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glow plug issues

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Old Dec 20, 2007 | 04:59 PM
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symonds86
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glow plug issues

i have a 1987 f350 with a 7.3 i have a manual glow plug system, and recently 2 set of plugs have fried. the first set i linked to a stuck soleniod, but after replaceing it the same thing happened. my system is wired as so, a positive cable to the battery side of a solenoid on the fenderwell, a fused positive wire to a push button in the dash then a wire fom that to the s terminal of the soleniod, then i have two heavy guage wires running from the other side of the soleniod the the glow plug harness wires. there is also a ground from where the solenods bolted to the fender the the negative terminal. i tested the switch and the new solenoid and they are both working. i am out of ideas and thise is an expensive problem as you all no. O and everything was tested with a multimeter so i know that there is no voltage to the plugs after the buttons released.
Any help would be great i am really stumped on this one.

thanks
Derrick
 
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Old Dec 20, 2007 | 05:06 PM
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Franklin2
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What brand glowplugs do you use?
 
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Old Dec 20, 2007 | 05:24 PM
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Dave Sponaugle
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1987 should have a 6.9 engine, the glow plugs should be controlled by the new style glow plug controller.



The glow plug relay/controller should be on the rear of the engine at the center of the intake.
 

Last edited by Dave Sponaugle; Dec 20, 2007 at 05:32 PM.
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Old Dec 21, 2007 | 12:03 AM
  #4  
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symonds86
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From: upstate ny
my truck did have a 6.9 but i built a 7.3 turbo and put it in to replace it. my truck has had the stock relay removed since i bought it and has one on the fender well instead. autolights were in it when i bought it and thats what i replaced them with.
 
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Old Dec 21, 2007 | 12:22 AM
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From: Manitoba
Autolites a bad carma..... they will burn up almost immediatly. Beru/motorcraft are the only ones to use. Do you have the GP controller like in Dave's picture..... what are the connectors like on the GPs a bullet top or a spade top.

Read this page re GPs and removal....... http://www.members.shaw.ca/k2pilot/
 
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Old Dec 21, 2007 | 04:59 PM
  #6  
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symonds86
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From: upstate ny
my truck has the bullits style tops, i used the harness from the 7.3 when i swaped out the motors. and my truck had the controller like dave showed but it was gone off the truck when i bought it, and the motor i rebuilt was also missing it. a PO used a regular 12v solenoig on the fender, it worked great till it stuck, maybe the old plugs were not autolite an thats why they are burnin out now with this system. also will the number only work at autozone because there are none around here. thanks for all the help.
 
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Old Dec 21, 2007 | 06:53 PM
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The trigger wire from the push button would go to the S terminal on a starter relay.
The amount of amperage need to trigger the solenoid is very small, I got power from my fuse box off a switched fuse.
Nice thing about a switched fuse is the glow plugs can not be activated untill the key is ON.
Young ones playing can not toast the glow plugs.

About an 8 AWG wire from the battery to the battery terminal on the relay.
Then tie into the stock harness with a pair of 10 AWG wires from the second big terminal on the starter relay.
 
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