Why do my glow plugs always burn out in the middle of winter? I am sure its some form of Murphy's Law. In November I lost one. The Day after Christmas I lost two leaving me with only two working. This is the third year in a row I have lost all but two in the winter.

I have tried both Autolite and Bosch brands. I have cleaned the glow plug holes with a .223 wire brush to de-carbon the prechamber holes. The only thing I can conclude is they are not making the glowplugs as well as they used to.

Its not fun trying to replace them out in the cold weather.

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green 85 300SD 200K miles "Das Schlepper Frog" With a OM603 TBO360 turbo ( To be intercooled someday )( Kalifornistani emissons )
white 79 300SD 200K'ish miles "Farfegnugen" (RIP - cracked crank)
desert storm primer 63 T-bird "The Undead" (long term hibernation)

http://ecomodder.com/forum/fe-graphs/sig692a.png

This guarantees that they won't make it one season...........

They burn out in the winter because this is when you use them the most. Maybe 2 or even 3 full glow cycles every morning if you've got low compression and it's good and cold. Versus the quick 15 second glow in the summer. A block heater will reduce the need for low glow cycles, which will prolong the GP life.

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Well if Bosch didn't fail the first time I never would have had to try the Autolites. I'm trying Bosch again, maybe I got a bad batch the first time.

Fortunately I have good compression. I'm gonna fix the block heater next. Note: a cheap hair dryer thrown under the hood with a blanket over the hood and grill makes a good substitute for a block heater

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green 85 300SD 200K miles "Das Schlepper Frog" With a OM603 TBO360 turbo ( To be intercooled someday )( Kalifornistani emissons )
white 79 300SD 200K'ish miles "Farfegnugen" (RIP - cracked crank)
desert storm primer 63 T-bird "The Undead" (long term hibernation)

http://ecomodder.com/forum/fe-graphs/sig692a.png

Sounds you like you prefer your car rip-roaring-fire-hot.

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'85 300TD "Puff The Magic Wagon" - Rolling Resto
'19 Mazda CX-9 Signature - Wife's sled
'21 Morgan 3-Wheeler P101 Edition
'95 E300d - SOLD
'84 300TD "Brown Betty" - Miss this one
'81 240D "China Baby" - Farm grocery getter

Actually it takes about 2 hours to warm up to the point where you can start it (easily). A block heater takes about 30 minutes. I think a shock hazard would be more likely than a fire.

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green 85 300SD 200K miles "Das Schlepper Frog" With a OM603 TBO360 turbo ( To be intercooled someday )( Kalifornistani emissons )
white 79 300SD 200K'ish miles "Farfegnugen" (RIP - cracked crank)
desert storm primer 63 T-bird "The Undead" (long term hibernation)

http://ecomodder.com/forum/fe-graphs/sig692a.png

The Factory Glow Plug Reamer is 7mm in diameter.

The condition of the Injector Nozzles and the Pop Pressure effects Glow Plug life.

The below is from the FSM.

Attached Thumbnails

 

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Because that's when you're using them?

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2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

yes but it still doesn't make a lot of sense.

on my '87 i've driven the car for 6 years - 6 cold toronto winters. i've put about 80,000 Kms on the car in that time and changed the glow plugs last fall for the first time in my 80K period. i would think that glow plugs should last at least 2 years if not more. so this owner having them fail in less than a year makes me think there's something wrong.

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punkinfair

12 degrees this morning, block heater not plugged in, 3 glow cycles, started and ran rough for a minute then cleared out and ran fine. Car is an "87 300D with 337XXX and the block heater does not seem to be working. Going to fix that VERY soon.

The same reason my ACC unit failed, it's cold!

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83 SD

84 CD

Despite all the erudite replies to this heated conundrum, I can't help think we haven't progressed very far from going out to the barn on a cold winter's night and throwing 2 thick blankets over the horse, so we can ride to work in the morning... forgive me if I digress. -Will

Hmmm.
I think this thread has denigrated by me a tad away from the original topic, I think I'll move the irrelevant posts on heat to OD...
please feel free to continue the discussion there!
thanks!

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

It would seem to me, that your glow plugs, even up north, should last for years. If I remember correctly, someone posted on this forum that he tried Ford diesel plugs, rather than Mercedes (Bosch) replacements. The Bosch were his originals and had been in the car for 16 years. His Ford replacements lasted 2 years and failed.

It seems like there's something else wrong with your car, perhaps, if they don't last at least 5-10 years, even in your cold temps. The other thing, is that someone posted a YouTube video, where he starts his car in 0 degree weather. I think he cycled his plugs only once, but the car started right up. YouTube it and see.

I guess in your cold weather, at 0 degrees, you need to add something to your fuel so it will be thin enough to start.

We don't get that cold here in Atlanta, but I've no problems whatsoever, of starting my car on 12 degree days. Starts up just like it always does, and purrs like a kitten, though it takes the plugs maybe 15 seconds longer to warm up before I can turn the key. I've never cycled them twice, ever.

1991 300d, 166k

After low teen/single digit nights it has taken up to 4 glow cycles and a charger boost to fire the 82 240 but if I remember to plug in the block heater it fires up after one cycle with no boost

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1981 240D 143k 4 spd manual -SOLD

2004 VW Jetta TDI 5 speed 300k -still driven daily