new glow plug issues

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Jan 8, 2009 | 09:18 PM

rupejosh

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Cargo Master

Joined: Feb 2008

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From: back in SE Iowa

new glow plug issues

well i put in new glow plugs yesterday(wellmans i know)they worked great yesterday and this morning.and tonight when i fired the truck up the wts light came on momentarilyn and then the controller started clicking again like i had dead plugs.well i went through pulled the wires off the plugs and tested them all with a test light then an ohm meter averaging about .08 ohms.not a single dead one.when i put the plugs in yesterday and this morning my controller didnt tick like it was previously and the battery gauge didnt bounce as it was doing.so do i have a controller issue?i really like seein that wts light come on and stay on for a few seconds.what do ya'll think?would putting a push button in solve this?

Jan 8, 2009 | 10:54 PM

rupejosh

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Cargo Master

Joined: Feb 2008

Posts: 3,409

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From: back in SE Iowa

i just had a thought when i swapped the glowplugs yesterday i removed the controller to get to the plugs under the turbo,i didnt remove any of the wiring bein i had both batteries disconnected.the only wire that came off was the ground inderneath the controller and i put it back on.what im wondering is could i have jarred the relay into working or is the ground bad?i hear clicking though so it confuses me.any input or thoughts would be great.

Jan 9, 2009 | 07:29 AM

PLC7.3

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Joined: Nov 2004

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From: Manitoba

I would ensure the ground is excellent.... make sure it goes to a hard bolt or the head... does your 94 not have a special bolt in the drivers side rear manifold location.... threaded at both ends to accept the controller ground.

Jan 9, 2009 | 01:59 PM

Dave Sponaugle

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Joined: Nov 2003

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From: Nutter Fort, WV

Also check the indicator light wire, make sure you did not disconnect it while moving everything around.

Also remember that several people have posted that running a ground wire from the battery negative terminal and putting it under the same bolt the ground wire is on helped with controller problems.

Jan 9, 2009 | 09:52 PM

rupejosh

Thread Starter

Cargo Master

Joined: Feb 2008

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From: back in SE Iowa

well this morning i got to work and pulled each plug and found one that was crap.then put one of the old ones that is still good in.now it works normal with no clicking noise.so i called up wellman and now they are sending me a whole brand new set.

Jan 10, 2009 | 08:20 AM

tjc transport

i ain't rite

Joined: Mar 2005

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From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.

i would write it up to experience, throw that wellman crap away, and put the proper plugs in there.
you have already proved to yourself they are junk after on died in less than 24 hours.

Jan 10, 2009 | 11:36 AM

mkt_spot

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Joined: Jan 2002

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The controller looks at the resistance of the circuit to decide whether or not to keep the plugs on. The resistance of the glow plugs rises as they heat. One bad plug (infinite resistance) is enough to make the plugs short cycle. The clicking you hear is what the controller does next. It intermittently cycles the plugs for short durations to keep the combustion chambers warm. I can't remember how long this goes on for but it's normal. In your case you skipped a step and went from cycle the plugs normally to system satisfied because of the bad plug. Warning this information only applies to the later version of the controller. The earlier version works differently. The dieselmann page has a really good article on IDI glow plug circuits. The tidbit about the continued cycling I gleaned from a Ford factory manual. One of my best eBay buys ever. mkt_spot