My Official OM617 Toyota Pickup Repower Thread

[JB3]

you need to spice it up to get more looks. With the nose extension, that truck is screaming for some custom paint to emphasize it.

P40 style

[Stretch]

Originally Posted by OM617YOTA

Thank you! I get odd looks everywhere I go.

I am the glow plug timer. They stay on until I turn them off.

I think you might want to reconsider that set up. You're most likely shortening the life of your glow plugs (leaving them on for to long) and sucking quite a lot of juice out of the battery (remember your battery related problems?)...

[OM617YOTA]

I'm careful not to run the glow plugs for more than a minute, including after-glow. I may shorten the life a bit, I'm OK with that.

I have no battery issues. I had a bad starter, which has been replaced and has been 100% ever since. 900 CCA battery which recently tested at over 1200 amps, and a 150 amp continuous duty semi truck alternator.

I'm good to go. :-)

I like the idea of WWII fighter paint. Will be a while until that's a priority.

[funola]

I had a toggle switch to manually control the glow plugs in my 83 300D (sold). Idea was to use glow only when needed thus lowering total glow usage. Worked great until I left them on one day and sucked the battery down. Added a chime warning and no more problems after that.

[mach4]

Use a momentary switch that you have to hold and you'll never have a problem. I'm in the high 40s now in SoCal and 4 seconds of glow gets things started no problem. I usually give it about 4 seconds of afterglow too just to smooth things out a bit. No glow at all when the engine is warm, so the plugs should last a good long time with that light of a duty cycle.

[funola]

Originally Posted by mach4

Use a momentary switch that you have to hold and you'll never have a problem. I'm in the high 40s now in SoCal and 4 seconds of glow gets things started no problem. I usually give it about 4 seconds of afterglow too just to smooth things out a bit. No glow at all when the engine is warm, so the plugs should last a good long time with that light of a duty cycle.

I used a toggle switch precisely for not wanting to hold onto a momentary switch. In my case, the momentary switch was a problem.

[OM617YOTA]

Originally Posted by funola

I used a toggle switch precisely for not wanting to hold onto a momentary switch. In my case, the momentary switch was a problem.

Yup, that was exactly my thinking as well. I have a bright indicator light showing when my glow plugs are on, pretty hard to miss.

Got my block heater plug hooked up. Used Kat's PN 28450. It works, but it's loose and I can easily jiggle it and get an intermittent connection. Bump it wrong and the plug falls out of the heater - it'll come out as soon as I start the engine. Wondering if I'm not plugging it in right or if there is something wrong with my cord or heater. Any ideas?

Got video of the truck starting today. I might get it posted on YouTube eventually, if anyone is interested shoot me a PM and I'll email it over.

[mach4]

How about something like this?



Bump a momentary switch and get 30 seconds of glow. No danger of leaving a toggle on, but also no need to hold a momentary switch. This one is about $10. I've seen adjustable ones from 0-10 sec and I'd guess that there are adjustable ones from 0-60 seconds out there somewhere as well.

[Cadin]

I need to get my block heater going as well... I did the GP for ~30 sec this morning, and she fired right up! (Used the GP a little more till she smoothed out) I took a vid too!

Without syn in the engine I would be reluctant to start cold, but a decent syn I think would have decent lubrication on a cold start. (Plus the oil is much thinner at lower temps than a comparable dino, my old man's 300TD wagon (dino) has been pretty tough starting in these temps.)

[Stretch]

Originally Posted by mach4

How about something like this?



Bump a momentary switch and get 30 seconds of glow. No danger of leaving a toggle on, but also no need to hold a momentary switch. This one is about $10. I've seen adjustable ones from 0-10 sec and I'd guess that there are adjustable ones from 0-60 seconds out there somewhere as well.

Now that looks good you'd have to stick it on one side of a relay though 'cos it doesn't look like it can supply too much juice.

[yvairguy]

this is exactly what i was talking about in my DIY glow plug relay thread, pretty much nailed it with that relay same as what i was looking at just gut the electronics from the factory relay and drop in my own using the same wiring harness to the GP's, switch, dash light etc.

I have also been thinking about making it computer controlled with a keyless entry, adding a computer can add a lot of stuff like hours since last oil change, a second speedometer, monitor oil, water, temps, levels..... kind of like adding a cheap OBD system to an old car.

open the door with the keyless and it starts a 1 minute glow, get in and start the car, button inside that adds whatever you want to set it for, could also be set to lock the doors as you drive away. if you are running WVO it could also start to cycle that system from when you open the door.

[Cadin]

Sure, you could Arduino your rig, but what if it dies in the field?

[yvairguy]

Originally Posted by Cadin

Sure, you could Arduino your rig, but what if it dies in the field?

If your DIY unit were to fail you would be no worse off than if the OEM unit were to fail but this is one of the reasons i want to use the original wiring in the car, so if i had to you could just drop in a OEM GP relay.

[Cadin]

Hi yv, I certainly advocate bypassing archaic Mercedes logic circuitry for what you suggest!

I also strongly support the use of an integrated sensor/display system. It seems like it could be sweet and I'd love to see a build! I just happen to have my GP hardwired so my engine controls (GP/Start/Stop) are divorced from my other electronics and ignition.
(As for sensors, mine are goofily over-complexified, I must admit; and your solution would excel if executed cleanly!)

Hey '617Yota,
I have a brush guard (Warn) over here off of a first gen, and a couple different sets of brushguard headlight guard loops (One set might be a second gen.) The brushguard has a plate/cutout to mount a winch too. If you are ever up this way, you are welcome to have them and hack/fit as you see fit. (You could certainly gusset the sides of your rad guard with the steel for protection, and have headlight loops to boot.) Maybe if Addicted is up this way, he could cart them your way?

[yvairguy]

Originally Posted by Cadin

Hi yv, I certainly advocate bypassing archaic Mercedes logic circuitry for what you suggest!

I also strongly support the use of an integrated sensor/display system. It seems like it could be sweet and I'd love to see a build! I just happen to have my GP hardwired so my engine controls (GP/Start/Stop) are divorced from my other electronics and ignition.
(As for sensors, mine are goofily over-complexified, I must admit; and your solution would excel if executed cleanly!)

So you have added some sensors to your car?

i was thinking about attaching some thermistors to be able to monitor EGT and a few other things. teetering on just adding some standard gauges or trying to do everything with a LCD screen or screens. thing is once i get this one set up i can use it on my other vehicles that i use for towing or whatever so i don't see it as a wasted effort. probably not for everyone but i am sure a few people would like to build some themselves