yeah, it's funny, me neither.

the double glow thing was started for me by the guy i bought the car from. he said he used to double glow when the temperature started dropping and it idled better at startup. i followed suit, but now i just count to 15 after the light goes out and she starts immediately idles perfectly right away. we'll see how she does in february when it is -30c...

my previous car was an 82 volvo 240 diesel wagon and i never had to double glow, and knock wood that car never let me down even on the coldest february mornings, but sometimes i would have to start it 2 or 3 times before it would stay running. i probably could have just let the plugs glow for another 30 seconds and it would have run fine, 6 years with that car and i always thought that when the light went out, the plugs did too...

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punkinfair

There are some engines that will benefit from a double glow if the temperature is very low........below 0°F. But, the first glow is for the full 40 seconds until the relay shuts down. Then, glow it again for another 30 seconds or so and attempt to start it. Total glow time is over one minute to provide some additional warmth to a very cold prechamber.

I will point out that the idiot glow light goes out according to the ambient air temp, I think. Anyway, it is illuminated for a much shorter time in the summer than in winter. It still isn't long enough when cold. I leave the key in glow position according to my estimate of need for chamber heat without regard for the light. But she always starts on about the first or second revolution hot or cold, even 10 below zero.

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DS
2010 CL550 - Heaven help me but it's beautiful
87 300D a labor of love
11 GLK 350 So far, so good
08 E350 4matic, Love it.
99 E320 too rusted, sold
87 260E Donated to Newgate School
www.Newgateschool.org - check it out.
12 Ford Escape, sold, forgotten
87 300D, sold, what a mistake
06 Passat 2.0T, PITA, sold

Las Vegas NV

Was it this site or another that was telling us to cut the purple wire on the glow plug relay to get a full minute of glow even after the engine starts.

If you cut the purple wire, the plugs won't shutdown on start. You get the full 40 seconds of glow, whether the engine is hot or cold. Runs great but the plug life is reduced commesurately.

How long will they last??

That's the question of the day.

I'm not sure anyone has done it and has the data.

Remember, every time you start it, even when hot, the plugs would run for the full 40 seconds.

I always wanted to put a simple toggle switch in the line from the violet wire. I'm probably capable of switching it on or off.........as required.

Is this "violet wire" a completely violet wire or is it a black wire with a violet stripe? looking at the glow pulg relay, I only see black wires with stripes of colors, no solid violet wire.

I think the Elsbett veg oil kit includes different plugs and some kind of relay that stays on for a minute or two or something after the car is running... I don't remember the details, but there is such a thing.

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Or, do like I did and get an 80amp continuous-duty relay and control glow time with a manual toggle switch. I control the glow time before and after the engine is on, not 70's technology electronics.

I used to count the ticks on my dash clock before I heard the relay click, and it would be about 22 ticks after the buzzing in the car stopped (couldn't hear the clock over the buzzing), so probably around 30 seconds total. This was in an 81 300TD. I used to have to cycle 3 times in cold weather (below 20 F) on that car before it would be willing to start.

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well for one not only does the "double glow" procedure increase ignition wear "double" but it also does no good whatsoever infact it may hurt the glowplugs if anything. the glowplugs reach a temp of about 4k degrees in 15 seconds i belive was the secret number, so yeah.. glow it once, start the car drive off.

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Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?

As long as they would add one additional commandment for you to keep thy religion to thyself.
George Carlin (Wonder where he is now..)

1981 240d (engine donor 1983 240d) recently rebuilt engine hurray! - No more.. fought a tree and the tree won.

pearl black 1983 240d 4speed (Converted!@$$%) atleast the tranny was rebuilt.

Unless you have very poor compression (or valves that need adjusting?), then you need all the glowing you can afford. I used to need several full cycles even when using the block heater when it was cold out.

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..........just don't "forget" about the switch..........

..........the clear and present danger of a toggle and not a momentary.......

I have it wired to the stock glowplug light and a 12V radioshack buzzer.