I recently replaced my glow plug controller with a manual push button because I was loosing plugs at a dramatic pace (getting expensive quick!). The manual button seems to be working well. The interesting thing was that the same 5 plugs burned up both times (4 on one side and one on the other). Anybody have an explanation as why this would happen (assuming that my controller was stuck on too long)? The only thing I can think of is that these 5 plugs may have had the best wiring (lowest resistance) and therefore got most of the juice when my controller was feeding them and burned out first. Any ideas? My biggest fear is that I have something else wrong and may be heading for another expensive burn out. Why else would a plug burn out?

 

I've put buttons in a few old Fords that were eating plugs. Only difference was these were burning out all the plugs together. I've heard the story about having a bad diode in the alternator feeding back through the engine burning out plugs, but I've never been able to prove it. I've also heard of the big black ground wire on the back of the drivers head breaking or coming loose burning out plugs. The ones that I put buttons on have not burned out plugs since. You have to remember not to run them for much over 6 seconds, or you will cook them. And don't let other people start your truck!

 

Hey! Spectramac:

Where can I get info on hooking up a push button for the glow plugs?

Thanks

 

Is your truck a 6.9 with the old screw in timer?

If so, I just unplug the timer and run a new wire from a push botton switch in the dash to the solonoid on the right inner fender (not the one hanging on the side, that's for the starter). I'll have to double check the colors for you, I think it's a purple wire you take off the solonoid and hook your new wire up there.

 

sleddog,

check out:

http://www.members.shaw.ca/k2pilot/G...%20diagram.jpg

R.A.

 

Spectramac:Sooooooooo true, I let my dad start my truck so it would warm up and he held the button on for 30 seconds. Needless to say all 8 were toast. Good thing I used beru/motorcraft otherwise the heads would have been off by now.

I love my push button setup, I have never burned out a single one since then. Before I would go thru 2 or 3 per winter.

If you use beru plugs you can run then for an ABSOLTE max of 14 seconds before they open. I run mine for 9 and it will fire on the first compression, if I run 7 seconds it takes a few more strokes to fire.

Do not use champion, autolite, or delco plugs, they will swell up and break it they are accidently overheated. Bosch will not swell, but mine have never lasted very long so I stopped using them.

 

I just changed 4 glow plugs in my truck. Don't know why only 4 went. If the controller goes I will probably put in a push button.