2-3 glowplugs feel weak...

[TMHark]

Had a couple weak glowplugs (seemed to be getting worse) so I did some PM to supposedly make things better. No change after swapping parts

New Bosch Duraterms, new GP controller, polished up all the leads to controller, test light flashes strong at every plug when dash indicator is on.

Still one or two cylinders seem to be getting little or no heat and smoke pretty good for 10-15 seconds when cold. Another one only takes a couples seconds to smooth out

Since it happened before (and now after) swapping parts, with exact same symptoms, I'm kind of stumped

Engine spins nicely and fires (on 5-6 cylinders) quickly, after one "wait to start" cycle. You can actually see the puff of exhaust that coincides with the thump of the cylinder missing.

Anyone know the Duraterm glowpug resistance # (and I'll check it with my ohm meter)? Too much anti-seize??

But since it did the exact same before and after swapping these parts, I'm not sure if that would be the cause

Runs great, smooth, etc, with no lack of power after the 30 seconds of noisy/smokey warmup

Cleaned battery terminals, grounds, and replaced the controller and plugs

 

[ak diesel driver]

is your throttle pedal unresponsive while it smokes? is the idle speed while it smoke low?

 

[TMHark]

Pedal works normally, computer holds usual idle speed till it clears up

If I give her a little throttle, say 1500rpm, it clears up (warms up?) much quicker, but with a bit of "bang and clang"

 

[Green Machine]

Did you test your injectors before you put them in?

 

[WarWagon]

Did you test your injectors before you put them in?

X2. My hard start was injectors sticking open - or at least one issue I have. Get a couple tested.
Pull an injector and watch the glow plugs cycle. They should have a glow and maintain a faint to bright glow through the afterglow cycles.

 

[TMHark]

Not tested, but they have been working okay for the last few years since they went in with the new engine ("it worked 'til it broke!")

I use "Power Service" diesel additive, that should okay for them, right?

Should I toss in a quart of ND 30 weight for some extra lube?

Never thought it might be injectors, hmmm...

 

[kojo]

Double check wires from glow relay to plugs. I had same problem in my burb, i took my clamp on current meter and measured how much one glow takes current and then both banks seperately and together, what i did found was glow plug harness was shot.
I did new wires for each damaged one and wired them directly from glow relay with 20A fuse.

 

[diesel65]

X3 Injector problem.....I had the same problem whenever the outside temperature dipped to around 40 degrees, my first start would give me an engine miss and puffing of white smoke for about 10 seconds then it would clear up. It would do it in the morning and when I was ready to leave work.
To diagnose the problem I dropped the crossover pipe to find which bank was causing the miss. Lucky for me that it was the drivers side, then the next day I started the truck (using my remote start) and immediatly crack a injector line to find the cylinder that was not contributing, needed two days to find that cyl #7 was the problem, replaced injector with a used unit I had and it cleared up the problem.

 

[tanman_2006]

My most recent set of injectors only got 30K miles before they started sticking open while off. Runs good after started but it puffs clouds of white from atleast one cylinder for ~15-30 seconds and that is with buddy's aggressive glow control program. I have 2 orginal sets laying in a box that are going into the local shop for a rebuild. The last set was from Accurate Diesel.

 

[racedaymechanic]

I can fix you up with one of my GP Harness's go to http://ptwiringsolutions.com/Glow_Plug_Harness.html

 

[WarWagon]

tanman_2006 describes down to the mile, 30K I have on cheap rebuilt injectors that are sticking. I have fought them for a year and torched 2 starters. One blew a drive and the other has the insulation flaking off the wire from the solenoid to the motor. In other words injectors only get worse.

Because they only had 1/3 the life I should get out of them I tested them last.

In any case checking the glow system out and checking for air should be done first. Testing an injector can also help keeping in mind you can have multiple problems.

 

[TMHark]

I wonder if the inexpensive Delphi injectors are sticking

Gonna be tough to track down in with the warm weather coming

Maybe a temp gun reading on each exhaust port and then crack open the injector(s) that read differently than the others?

Time for HO Injectors?

Anyone want my (used, but assumed working fine) GPC or SSD glowplugs?

Thanks for all the advice

 

[natjwest]

How do you guys know that a specific number of glow plugs aren't working? The original poster says "one or two cylinders seem to be getting little or no heat and smoke pretty good for 10-15 seconds when cold. Another one only takes a couples seconds to smooth out"

How does he know that?

 

[WarWagon]

How do you guys know that a specific number of glow plugs aren't working? The original poster says "one or two cylinders seem to be getting little or no heat and smoke pretty good for 10-15 seconds when cold. Another one only takes a couples seconds to smooth out"

How does he know that?

Engine shakes with puffs of white smoke vs. a steady stream of smoke. You can also hear the miss running. When cranking it hits one and then misses on the rest falling back on the starter or stalling.

 

[jhornsby3]

Mine is doing the same thing now after I replaced the head gaskets. Throttle is responsive during the rough start and I just had the injectors tested. They all tested very good with the pop pressure being around 150lbs low from stock. I found a small fuel leak at the filter manager and that is going to be replaced this weekend. I have yet to check the ohms on the glows as that will come this weekend while I'm under the hood.........Again.

John

 

[natjwest]

Thanks warwagon, this makes sense. I suppose I was experiencing this with cold hard starts before I replaced glow plugs. I had four bad ones and it would sound like it was ready to catch but just couldn't- like some of the cylinders were operable and others still too cold.