So i think i might have made a big mistake while starting my truck yesturday.My truck had been sitting for about 24hrs in 35-40 F temps and i went out to start it.I didnt think i would need glow plugs so i gave her a whirl,it cranked it for about 10sec before it fired but it quit.so then i figured i needed the glow plugs,so i cycled the key and while the glow plugs were warming up.it ignighted the left over fuel in one of cylinders and it turned my motor over slowly till that piston hit bdc.did i mess anything up?my motor isnt making any weird sounds no blow bye but im still worried.let me no what you guys think.

 

If all you managed to do was push the piston to BDC then you've got nothing to worry about. Consider this your warning. That little WTS light and the glow plugs are there for a reason. Pay attention to the light and follow it's recommendations.

 

im asuming it was bdc of that cylinder.it didnt happen fast,kinda like pulling a pull cord on a lawn mower real slow.

 

any one else have any thing to add to this???

 

Nothing to add really just that Chris is 100% right. I can't see any damage being done though

 

I wished I knew what BDC was so I could comment but I agree with Chris, when Its cold and your trucks been sitting, let those glow plugs work their magic. Caleb, a real simple mod would be to hook up a GPR mod, real simple mod, alls your doing is running a wire from your GPR relay to the inside of your truck to a small led light, install where you like and you'll see how long those glow plugs stay on, almost a minute at times depending on temps, do a search. The little LED at Radio shack cost about a 1.50.

 

BDC = bottom dead center. No harm there.

 

bdc is bottom dead center,the farthest that piston will go down.i didnt think i would need them because is my truck sits over night in those temps it will fire right up with out them.i guess 24hrs is to long owell its done nothing i can do about it now.ill have to try the led mod..

 

Even in Texas my GP's light will come on.It is tied directly to the GPR so I know when they are on.

 

I've converted mine to a manual push button on the dash.
They won't come on at all unless I hold that button down and they stay on only as long as I am holding that button.
.
As far as the fuel igniting and pushing the piston down, don't worry about it. The engine is designed to that that sort of force to generate HP.

 

It just worried me abit because i know that ether will do bad things,and i thought this would do the same thing.

 

Thanks Mike, heard of top dead center TDC, guess there's a bottom..lol.

 

Caleb, I've done the same thing but didn't have the slow burn. It has to be quite cold before I wait for the WTS light to go off before I start the truck. I've been starting diesels without glowplugs for 50 years with no problems. But it does start easier in cool weather with the glowplugs.

I like Dan's idea of using a pushbutton to activate the GPR. That would save the batteries too as we certainly don't need the glow plugs in the summer.

 

In freezing weather and the truck has been sitting all week, I have to hold the button down for 10 seconds and it will start like it's the middle of summer.
Once it's running, the glow plug's job is over.
Ford and a LOT of other diesel engine vehicles leave them on simply to help control the smoke, but it's not a requirement for the engine to keep running.

 

in my box of ideas, I want to make an exhaust pipe with an insulated air intake around it, and a small furnace sized oil burner in it, so instead of glow plugs, the air would be drawn over a red hot pipe before entering the intake. After starting and running for a bit, the oil sprayer would shut off and the intake air would be heated from the exhaust alone. Of course this would need a valve to switch to cold air intake once boost hits 1 or 2 pounds, but that would be easy to do.

I'd bet mine would get better winter mileage if it was breathing hot air under 5 pounds of boost, and stay nice and warm idling when its -40.