glow plug system update

[85-m1028]

Has anyone switched to a updated civy glow plug system with a 12volt conversion? I am about to change my glow plug harness out so I can use over the counter glow plugs like the 60g. Need some advice!!

 

[Sam27]

My CUCV has a civilian GP controller. Looks like an easy swap, just go off the 12V power lugs. Besides power and the plugs themselves, you just need to make the connections for start, crank and "wait" I believe.

 

[85-m1028]

here is what the original harness looks like big black box has controler pc card, the starter solenoid is the relay, and the white connector is for the temp sensor, there is the new 4pin harness and temp sensor harness. does the newer style controler/relay replace the o.e. controler pc card, if so how do you remove it and still keep the temp switch??

 

[Sam27]

I believe you would need to buy the temp switch and possibly a new temp sensor too. In my case they installed without the temp swith, and I'm not too stressed about it. I doubt it'll make a significant difference to the life of the plugs. At some point I might wire up a manual temp switch - have a rocker switch in the cab to break that connection in the summer or for hot starts.

 

[Somemedic]

My mech. wired a switch to the glow plugs when the control module took a dump. When you hold the switch down (no longer than 5 sec) it heats the plugs up and lets the truck fire up. He told me that this is much easier to do than to try and track down the necessary military parts which are rather hard to find. Seems to work well as long as you don't hold the switch down longer than 5sec. Burns up the plugs which gets kind of expensive. That can be a real drag..

 

[Sam27]

I'm pretty sure there are glow plugs available now that are self limiting, meaning that they won't burn up if you apply power for too long. I haven't looked at it in too much detail yet since my system is still working, but you can find more info on a dedicated diesel forum.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Yep 60G plugs are pretty failsafe!

 

[gunhog11]

Hello,


Quick related question to the subject. My '86 M1009 used to have the "wait" light illuminate for about 8 seconds once the key was turned to on, and the resultant voltage drops on the gauge as the, I believe, glow plugs cycled. about a week ago, it stopped doing that. Now, the "wait" light comes on for about 1/2 a second when the key is applied then goes out, and there's no cycling on the volt meter. Following that, the engine is a bear to start up since it doesn't want to catch. Ideas? Glow plug controller going out maybe?



Any ideas appreciated.



Mike

 

[85-m1028]

YO!! MikeD!! check your glow plugs, If you have a multimeter set it to ohms and put one lead on the tang where the glowplug connector goes and the other lead on the side of the plug "the part the wrench socket goes over" it should read about .8 to 1.6 ohms if the meter doesn't change at all there is no resistance and the plug is dead, but make sure you are getting a good metal to metal contact with both connectors. If you have any new plugs laying around try testing one of them first. What kind of plugs are in there now?? there are 2 different size tangs the military issue has a smaller 3/16" tang and the all the others are 1/4" you cannot put civy plugs in unless you get some 1/4" female connectors 14 to 18 gauge and splice these onto you harness.

 

[85-m1028]

well having researched this a little more I am going to have to scap the military issue harness and make my own this will involve finding a new six pin plug for my in cab harness connection "I could hack the old one but I would rather it be clean". from this I run the 3 "start", "run" and ground wires that go to the four pin controler/relay harness the fourth wire goes to the temp switch which comes off the glowplug harness the switch is run in series between the glow harness and the controler/relay, and finaly lead from the glowplugs back into the cab where a single pole relay will wait for a charge from the plugs to throw the switch and provide a ground for the dash "wait" light, so I will always know when the plugs are being lit :yeah: I hope this works!!!! if it does then I will try and post a tech article the reason for all this is to convert over to 12v system and remove one alternator to put in a york air compressor and a 2 1/2 gallon tank, and be able to go to the parts store in a fix.

 

[Michael]

I just finished replacing my second set of glow plugs with AC 60G plugs. I just took one of the old plugs and the new ones to a grinding wheel and ground off enough material from each side to make them match. I did the first one last fall and haven’t had any trouble with it. One thing I noticed using the stock system was that the plugs stay on much longer than they used to. I went with a manual conversion on the first one, but since then I have learned that the 60g plugs are temp limiting and can take it. Therefore, I left the second one stock.

Mike in Tishomingo, MS

 

[85-m1028]

well I got most of the harness together, I just need to get the relay/controler, and the temp switch and splice the other half of the 6 pin block connector "white" onto the in cab wire loom. The white wire off the flat connector is for the temp switch and that will loop back to the red wire, both are connected to the glow plug terminal. The black square is the relay in the cab (red, green, and 2 black) and be grounded to the acessory ground under the dash on the drivers side, this will turn on the dash light

 

[85-m1028]

well I'm glad to say that every thing went together without a hitch and everything works as should, ignition, dash light, start up!! [] :yeah: let me know if this would make a good tech article!! here the completed install

 

[Westech]

If I take a short trip in my blazer the glow plugs will not come on and I have to give it a VERY SMALL shot of starting fluid then it fires right up. I saw somone talk about a temp sender, could that be my problem?

 

[85-m1028]

first off using starting fluid is not recomended, I think it has a much lower flash point and can cause pre-detonation in the cylinders, w-d40 is a good alternernative. sounds to me like you got some glow plugs burnt out, take a multimeter set for ohm's and put one lead on the flat tang of the glowplug and the other on the side of the plug, it should read about 1.7 ohms if you have the delco 13g plugs, if you dont get any reading or movement on the meter change the plug, make sure you test the new one before you put it in... I have put in a brand new set of 13g's and found out later that 6 of them were dead when I put em in :banghead: Do you hear the relay click on when you turn the ingition key on?? check the bulb in the dash "wait light" to see if its good I think you can just pop the little rectangular light holder out of the dash bezel

 

[Michael]

How much did the conversion cost and where did you get parts?

WD-40 won't work anymore. They changed the propellent in the cans. I use silicon spray now.

 

[Michael]

While 13G’s were original equipment, they are obsolete. I wouldn’t use anything except AC 60G’s. It just isn’t worth it to have to spend hours prying a swollen plug out.

 

[85-m1028]

ok I do remeber someone telling me that about the propelent in wd-40, and I also remember pulling swollen 13g plugs "that realy sucks " I guess if the system was working right there would be no need for such nonsense!! the conversion cost about $140 dollars, ($65 new controler /relay $17 for the temp SWITCH "not sensor", $30 for the 4 pin harness connector that plugs onto the controler relay "got from gm parts store" about $2.50 for a box of water resistant 1/4" tang connectors from auto zone for the temp switch connections and glow plug connections "easiest part of the whole conversion" and $20 for assorted wire 16gauge, double pole relay, 6 or 4 pin male and female connector and shrink tubing, plus the cost of new plugs which I had to get because all the others were burnt out, but I now know when my plugs come on and for how long becuse the dashlight is connected to the glow terminal and I havent had any issues with start up at all and I drive the truck everyday! I still need to get a 12v starter and complete the rest of the conversion so both batteries work equaly!