Installing a glowplug in the air cleaner space? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

JHZR2 · #1 01-23-2004, 05:51 PM

Hi,

Curious about an idea that I came up with...

What if I could install a glowplug that I switched on and off, in the center of the air cleaner? This way the air could be slightly prewarmed before going into the engine.

I ask this because today it was 15F, my car was sitting overnight, and it took a while to get started. Glowed for 3 full cycles, cranked, and it craked fast for the first few, then slowed down. Reglowed twice, cranked for 10 seconds fast, but it didnt catch.
Reglowed three times, cranked and finally it caught after firing a number of cylinders. I always hold the pedal at 1/4-1/2.

So I was thinking, it spun fast right after glowing, so it mustnt be that the oil is too thick (then it would spin slowly all the time). It finally caught after a few times, so the fuel isnt gelled, so what else could it be? Cold air?

I think I recall that the cummins engines have some sort of heater in the intake. I know from the archives some people say that old diesels were supposed to have a fire burning inthe intake.

So what if I just made a small hole, and connected the glowplug (positive and negative) to the battery? I could put an inline fuse and HD switch in the positive side, and mount it somewhere near the headlight door. Kind of liek how the block heater plug sits there. Then, when starting the car,I could switch the glowplug on, cycle the engine glow plugs (the intake would would be constantly burning), start the car, and then get out and switch the intake plug off when the car is running smoothly.

Is this a feasible or at all good idea? Would it assist my starting at all? I live in an apartment, and dont have any way to plug the car in, so I need to come up with something else besides my battery trickle charger... I know some vegoil folks rig up this sort of thing to heat their fuel, Id do kind of the same thing...

Any comments or suggestions? This cranking business is getting old, Im used to my car starting on halfway through the first cylinder cranking... And itll do that for many hours after the first start. So if I can get it started the first time, I have it made.

Valves are adjusted and GPs are all good... synth oil is being used as well.

ANy comments?

JMH