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Old 12-28-2011, 10:17 PM
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VW1300 VW1300 is offline
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Just west of Baltimore
Posts: 465
Is my glow relay dying?

I'm having some issues on cold morning starts. Engine cranks and cranks and eventually starts, but it used to start easier. Valves were last adjusted 7000 miles ago, last January by an experienced MB mechanic.

I checked the glow plugs, all show around an ohm or less. The fuse strip in the relay box seems to test good. When I measure its voltage vs ground with ignition off, it shows 12.4V. As a buddy turned the ignition to the "run" position, the box clicks and voltage on the strip drops to 10V for 2 seconds, then returns to 12V. The glow dash light never comes on, hasn't for several years. When we did this test, the car had been sitting out all day, about 55F.

Seems to me I should get a bigger voltage drop if I want these plugs to get nice and hot, and for longer than 2 seconds at that. Is my relay toast?

Thanks,
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Charlie

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'66 VW 1300 96K miles
'97 E300D 239K miles
'85 300D 203K miles (sold Sep 2012)


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