Manual Glow Control
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2009
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From: Phoenix
Manual Glow Control
Okay, so 86 needs glow plugs....went down and scored the last set of zd9's from checker....
Honestly I want full manual control as here in Phoenix I only need them for first start of the morning
My question is this...there are two realys (both look like starter silinoids under the hood....one is on the side of the fender well (sitting sideways)and has one wire coming out of it (output side), the other is on the top of the fender wall (facing up) with two wires on the output. I am assuming the one with the two wires is to the glow plugs, the single wire is to the starter (after all it is in the traditional place every other ford I have worked on has it).
Is my assumption correct (or should I just go bridge it and find out)?
Honestly I want full manual control as here in Phoenix I only need them for first start of the morning
My question is this...there are two realys (both look like starter silinoids under the hood....one is on the side of the fender well (sitting sideways)and has one wire coming out of it (output side), the other is on the top of the fender wall (facing up) with two wires on the output. I am assuming the one with the two wires is to the glow plugs, the single wire is to the starter (after all it is in the traditional place every other ford I have worked on has it).
Is my assumption correct (or should I just go bridge it and find out)?
Cargo Master
Joined: Feb 2008
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From: back in SE Iowa
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...t-working.html
dave sponaugle has the same year truck as you and ran a manual switch and he is the guru around here
dave sponaugle has the same year truck as you and ran a manual switch and he is the guru around here
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 21,285
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From: Nutter Fort, WV
The one down on the inner fender well is glow plugs.
Supply power to the small terminal with the purple wire on it to close the relay.
Caution, best choices here are power from a switched source so the glow plugs can not be opperated unless the key is ON and use a momentary switch so they can not be accidently bumped on.
Since you are only closing a relay, the switch can be for a low amp load and wire out to the relay can be small 14 or 16 AWG.
Supply power to the small terminal with the purple wire on it to close the relay.
Caution, best choices here are power from a switched source so the glow plugs can not be opperated unless the key is ON and use a momentary switch so they can not be accidently bumped on.
Since you are only closing a relay, the switch can be for a low amp load and wire out to the relay can be small 14 or 16 AWG.
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From: Phoenix
Thanks dave....that was what i thought but figured better safe than sorry.
Am I correct in my reasoning for doing it this way? from what little info I could dig up it sounds like the plugs get cycled every time the truck is started...with the system being totally inop I have found the only time it has trouble starting is after sitting for more then 7 hours.
also, is there a trick to making sure I dont break the tips on removal...I was hoping for an easy swap, but after poking around under the hood I found both a bosch and an autolite GP box....from the hoor stories I am getting nervious
Am I correct in my reasoning for doing it this way? from what little info I could dig up it sounds like the plugs get cycled every time the truck is started...with the system being totally inop I have found the only time it has trouble starting is after sitting for more then 7 hours.
also, is there a trick to making sure I dont break the tips on removal...I was hoping for an easy swap, but after poking around under the hood I found both a bosch and an autolite GP box....from the hoor stories I am getting nervious
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Nutter Fort, WV
PB Blaster or some other penetrating sprayed around the plug may help dissolve the carbon buildup.
The old style system has a controller that senses the coolant temp and then turns the glow plugs on it the temp is to low for the engine to fire.
Actually the system is a good setup, right up till it starts going bad.
Then it is a nightmare trying to figure out where the problem is.
Also it seems that about 80% of the time when the system fails, it turns the glow plugs on when not needed till it burns them out.
The only real problem with going manual is if other people drive your truck.
Seems they have a hard time grasping 10 seconds glow time, then start the engine.
The old style system has a controller that senses the coolant temp and then turns the glow plugs on it the temp is to low for the engine to fire.
Actually the system is a good setup, right up till it starts going bad.
Then it is a nightmare trying to figure out where the problem is.
Also it seems that about 80% of the time when the system fails, it turns the glow plugs on when not needed till it burns them out.
The only real problem with going manual is if other people drive your truck.
Seems they have a hard time grasping 10 seconds glow time, then start the engine.
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Senior User
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From: Phoenix
once in a blue moon someone else may drive it....If i choose to rebuild am I correct in the assumption that there are basically 3 main components...the gp's, the gpc, and the relay on the fender?
And if so, other than the wiring (spade vs bullet connectors) which I have already changed, will the ZD-9's work in place of the ZD-1A's, and if not what is involved in doing a full change over?
Just trying to weigh a few options....
And if so, other than the wiring (spade vs bullet connectors) which I have already changed, will the ZD-9's work in place of the ZD-1A's, and if not what is involved in doing a full change over?
Just trying to weigh a few options....
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Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Nutter Fort, WV
The controller on the old style system screws into a coolant passage at the rear of the drivers side head.
More that one has broken off trying to get it out after all of these years.
If that happens, you may have to pull the head tp get the remnants out and stop the coolant leak.
As I say that, there have also been users that it screwed right out for.
Glow plug relay on the passenger side inner fender and the glow plugs.
The ZD 9 glow plugs should be fine with the old controller, it works off of time.
The wiring harness for the new style controller is a little different, but you could make it work.
On a NA motor this mounts on the rear of the intake manifold, battery power straight to it from the battery and an ignition wire which should already be back to the old style controller.
So it would take a little wiring to make work.
More that one has broken off trying to get it out after all of these years.
If that happens, you may have to pull the head tp get the remnants out and stop the coolant leak.
As I say that, there have also been users that it screwed right out for.
Glow plug relay on the passenger side inner fender and the glow plugs.
The ZD 9 glow plugs should be fine with the old controller, it works off of time.
The wiring harness for the new style controller is a little different, but you could make it work.
On a NA motor this mounts on the rear of the intake manifold, battery power straight to it from the battery and an ignition wire which should already be back to the old style controller.
So it would take a little wiring to make work.
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Posting Guru
Joined: May 2003
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From: Joliet, Illinois
One small detail I missed last winter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Typed from the garage with the computer sitting on the BBQ in front of my truck!
OH?????
So, that one wire GROUNDS the relay circuit to activate it!
Last winter during the one deep cold snap at -18 below zero (a total of 50 degrees below the freezing point of water) when my truck batteries capacity had shrunk so small I had one possible shot to start it and all the while I was attempting to put power to the relay there because the relay cycled like it was just shut off hot!
Lately it has been cycling too short on cool mornings!
So now I start to research this relay thing one more time before it gets too cold out and read that one SMALL DETAIL!!
Better late than never!
Junior User
Joined: Sep 2007
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Several years ago I put a manual controller on my GP's. I took it out last year when I took the time to trouble shoot the system and make it work like it was designed to.
After I got my GP's all working though it still did not start as well as I would have liked, but it turns out my starter motor was weak. It would crank over, but not real fast. Now she starts up after one cylce on the GP's regardless of how cold it is. (course it never gets too cold in Maryland)
The one modification I did do though was to prevent the GP's from cycling all the time when the motor was warm. I installed a relay and connected it to the fast idle solinoid, and now the only time my GP's cycle is when the engine is below 130 degrees. Not sure why the factory did not do that.
Wayne
After I got my GP's all working though it still did not start as well as I would have liked, but it turns out my starter motor was weak. It would crank over, but not real fast. Now she starts up after one cylce on the GP's regardless of how cold it is. (course it never gets too cold in Maryland)
The one modification I did do though was to prevent the GP's from cycling all the time when the motor was warm. I installed a relay and connected it to the fast idle solinoid, and now the only time my GP's cycle is when the engine is below 130 degrees. Not sure why the factory did not do that.
Wayne
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