Approximately 4 months ago, I purchased the relay and glow plug kit from Phil and installed the components on my 1982 300SD. Prior to changing out the relay box, my glow plug light would come on every time during the glow cycle. Now that I have installed the new kit, with the new relay, I only get the glow plug light to illuminate every other time or every second time. I have observed this under many different scenarios: cold start, warm start, restart after 15 minutes or so, over night cold start. I cant figure it out. I have thrown a voltmeter on at various times and I have always read proper voltage at the glow plugs whenever I have done this.

I called Phil and he suggested I post this question on the forum. I have done several searches and have not found this identical problem out there.

Does anyone have a similar experience, or any knowledge on this problem?

I am starting to wonder if the relay box is suspect. I believe this new relay box has a feature built into it that fires the glow plugs even after the engine has been started for 120 seconds or so. I would not think this would cause the glow plug indicator light not to illuminate or be related in anyway to this problem.

Rob

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'82 300SD 206K miles Anthracite Grey received 250,000 Km badge
'93 GMC Turbo Diesel 1-Ton Dually 113K miles Stolen 17 Jul 05
2005 GMC 2500HD Crew Cab D-max 22K miles Love it!
'68 Corvair Monza 110 Coupe 26K Sold
'66 Corvair Monza 110 Convertible 123K
'52 Ford 8N Sold
'66 Ford 3000 Diesel (204 hours) For Sale
'86 White 2-65 MFWD Iseki Diesel

Have you checked each GP for continutiy? Also, check all of your electircal connections, and tighten and clean the connections., including the GP connections.

Have you put your old one back in to test it?

I had a Lennox repairman tell me that relays are either bad or going bad, even out of the box.

It is a possiblilty that your new relay is faulty.

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RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

91 W124 300D Turbo replaced, Pressure W/G actuator installed. 210K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

My 240D recently developed the same symptoms you describe and in my case this started happening just after I installed a new set of Bosch GPs. I think we both have a case of a GP relay that has been designed to try and communicate to the driver too many different fault conditions... flash when 1 plug is defective and not light up when there are 2 or more plugs failed or near failing... and of course the relay also has input from an engine temp sensor and some ambient temperature inputs... this to allow the relay to decide how long the GPs should stay lighted.

Well when I finally decide that I have had enough of such over designed confusing flashing of lights, I will most likely dispose of my relay in favor of one of the "downgrade" kits that will replace the relay with one like a simple starter relay and a push buttton on the dash for the driver to use and hold down however long they feel conditions warrant. For instance when you make a short stop for gas and a 6-pac at the local station, you really don't need to run the GPs at all. It's going to be a simple GP "downgrade" next time for me!!!

If this interests anyone you can either do a serarch on this or send me a PM and we can start a new THREAD on just this subject.

Sam

I've had that kit installed in my 300D for about 100K miles and it works perfectly, the light always comes on and stays on for the appropriate amount of time depending on temperature. If you don't have any other GP problems, I would suggest swapping it for another relay.

Before you consider any "downgrades," think about whether anyone else ever drives your car, or if you ever plan on selling it.