How about a simple starter solenoid relay from some other old car and a push button to control it with. Id hook all 5 up to it in paralell, and use a button that you have to hold down with your finger for the glowplugs to be on, so you couldn't leave them on, and burn them out. If it starts stalling after startup, just put your finger back on the button. I think I could count to 6 in cold weather and 3 in warm weather with my own brain...one onthousand two onethousand, etc, and err on the short side so as not to burn out my precious plugs.


What do you think
Mark

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1983 300CD 245K
Running WVO blends

It will work real good and last a long time. I had an 81 Isuzu Imark diesel. First thing that failed was the glowplug timer. I hooked up a manual switch. 5 months ago, I bought an 83 Ford Ranger diesel. Glow plug system didn't work. Installed a momentary on-switch, works like a champ. The hardest part is the counting. Sometimes I get confused, is it 1, 3, 4, 2 or 1...?

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Wayne

the triumph of evil requires only that good men stand by and do nothing

13 Audi A3 TDI, the Wife's!
85 190D 5 speed, 195,000 miles
75 Triumph TR 6 w/Toyota 5 speed
2000 Ford F-250 powerstroke
03 Ml500, 109000

Did you use a remote relay/solenoid, or just send all the current through you switch?

Mark

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1983 300CD 245K
Running WVO blends

I installed that set up on my 78 240D quite a while ago and love it. I used an old Ford truck solenoid, and ran the wire through the GP indicator light. You need the solenoid because the new style GPs use an 80amp fuse so theres too many amps to put through the switch. My push button (5/8 hole) is in the dash above my left knee so I can glow and turn the key at the same time.

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

I use a manual setup. I got an 80amp continuous-duty relay from NAPA for about $30.

Yah, that would be the best way too go, When I did mine I didn't realize there was a continuous-duty type, but its been working for several years.

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

Finally got around to taking a picture of it without the fuel/water separator blocking its view.

Attached Thumbnails

 

Mighty tidy job, mine is secured to the fender just forward of the battery.

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

Here is mine; been in use on my 82 6 cyl volvo diesel since around 1996. The 2 green wires go to the switch with the (+) from the battery on the large Left terminal (with 1 greeen switch wire attached) and the wire to the Glow Plugs comming out of the Right terminal.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Yah, I love the "manual" system, mine is routed through the GP light in the cabin, as if you can't hear the solenoid a block away

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

Same here. Its got a nice hearty clunk to it.

I just did a manual relay too. Very similar to what you all are listing here.
$25 in parts, connected easily to existing harness.
This way I can re-install a replacement when I find one.
What is not shown is I ran a low-amp wire into cabin connected
to a press-and-hold switch to activate relay. Took 10 minutes.

The relay is grounded to the fuel filter mounting bolt.
Hot wire runs from battery , to cabin, to switch, to relay.
The blue wire going to original relay in pic is now triggered by switch in cabin.

My Relay does not Relay - a Mystery Solved

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80 300D 340K Owned 30 yrs
83 300SD 440K Owned 9 yrs - Daily Driver 150mi/day
02 Z71 Suburban 117,000
15 Toyota Prius 2600 miles
00 Harley Sportster 24k
09 Yamaha R6
03 Ninja 250

That's exactly what the early 260D and 170D used

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Strelnik
Invest in America: Buy a Congressman!

1950 170SD
1951 Citroen 11BN
1953 Citroen 11BNF limo
1953 220a project
1959 180D
1960 190D
1960 Borgward Isabella TS 2dr
1983 240D daily driver
1983 380SL
1990 350SDL daily driver alt
3 x Citroen DS21M, down from 5
3 x Citroen 2CV, down from 6

I'm planning on implementing a manual glow plug system on my 617 conversion. I've got a Ford solenoid and I ordered a really nice momentary switch with an orange glow LED in it to turn the glow plugs on.

The switch is rated at 3 amps at 250v which seems like it might be OK up to maybe 6 amps at 12v extrapolating from what I see on other switch ratings.

The thing I can't seem to find anywhere is the current draw on the solenoid itself (not the glow plug or starter side, depending on the application) I've seen speculation everywhere from a few milli-amps to 30 amps.

I can run my switch through a standard old 30amp Bosch relay to power the solenoid but why introduce another point of failure if not needed?

I could measure the amps but all my little meters only go up to 200 miliamps.

Can anyone confirm what the current draw is on a Ford or similar solenoid?

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Current Stable

• 380SL (diesel)
• Corvette C5
• Manx
• Baja Bug
• F350 Powerstroke
• Auburn Boattail Speedster replica

can some one please label the wires in this pic so i can wire up my own? or give me a run down of how on my 83 240d?
and actually the relay i have has 4 post, 2 small ones in the middle.