Series 3 Diesel glowplug wiring

[baron von ledwidge]

The glow plugs on my series 3 diesel do not work soi was goingto wire in a new circuit for them to see if i can get them to heat up does anyone know the best way to do this and how to test them for faults will they take a direct 12v feed from the battery to check they warm up?
thanks
aaron

[ben_haynes]

to check the glow plugs you earth the body and but a 12v supply up the centre pin and look at the ceramic tip it should glow red, it will smoke a bit but not glow they are likely to be knackered

[baron von ledwidge]

i think the issue will be the supply to them as they dont warm at all, would that mean i could connect a direct feed to the battery and hard wire a glow plug switch into the cab and just use it when its needed or would this have issues?
thanks
aaron

[Range Rover Blues]

They ideally need a timer, you could rip one from a newer Diesel car though as it's just a big relay and a timer relay.

As long as they are 12volt glowplugs then al lthey need is connecting to the battery somehow, preferably with a fuse.

[Spyderman]

Which type have you bought? the old Series ones or the newer Parallel type, if the newer Parallel ones don't wire them through the Resistor, put both wires onto 1 terminal of the resistor block.

[biggerlandy]

have you checked the funny bit of wire on bulkhead

[baron von ledwidge]

I havnt really looked at much yet really the wire running to the coil on the bulk head gerts little or no current and doesnt cnage ad the plugs dont seem to warm thats why i was just gonna ad a switch and warm them for a few seconds as i really have no idea were the wires go, they are currently connected in series allong the block and into the coil, i think ill hook a jump lead to them tomorrowandsee if they heat up how long should they be on for?

aaron

[electricbluebadger]

I wouldnt advise running glowplug power supply via a dash mounted switch, use a relay wired direct from the battery switched by a button on the dash... far safer. and using a button means no forgetting and leaving switched on.

Series motors didnt have a glowplug timer and its probably not worth wiring one in, the earlier series glowplugs can often need a bit more time to fully heat than a timer on a modern vehicle will allow, Ive had em in the past needing a good 20+ seconds of heating.

Cheers Steve

[dave_2A_2.25Turbo]

Courtesy light relays are very useful for jobs like this (and naughty ABS lights & total closure alarms)

[S188]

What sort of heaterplugs do you have?  If its the original sort they will be wired in series so if one burns out they all stop working - the warning lamp won't work eather (asuming its wired up right).  If the balast resistor burns out, again the plugs won't work, the warning lamp will be very bright.  Each plug runs on about 3v so its important you don't try wireing any direct to the battery.  Only try to use them when wired corectly or they'll break.  When working properly they should be quite good if a little slow.  They don't self earth so if they leak to ground they are scrap.

If its the later type of dieselglow ones you get from paddocks then bypass the balast resistor and wire in parallel like a normal later diesel (very late S3's have little sticks like 2.5D's anyway).  If your converting them to the parallel type then remember the original warning lamp should be wired across the balast resistor and use a 6v bulb - if you want it to work with the later plugs you'll need a 12v bulb and wire it parallel to the heaterplugs.

When changing heaterplugs you could bother to work out which one is broken and just replace that, or bin the lot and have a set that'll probubly be faut free for 2 years.  Use whatever isn't completely scrap as a spare, but chances are if ones gone the others wont be far behind.

[baron von ledwidge]

Ah yeh i did have the early type in the replacement engine but i took the ones in my old engine out and fitted them,  so it seems ok i dont know if i have a light for them tho but i guess it doesn't matter
aaron