Well! It is just about 30 degrees out side and the car had not been started in about 3 weeks! I go out freezing my fingers off and decide to remove all the glow plugs... test them and replace... I figure, Autozone has Bosh for $10.99 so I do all 5. I put them all in, hook up the wires... and let me just say....

I cycled the relay 3 times. Took the key out, put the key in, and the engine I SWEAR did not even have to crank! It started right up and did not even SPUTTER!!!!

I am so psyched right now I can't put it into words!!!

For more reasons than I can count, I want to THANK you all!!!!

Pete

P.S. The dash light goes out BEFORE the relay clicks off... I don't know if this is normal, and I don't care! It is just about 30 out and after sitting for 3 weeks... It started right up! Yipppppeeeeeeeee Merry Christmas!!!!

The factory shop manual says that the glow plugs will continue to heat for about 45 seconds after the light goes off ... so that is normal... the light is a timer indicating the Minimum time to let them heat... if cold let them stay on longer....

Thanks... I could here it click off about, like you said, 45 seconds after...

Pete

Pete:

I used to re-cycle them 2 or 3 times as well, but what Greg is implying is that its probably better just to let the glo plugs continue to heat 10 to 20 seconds after the light goes off. I have found this helpful up here in the frozen north.

Don

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DAILY DRIVERS:
'84 300DT 298k (Aubrey's)
'99.5 Jetta TDI IV 251k (Julie's)
'97 Jetta TDI 127k (Amber's)
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'96 Passat TDI 237k (Don's
'84 300D 211k Mint (Arne- Undergoing Greasecar Conversion)

SOLD:
'82 240D 229k (Matt's - Converted-300DT w/ 4 speed

When it is cold out I do just that, let it run until I hear the relay click off. As long as the radio isn't on very loud it should be pretty easy to hear. I still wonder why they'd do something so stupid to have the light go out so much earlier than the relay, guess they didn't want to burn the dash bulb out! :p

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Jeff M.
Mercedes W123 DIY pages are now located here.
1983 / 1984 300D Sold
2000 CLK430 Cabriolet ~58k Sold
2005 Avalanche 4x4 ~66k

IMHO the glow plug is a bit of an idiot light; meant for someone who doesn't really know about diesels...i.e. "When that light goes out, it's okay to start", that sort of thing.

BTW, in addition to hearing the relay click, you can watch the overhead dome light...when it gets brighter, the cycle is done.

The running temp in the combustion chamber is about 800 degrees... the glow plugs will heat to 900-1000 degrees... in normal weather our engines should start when the light goes out.. You don't want to heat the glow plugs more than necessary to start the engine on a regular basis so as to not shorten their life span....

BoostnBenz,

The new glow plug relays and plugs are made for post glow service. They stay on while the engine is running for some time. Will these click off with the key in the glow position?

I have the old style installed still in my 190D 2.2.

Sholin

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What else, '73 MB 280 SEL (Lt Blue)
Daily driver: '84 190D 2.2 5 spd.