needed changed. The guy behind the counter looked in his computer and said bring in the relay and if it is bad they would exchange it. The 'computer' did not say it was for a '91 or '01. truck... just that it was the same part number and 'exchangeable' because of warranty ..... it turned out that the '01 relay on my truck is fine. I have a couple of 'new' starters on my '91 'free' because of this warranty. I also bought a 'new' Alt with a lifetime warranty. So..... if you 'ask' some of those electrical parts do come with a warranty. I try to get that warranty on any parts I buy. Changed the shoes out on my '01car, ,91, '01 trucks several time 'free' on warranties.