It's a Saturday and my '78 240 won't start. No GP light. I swapped my battery with a new spare, changed the Strip Fuse, and still no go. Checked the GP's and the #1 is reading higher than the rest. It is my understanding that if the #1 fails it won't start, is that correct?

I called every parts store in town and nobody has glow plugs in stock...no one! So...until I can order some from Phil:

1- Can I switch that plug with another one and have it start?

2- Can I use a glow plug out of my wife's '82 300D temporarily? (She's not home)

I can't believe nobody has them in stock. Is this common?

That could be true if your glow plugs were connected in series. Mine are connected in Parallel. I don't know as much as others here about the older diesel specifics, but it does not seem likely to me that your glow plugs are series installed and not parellel. Don't dissasemble one car to put parts in another unless you have a parts car!

The glowplug from your wifes 82 will not work, it's a different style.

You will have to wait and get the right one.

Thanks for the info! I assumed they were different types, but wanted to make sure. I will order from Phil, and wait a couple of days for the change-out.

Cheers.

Check to see if the local AutoZone has them in stock, they have good deals on them. If not, I'd order the Pencil conversion kit for your car.

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I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

If you have the original series glow system in the 1978 then the later model parallel plugs will not work....The thread sizes are different and the newer plugs are made to operate with 12 volts applied to them individually....the earlier series plugs operate in a string with the last plug attaching to ground and the first plug being attached to the glow circuitry...the series plugs are made to have just a few volts across them and it is true that if one is burned out (open)...the current path is broken and a no-glow situation happens........you could disconnect the plugs from each other and measure them individually with an ohmmeter to compare with each other.....this may help you decide which one is bad....ohmmeter test are done with no power applied to the circuit.....
As an (emergency measure) you could jumper across the open plug and use a shorter glow cycle to get it started....this is going to glow the remaining plugs hotter and faster so keep that in mind when starting....just do it quicker......This technique applies to an open plug not a shorted plug....
If your 240D has the parallel plug upgrade you could swap plugs from the newer car....hope this helps....

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1978 Yellow 300D (The Mustard Toad)
1980 Blue 240D (The Iron Toad)
1989 Grey Mitsu.4WD Mighty Max Pickup (Needs a Diesel transplant bad)

(Open the pod bay doors HAL)

78 is a series system as OE. I'd definitely do the conversion to the parallel pencil type plugs. Starting is much easier with the pencil plugs. More heat goes into the cylinders. Well worth it. A simple conversion. Remove the final ground wire, Attach the hot wire to the first pencil plug. Use jumper wires to connect to each subsequent plug.
Plugs from 82 and 78 are not interchangeable. The threads are different sizes. That's why you have to get the special pencil plugs for the earlier series thread style.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I have a really hard time starting with one GP out, and I have the parallel system.

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I just purchased (5) for my 93 300D 2.5L Turbo from the dealer. They set me back $37 and change per glow plug. Thats a bite outta the wallet..probably could have gotten them cheaper elsewhere.

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1993 300D 2.5L 240,000+ miles

Ouch!!....
Those dealers have no mercy..they are around double the normal price....But sometimes they are the only choice for the time....

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1978 Yellow 300D (The Mustard Toad)
1980 Blue 240D (The Iron Toad)
1989 Grey Mitsu.4WD Mighty Max Pickup (Needs a Diesel transplant bad)

(Open the pod bay doors HAL)

I finally found a set of the Autolite plugs at an O'Reilly's Warehouse in town, on a Sunday no less. Replaced my plugs and all seems fine. It was definitely the #1 plug out. I'm going to order a full set of better plugs to keep if these should fail. Thanks for the advice. It was my first GP change and it was really easy.

Ah, finally learning.

I was driving by the dealership and just walked and bought them. They wanted me to trade my 93 300D 2.5L in on a new cdi and were, get this, willing to allow me $1500 on a trade-in value. Mind you, my car is in good shape. I said "no thanks".

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1993 300D 2.5L 240,000+ miles

Just as an update for those with glow plug questions...especially in this colder weather:

I installed a block heater and still had trouble starting. I ordered the glow plug upgrade kit from DieselGiant and installed it today. Voila! So, my take is that those Autolyte plugs really are crap.

The combination of the heater and upgrade kit makes a world of difference.

Thanks, That's all.

I have Champion (Federal Mogul) in my SD, have for years. Still kicking ass and taking names.

__________________
I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

Bought mine at the local AutoZone a few weeks ago, Bosch were $9.95ea.

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'83 240D (for sale)
'84 Harley FXRT
'85 300CD Turbo (Sold)
'85 500SEC (for sale)
'04 Dodge Dakota Quad
'06 Harley FLHTCI
'97 SL320