Can someone give me some input on the glow plug circuit.

Before I bought my truck, it had some issue that prompted the previous owner to bypass the Glow controller and use a momentary switch to power the glow plug relay. Works fine, but I want it back the way its supposed to be.

Any info on locations of components, wires, wire colors etc. would be helpful. Pictures say 1000 words.

Are there any write ups on here about it?

Thanks to everyone that has helped me so far. Pretty much know everything about gas motors and earlier trucks, but these things are greek to me. Learing though and I sure like it.

 

I am just learning about this stuff myself so I can't give you the technical details. I'm sure Dave or one of the other guru's will chime in with those.

I just had to replace my glow plugs because of a (or what I'm making an educated guess) malfunctioning glow plug controller. So I installed a switch like what your talking about. From what I've read on here and else where the controller is a fairly common source of problems. I subscribe to the K.I.S.S theory for the most part and to me eliminating an expensive and problem prone part is a good thing as far as I'm concerned. One less expensive part to have break and hopefully longer glow plug life. But to each their own.

-Marlin

 

This page has some good info, including wiring diagrams:

http://www.intellidog.com/dieselmann/idi.htm

The thing is, the stock conlrollers of the 1983-1986 diesels were unreliable, when mine failed, it simply stopped cutting off power, and fried all eight plugs.

Many, myself included, have gone to a manual switch. If you don't have strangers driving your truck, I would just leave it that way.

 

Same here. $240.00 (cad) later I'm back in business.

 

I converted mine to the solid state controller from a 87 or later.
Much more reliable than the original. If you do this you also have to change all the glow plugs to the later design. It's pretty easy to do, even my wait to start light works. You only have 2 good choices here, leave the push button or convert to solid state, I wouldn't spend the $ on another 83-86 controller, and
Beru/Motorcraft glow plugs hold up best.

 

Do not use any brand other than Beru, others don't hold up, and when they fail, the tip can breack off and fall into the combustion chamber. I am running wellmans right now (single coil), and so far three have failed, but they seem to at least hold their shape well enough to be safely retrieved. I considered using thier dual coil plugs, but when I tested one on a fully charged battery, if started swelling in 9 seconds, and after 22 seconds, power stopped, but by then the tip had swelled to 1/4".

What I meant about "strangers" driving a push button equipped truck, was if some one other than yourself (friend, family member, or service guy) has to operate the truck, they may not know how to use the setup properly. Not the bset choice of words in hindsight.

Converting to solid state would be the safest way to have the fool proof OEM setup, but soposedly you also have to swap the wiring harness.
The controller/solenoid setup is about the same price as on the older bimetal controller and seperate solenoid, but the wiring harness is not cheap.

I can't help but wonder if it might be possible to just splice the new style controller into an old style setup, and keep the original GPs and harness.

Has anyone tried this?

 

You don't need to buy a new wiring harness, the glow plug wires just need the ends changed to fit the bullet style glow plugs,87 and later.
All the experts say you have to use the newer style glow plugs with the SS controller, something about how they sense heat,resistence or some darn thing differently than the 86 and older GP's. The links listed above for the wiring
give you all the info you need, it is really pretty easy, I didn't change much of the wiring, just lengenthend a few. It's been working great for 2 years.