Glow Plugs

[Tom Hallock]

I've been researching most of the letters here and am not finding much about glow plugs an when to replace them.
As far as I know, I've never had any problem with them. OK, first off let me say that what I know about engines would fill a thimble with maybe some space left at the top. An what I know about diesel engines would just about cover the bottom of the thimble --- maybe.
I have a 96 Td an purchase it used with 51,000 miles on it. I now have 161,000 miles an have yet to replace the glow plugs. Though I have replaced injectors, injector pump, pully, several fuel filters an both batteries 2 times. Just not the plugs. Posted earlier that I do have thick black smaoke but only after I've started the engine, an its been running for about 10 orv 15 minutes and that is only when I'm towing my fifth wheel. When driving solo, there is no black smaoke.
So, about my plugs. IS the god of glow plugs smiling down on me ar what.
Thanks.

Tom Hallock

[Dvldog 8793]

howdy
Could be that your glow plugs are fine, or that your outside average temp is always high enough to let you get by with a few bad plugs. I never new I had any bad plugs until this fall, the temp dropped and my truck was having a hard time starting. I tested my glow plugs and i had 4 bad ones. My rig has about 145,000 miles on it and this the first time they have been replaced. Any shop should be able to test them for you relatively cheap. Or if you have a Ohm meter you can test them yourself.
Hope this helps
L8r
conley

[Barry Nave]

A smiple test on plug's would be to take an auto test light and hook the clip to the Pos. on the battery. Pull the wire's of the plug and touch the light to the spade. If the light lite's than plug is good. No lite than bad. ;)

[Marty Lau]

I'm not sure if the 1996 came with the 9G glowplugs if they did you might want to change them. I just did mine along with the injectors and other stuff and I got lucky no swelled plugs. The 9G will swell and make removal a PIA so you might want to do it.

[ucdavis]

@ 161k you are certainly getting great mileage outa plugs. If'n I was you I'd pull a couple (takes a 3.8" deep socket after you pull the spade connector off) and read the model off the side. If they say 9G I'd replace them right away for the reasons stated above. If they don't come out because of swelled ends, post for advice on how to get the particles out.
Reason I'd get these old style plugs out is they never last forever & if they decide to die by swelling, they make removal a tonna work.

[RobK]

I'm not sure where exactly Winter Garden is, but I'd bet it doesn't get terribly cold down there. The glow plugs are only used to get the motor started. Once running, they are not energized. They won't have any affect on performance or smoke once the motor is running. So, if your truck starts without any problems it's tough to say if they're bad or not. You might as well just do them. They're cheap and you'll be glad you did if you happen to wander further North on a frigid day!

Rob K.

[Tom Hallock]

Thanks for all the replys. I spoke to my brother-in-law last night an he's a E-8 in the area an runs the motor-pool for the Army here, I think. As he saud if they work don't fix em. Winter Garden for all you folks up north is near Orlando Fl. Cold; hmmm well its supposed to get down around 46 tonight an by Sat, its supposedto be around 36 to 39. We do get rare temps in the 20's or so. But it usually warms up to at least 60 daily except the summer of course.
Change them myself, huh!! I'm 64 an have a new knee, bending down is not my forte nor is enging work. Unfort. my brother-in-law is packing to go to Iraq. An he has enough on his plate.
but thanks for the thought's anyway