Glow Plug Inhibit Switch

[Jgreemo]

Hi all, I just spoke to Chevy about the glow plug inhibit switch. My glow plug system cut out today (even with new controller) and I am trying to get it going again and a prior thread listed this as a potential cause. A few days ago the system would "flutter" on/off while cold then cycle normally. Or there would be a long delay, then normal cycling.

Chevy doesn't list the GP inhibit switch as a part, but do list a Cold Advance Switch. Does anyone know if they are the same thing? It's a special order and I would like to get it right before hand.

Is it just a small threaded plug with two spade terminals?

One more thing, can someone provide a little insight into how the system works? I'm not quite clear on the Inhibit switch/controller setup, though they seem to be named obviously enough.

Thanks,
Jon

[ 11-12-2004, 01:13 PM: Message edited by: Jgreemo ]

[cschneider]

There is no inhibit switch on your truck. The last inhibit switches were on the '84s. There is a temp sensor inside the glow controller itself that I belive is solid-state and will not let the glow plugs fire above 115 degrees.

[dieselbegreat]

My '88 was having similar problems; no glow at all sometimes, which I traced to a bad connector at a temperature sensor (actually a switch) toward the front passenger side of the motor. The sensor is screwed into the intake manifold and has two wires coming out of it. I cut the wires and just tied them together and have no more glow problems. The only difference is that now the plugs will come on each time I turn the key on(because they are no longer inhibited by the switch), but cycle very quickly depending on how warmed up the motor is. If the motor is hot, they do not come on at all. To me, that's not a problem.

[cschneider]

That's exactly the way they are supposed to act. I guess GM hung onto these switches, for no apparent reason, longer than I thought.