glowplugs
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Elder User
Joined: Aug 2008
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From: 50450 IOWA
glowplugs
Well I did it, i finally got around to and finished putting in 3 glow plugs and the new CDR. Drivers rear glow plugs was easy the 2 under the turbo took some time but not too bad. I used the Test Light Method and the others checked OK. Previously with the 3 bad plugs the WTS light would be on maybe 3 sec. After the new plugs in my garage at 48F the WTS was on for almot 6.5 seconds this sound about right to you guys?
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Faibanks Ak.
Am I missing something. It is my understanding that this style controllers wait time is determined by resistance in the glow plugs and thought ambient temps had nothing to do with it. Am I way off base here.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2009
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From: Phoenix
Star I THINK (which is scarry in and of itself) it goes like this
Ambient temp effects engine temp
engine temp effects GP temp
GP temp will effect resistance.
Again, I THINK you are correct, but there is a chain reaction that occurs, and I could be totally wrong
Ambient temp effects engine temp
engine temp effects GP temp
GP temp will effect resistance.
Again, I THINK you are correct, but there is a chain reaction that occurs, and I could be totally wrong
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Faibanks Ak.
If this is right, and again I don't own one with this system so am not sure, but if this is how they work, I would NEVER use anything except oem plugs as the resistance values would never be the same brand to brand.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Mi'kma'ki
it makes sense to me,cus when the temp is higher is the WTS light doesn't stay on as long.and when it gets real cold,they stay on longer.
the new style controller is pretty good,in that it seems to only glow the plugs as much as needed.rather than just a basic timer.
im sure the guys here that have run their rigs in warm weather,can let us know how long the WTS light stays for in say 70 degree temp.my guess is,just a few secs rather than a 10-12 sec glow when its around 10-20 degrees.
i know so far when the engines warm the WTS light only comes on for a couple secs at most.you can just hit the key.so it does know the temp somehow and doesn't just needlessly glow the plugs all the time.
that's why im a big fan of making sure this system is just up to par with 8 Beru plugs.its fantastic with easy starts when its right.
seems to work just like my dads 08 w/6.4
when its warm,hardly any glow time.turn key and go.
the new style controller is pretty good,in that it seems to only glow the plugs as much as needed.rather than just a basic timer.
im sure the guys here that have run their rigs in warm weather,can let us know how long the WTS light stays for in say 70 degree temp.my guess is,just a few secs rather than a 10-12 sec glow when its around 10-20 degrees.
i know so far when the engines warm the WTS light only comes on for a couple secs at most.you can just hit the key.so it does know the temp somehow and doesn't just needlessly glow the plugs all the time.
that's why im a big fan of making sure this system is just up to par with 8 Beru plugs.its fantastic with easy starts when its right.
seems to work just like my dads 08 w/6.4
when its warm,hardly any glow time.turn key and go.
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From: SW Washington coast
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Fleet Owner
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From: Mi'kma'ki
according to my Haynes techbook(#10330):
control unit temp/WTS duration
-20: 7-15 secs.
0: 7-12 secs.
35: 5-12 secs.
70: 3-5 secs.
105: 1-3 secs.
140: 1 or less secs.
temp of control unit (not ambient temp.)
control unit temp/WTS duration
-20: 7-15 secs.
0: 7-12 secs.
35: 5-12 secs.
70: 3-5 secs.
105: 1-3 secs.
140: 1 or less secs.
temp of control unit (not ambient temp.)
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Post Fiend
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From: Faibanks Ak.
lol If the ambient temps gets to be 140 I'll change my political affiliation and be a gore fan. But I'll be doing it from alaska.
That makes sense so they should last years if the wiring harness and controller is in good shape. Bit like I said if I owned the solid state controller ther is no way I would by aftermarket plugs expecting them to have the same resistance,and would more than likely replace 8 at a time so as to have the same resistance.
That makes sense so they should last years if the wiring harness and controller is in good shape. Bit like I said if I owned the solid state controller ther is no way I would by aftermarket plugs expecting them to have the same resistance,and would more than likely replace 8 at a time so as to have the same resistance.
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Elder User
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From: 50450 IOWA
OK so i got those plugs fixed and it starts A LOT. Question is.... when i do get it to start when its cold enough like yesterday +18F not plugged in few seconds or cranking full throttle was not running on all 8 but soon came out of it i could hear the last firing off... so would this be telling me i still have a bad glo plug?
Fleet Owner
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From: Mi'kma'ki
i know when i changed mine,i only had a couple not lite up using the test lite method.
when i changed the others as well,it made for quicker starts for sure.
it seems,if you dont have a means to test via resistance(a meter that costs as much or more than a set of Beru's purchased online) its best to just replace all 8 at once.
according to Daves experience for example,they last for hundreds of thousands of miles.once i read that,i just bought the rest.glad i did too.
when i changed the others as well,it made for quicker starts for sure.
it seems,if you dont have a means to test via resistance(a meter that costs as much or more than a set of Beru's purchased online) its best to just replace all 8 at once.
according to Daves experience for example,they last for hundreds of thousands of miles.once i read that,i just bought the rest.glad i did too.
Lead Driver
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 6,496
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From: So. Jersey
OK so i got those plugs fixed and it starts A LOT. Question is.... when i do get it to start when its cold enough like yesterday +18F not plugged in few seconds or cranking full throttle was not running on all 8 but soon came out of it i could hear the last firing off... so would this be telling me i still have a bad glo plug?
Or it could be an air intrusion issue.
Have you ever replaced injectors or return cap o-rings?
i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 65,564
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From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
i do not test glow plugs.
if it dont start properly, i just replace all 8 with berus.
70º cold start, i get a 2 second WTS light.
10º cold start, i get a 20 second WTS light, and it will fire on all 8 with 5-8 second crank time even after sitting for 3 months.
if it dont start properly, i just replace all 8 with berus.
70º cold start, i get a 2 second WTS light.
10º cold start, i get a 20 second WTS light, and it will fire on all 8 with 5-8 second crank time even after sitting for 3 months.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Nutter Fort, WV
The new style system looks at resistance to time the glow cycle.
As the plugs get hotter, the resistance increases.
A glow plug with 3 ohms resistance will pass the test light method, but not the resistance method.
Optimum resistance, .5 to 1 ohm.
At .5 ohm, the glow plug draws 24 amps at 12 volts, 288 watts of heat.
At 1 ohm, the glow plug draws 12 amps at 12 volts, 144 watts of heat.
By the time you have 3 ohm's, the glow plugs are drawing 4 amps at 12 volts, 48 watts of heat.
Higher resistance also means shorter glow times, so not only is the plug making less heat, it is also on a shorter amount of time which reduces the total amount of heat produced.
This is why the resistance is so critical on the new style systems.
Still takes almost 500 degrees for the fuel to autoignite, 48 watts for 5 seconds in a 10 degree cylinder with 10 degree air on the intake stroke leaves a long way for compression heat to get to 500 degrees.
And yes, as the ambient temp increases, the glow plug resistance also increases, so the resistance check should be at room temp, 70 degrees plus or minus 5 degrees.
As the plugs get hotter, the resistance increases.
A glow plug with 3 ohms resistance will pass the test light method, but not the resistance method.
Optimum resistance, .5 to 1 ohm.
At .5 ohm, the glow plug draws 24 amps at 12 volts, 288 watts of heat.
At 1 ohm, the glow plug draws 12 amps at 12 volts, 144 watts of heat.
By the time you have 3 ohm's, the glow plugs are drawing 4 amps at 12 volts, 48 watts of heat.
Higher resistance also means shorter glow times, so not only is the plug making less heat, it is also on a shorter amount of time which reduces the total amount of heat produced.
This is why the resistance is so critical on the new style systems.
Still takes almost 500 degrees for the fuel to autoignite, 48 watts for 5 seconds in a 10 degree cylinder with 10 degree air on the intake stroke leaves a long way for compression heat to get to 500 degrees.
And yes, as the ambient temp increases, the glow plug resistance also increases, so the resistance check should be at room temp, 70 degrees plus or minus 5 degrees.
