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  #1  
Old 01-22-2011, 12:45 PM
David Z
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Denver, Colorado
Posts: 58
Glow Plugs and Starter Fluid

Okay: I have an 85 300sd. I am in Colorado and it was cold a while back so I couldn't get my usually dependable diesel to start. I didn't really need the car so I left it sit for a couple of days until I found out from my neighbor that starting fluid might help. (He is a backyard mechanic.)

I bought the starting fluid, sprayed a bit into the air filter and the car started right up. The problem is: The glow plug light doesn't come on anymore and the car is hard to start even when the weather is warm.

I then read the starting fluid can and it says "Do not use with engines that have glow plugs." oops. No more trusting the neighbor.

Did I fry my glow plugs and if so are there any tricks to changing them?

Thanks

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  #2  
Old 01-22-2011, 01:10 PM
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Do not use starter fluid, look at the glow plug fuse and make sure it is not cracked. If that is not the problem I would change glow plugs.
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  #3  
Old 01-22-2011, 01:14 PM
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Location: Miami, FL
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The plugs are probably fried, but they are simple to change. I recommend spraying them with a little bit of PB Blaster a couple of days before trying to remove them. You just need to remove the fuel hard lines, remove the nut and loop on the end of the glow plug (8mm) and then the plug itself from the engine (12mm).

I would never use a can of death on a diesel engine, or any engine for that matter. Next time it's hard to start just plug it in for a few hours, it will fire right up.
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  #4  
Old 01-22-2011, 01:21 PM
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Don't use ether unless you disconnect the glow plugs. Check the strip fuse in the relay first to make sure it is intact and carrying current. There's a glow plug diagnosis DIY at dieselgiant.com. It could be a bad glowplug but it also could be another problem in the system. I wouldn't just swap out the glowplugs without doing some diagnosis. You'll need a multimeter to check volts and ohms.
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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
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  #5  
Old 01-22-2011, 01:25 PM
David Z
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Denver, Colorado
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Thanks, Everyone.

Where is the glow plug relay?
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  #6  
Old 01-22-2011, 02:01 PM
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Out in the Boonies of Hot, Dry, Dusty, Windy Nevada
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GP Relay in on the drivers side inner fender. Looks like the one Diesel Giant shows in his GP tutorial.

http://www.dieselgiant.com/glowplugrepair.htm

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=85676

Charlie
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there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

Last edited by charmalu; 01-22-2011 at 02:17 PM.
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  #7  
Old 01-22-2011, 02:19 PM
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I was told awhile back you can use WD-40 as starting fluid in diesels. I've used it on my truck; seems to work.
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1990 300D 2.5
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1997 F350 gasser dump
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  #8  
Old 01-22-2011, 05:07 PM
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It is usually easier to repair the original cause of the no-start situation than the original cause and the damage created by the use of starting fluid.
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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.
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  #9  
Old 01-22-2011, 05:19 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Junkman View Post
It is usually easier to repair the original cause of the no-start situation than the original cause and the damage created by the use of starting fluid.
Sorry, I had to read this about 5 times before I got it.

I get it now.


Let me fix for everyone else that is as dumb as me.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Junkman View Post
It is usually easier to repair the original cause of the no-start situation, than "the original cause" PLUS the damage created by the use of starting fluid.
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  #10  
Old 01-22-2011, 07:40 PM
David Z
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Denver, Colorado
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Thanks for all your advice. I sure do hope I can get this problem cured without it costing a whole lot.
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  #11  
Old 01-23-2011, 12:15 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Junkman View Post
It is usually easier to repair the original cause of the no-start situation than the original cause and the damage created by the use of starting fluid.

Yes it is. I have 2 broken pistons, one has a crack at the wrist pin, and the other has broken rings. the one with the broken rings, a piece of the ring kept working in the land, and wore a slot up the side of the piston. then ended up on top of the piston. I thought I threw a rod. there is 6 pieces of ring jambed into the top of the piston.

This is not 616/617 engine, but a Nissan SD-22 Diesel engine.

Glow plugs are a lot cheaper than a new engine. they say "An ounce of prevention, is worth a pound of cure". How true.

Charlie

I just noticed my post count is now 3,889. this is the gear ratio of my PU in my sig, which is the diesel engine I mentioned above. I couldn`t have planned this if I wanted to.
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there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works
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  #12  
Old 01-23-2011, 12:16 PM
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If you want to get the max life out of your Glow Plugs use a Glow Plug Reamer or one of the alternative methods spoken of in some of the Threads/Posts on the subject.

If you must use Starting Fluid disconnect the connector that goes to the Glow Plugs at the Glow Plug Relay. That way they will not be on when you give it the Fluid.
Also have someone else crank the Engine so that you can stand there and spray the minimum needed to get the Engine going.
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  #13  
Old 01-23-2011, 01:22 PM
David Z
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Denver, Colorado
Posts: 58
Thanks again Everyone.

One more question: I checked the relay and the bridge fuse was intact. Is there anything else in the relay that breaks or can I be sure that the glow plugs need to be replaced?
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  #14  
Old 01-23-2011, 01:53 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dave_zook@hyper View Post
Thanks again Everyone.

One more question: I checked the relay and the bridge fuse was intact. Is there anything else in the relay that breaks or can I be sure that the glow plugs need to be replaced?
Test that the glow plugs are getting power with a multimeter and alligator clips. If they are, check their resistance with a multimeter- any replace any over ~1 ohm.

Old diesels do not need assistance starting in the cold when everything is working perfectly. If they don't start in extreme cold then they need repair- when everything is perfect they can start on their own in -40F.

If you're trying to start below about -40F (or maybe even 0F on a very worn motor) then the only real option is some kind of block heater. If it's not that cold then you need to investigate the system for problems. Low compression and worn injectors are other common causes of poor starting if you verify that your glow plugs all work.
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  #15  
Old 01-23-2011, 02:15 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dave_zook@hyper View Post
Thanks again Everyone.

One more question: I checked the relay and the bridge fuse was intact. Is there anything else in the relay that breaks or can I be sure that the glow plugs need to be replaced?
It is more common for the Glow Plugs to go bad than the Relay. Diesel Giant website has a pictorial on checking Glow Plugs (repair).

When I had a problem the first time I looked at my Glow Plug Fuse I only noted that the Fuse was not burned; I did not see the Crack in the Fuse that was causing the problem until later when I had to check everthing again.

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