Rick- Ok I'm ready to chant Larry's mantra with you - REPLACE ALL THE GLOW PLUGS , REPLACE ALL THE GLOW PLUGS , REPLACE ALL THE GLOW PLUGS!
After replacing the gp's I tested the old ones ( I tested them in the car 2 weeks ago) , 4 were dead !?! and one was fine (0.4 ohms). The turtle started after a full cycle (about 40 seconds) and ran much smoother than before ( no wonder
). The relay was still frigged up so yesterday I found the connectors to adapt the new Bosch afterglow relay . Wow what a difference ! The glow lite comes on and turned off in 5 seconds , the turtle started immediately and ran smooth
. So I'm assuming my compression must be pretty good still if it would start on 1 gp after cranking for 10 seconds.
Kerry- the upgraded starter is a smart fix and I did replace my starter a few months ago with a turbo model. The battery cells checked out as good to very good. A good battery and starter (as well as the connections between them) is a must for any diesel.