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  #1  
Old 01-16-2004, 06:10 PM
edge's Avatar
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How does the cold kill glow plugs?

Glow plugs work fine and start our diesels but when temps go down to 2 degrees, the cold zaps the glow plug and they go bad. Why doe this happen? If the weather then turns back warm, do these glow plugs remain bad after the cold zapped them? Curious to your thoughts, thanks.

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  #2  
Old 01-16-2004, 06:49 PM
LarryBible
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Becuase the glow plug relay keeps them on for a longer amount of time in order to heat up enough to start the engine.

Have a great day,
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Old 01-16-2004, 07:14 PM
Old Deis
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Also when it is warmer, the car will likely start with one, and maybe two glow plugs out. When cold enough it will not start with any of them out.
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  #4  
Old 01-16-2004, 09:08 PM
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The glow plugs are a resistance coil of some shape or other inside the steel tube. The longer they run, the hotter the coil gets, and eventually it will sag or twist and weld to the side of the tube. It will still heat, but the tip of the plug doesn't get hot anymore, so the engine is hard to start. Champions will break the filament off the tip weld, leaving a nice little hole.

Once the GPs are bad, they stay bad.

Peter
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  #5  
Old 01-16-2004, 10:44 PM
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You might ask: Why do common light bulbs give out earlier in cold climes vs. warm?

The reason: Too many cycles combined with too harsh starting temperature conditions.

That is why there is there are less glow plug failures in FL. vs. VT. Glow plugs are, after all, only filaments.
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  #6  
Old 01-17-2004, 01:20 AM
edge's Avatar
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Very interesting, thanks guys. "I see," said the blind man.
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85 300CD Signal Red/Tan sold
83 300D Manganese Brown 109K
97 E420 Midnight Blue 197K sold
98 BMW 328i Vert White 100K, sold
95 BMW 525i White 125K, sold
93 BMW 525iT Red 193K, sold
95 E320 Green Wagon 125K, sold
94 E320 White 127K, sold
85 300SD 156K Grey (Annie), sold
84 300D Lapis Blue 170K (Judy), sold
99 ML 320 Black (lease), 1998 C230 White (lease)
00 Honda S2000 Red (lease)
86 Mercedes 300E (sold)
84 Porsche 911 Red (sold), 1965 Porsche 911 White (sold)
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  #7  
Old 01-17-2004, 10:33 AM
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Yeah, I learned that lesson in Canada -- you had to buy top dollar headlight bulbs, or the temp extremes caused the filament to break early -- -40F to incandescent two or three times a day is rough on that little wire....

Peter

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