Wait to start
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Wait to start
New to this group and the diesel world so redirect me if there’s already a thread on this. But I have a 2003 f250 with the 7.3 do these have a wait to start light? Mine doesn’t have one at all not even when I turn the ignition to start position. I have just been waiting and kind of guessing everytime I start it.
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2014
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From: Douglassville, PA
I used some sort of tractor that had one of those. It had a sliver cap on the dash that looked like a SS salt shaker lid but the holes were much bigger. Then inside of it was a curly-cue wire that glowed orange after a short while. The switch was a momentary that you twisted to the right.
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I looked and I do have that symbol it goes off almost instantly after I turn the key to the start position.
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: May 2014
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From: Lake Hartwell, GA
The WTS/GP light has absolutely zero correlation to how long the GPR fires the GP's. The glow plugs can stay lit for up to 120 seconds, even after the engine has been started.
Some people wire a small LED to the GPR to indicate when the GP's are on/off for sure.
Some people wire a small LED to the GPR to indicate when the GP's are on/off for sure.
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so is it something I should worry about or no?
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Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2019
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From: Kinnula,Finland
Its just good to know that wts/gp light is independent from actual gp activation.
Led indicator mod aint necessary,you can look from volt meter,when GPs go off.
Cycling the key only cuts GPs off,before they warm up.
Led indicator mod aint necessary,you can look from volt meter,when GPs go off.
Cycling the key only cuts GPs off,before they warm up.
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2014
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From: Douglassville, PA
It cuts them off but they come right back on from 0 if you turn the key back on.
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2014
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From: Douglassville, PA
I have a volt meter installed in my power outlet so I can tell when the glow plugs are on/off. In the warm months I just wait about 30 seconds after turning the key and start, in winter I let the glow plugs time out as noticed on the volt meter. If it's below 20 I'll recycle the key and give them another time out then start.
Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2007
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My vote is: it depends.
In theory the light should indicate when the GP's are warm enough to start the motor. As noted, they may continue to glow after motor start to help with combustion and warming the air inside the cylinder. While getting an additional light to show when the GP's have current is one way to go, and another is to just glance at the volt meter as they draw a lot of power.
From the description (and am presuming a cold start), the short 'On' time does seem suspicious to me. Waiting a few more seconds certainly will not hurt.
In practice, the amount of wait time depends on temperature (warmer = shorter). If I am starting a motor after it was shut down just a few minutes prior (example: refueling), I usually start immediately rather than wait based on the light as the motor is already at operating temperature.
In theory the light should indicate when the GP's are warm enough to start the motor. As noted, they may continue to glow after motor start to help with combustion and warming the air inside the cylinder. While getting an additional light to show when the GP's have current is one way to go, and another is to just glance at the volt meter as they draw a lot of power.
From the description (and am presuming a cold start), the short 'On' time does seem suspicious to me. Waiting a few more seconds certainly will not hurt.
In practice, the amount of wait time depends on temperature (warmer = shorter). If I am starting a motor after it was shut down just a few minutes prior (example: refueling), I usually start immediately rather than wait based on the light as the motor is already at operating temperature.