How long do your gloplugs stay on for? (1 Viewer)

[jamieBG]

I fired up MoHo last night, and it took a good 10 mins or more before the gloplug light went out. Fired first time after the light had gone. But it seemed ages to me.

My only previous experience of diseasel was my old Octavia, and even in the harshest of winters the light maybe hung around for 5 seconds or so.

Is such a long time normal?

Merci beaucoup

Jamie.


MoHo-ho-ho Merry Christmas

 

[hilldweller]

Light for 5 secs, but listen carefully and you hear the relay drop after about 20 secs.

 

[buttons]

How long does it stay on once the engine is at operating temperature. If it was cold and little used then 20 secs sounds ok to me. :thumb:

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[jamieBG]

So should normally be a matter of seconds, rather than the several minutes it took last night then?

Why would it be so long? Knackered plugs? It was bloody cold mind you.


Once the engine had run for a bit, if I turned it off, and restarted, the light was on only for a second or two.

 

[hilldweller]

So should normally be a matter of seconds, rather than the several minutes it took last night then?

Why would it be so long? Knackered plugs? It was bloody cold mind you.

We need Geo or our Diesel Doctor to comment here.

In my limited experience, just seconds, under a minute.

 

[pablomc]

Interesting post. On my previous van 2.3 it only stayed on when the ignition was first turned on, never when the vechile was running.

Starting our current vehicle least week when it was very cold (older 2.8), it stayed on after starting. Checked the manual, but no real mention of it. Also never seen it come on during warmer weather.

Doing a little research I wonder if mine actually is a thermostarter which seems to fit the description.

Would be good to hear an expert explanation. :thumb:

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[Spacerunner]

Started mi 2.3 yesterday after three weeks standing, temperature about 3 degrees.
Glow plug was on about 3-4 seconds......the longest its ever been on.
Usually its so quick I miss it!

 

[jamieBG]

Just to clarify (my initial description was not entirely precise !) - the gloplug light stays on for several minutes after I turned the ignition on, but before I've started the engine.

Once the light had gone out, I cranked the engine.

The light doesn't stay on once the engine is running.

I will be doing it again this evening in preparation for the weekend's trip out, so will see how long it lights for this time...

 

[Mel]

On our Mercedes Viano this is the indication that a glowplug has failed {one or more.}

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[hdvrod]

Mercedes sprinter here 2 or 3 secs regarless of weather.

 

[spannermanwigan]

Would help if you told us which base vehicle you have and which engine.

you dont normaly with modern engines need to wait until heater plug light goes out before, engine should start easily after about 20 seconds of switching ignition on.

regards
Steve

 

[jamieBG]

It's a 2.5 Ducato, 1996 vintage.

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[Snowbird]

Is that turbo or naturally aspirated. If it non turbo, it will stay on for anything up to 30 seconds. If its turbo then 20 seconds max. Anything longer like in your OP 20 minutes and something is seriously wrong. Glowplug or relay on its way out/or already gone.

 

[1948]

It would depends on the gaps between use if it no been used a few days and outside temp is below zero itwould be normal for glow plug light to go off for 20sec or so before you start If it take more than a few sec for the glowplug light to go off when temp is above zero then I would say it is not normal To give you an idea, my van was not used for 3 days and IT WAS - 10c the last
time I started the van it took around 30 sec before the glow plug went off
Happy touring

 

[jamieBG]

Is that turbo or naturally aspirated. If it non turbo, it will stay on for anything up to 30 seconds. If its turbo then 20 seconds max. Anything longer like in your OP 20 minutes and something is seriously wrong. Glowplug or relay on its way out/or already gone.

2.5 TD. :Sad:


I give it another go when I get home. Normally starts fine, and it's not like it's been stood for a while, we were last out in it last week. Hoping the weather warms up a little for the weekend so cold starting not a worry!

Either that or a can of [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cY1YndLmbXQ"]Wynn's[/ame]

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[rainbow chasers]

It could be that your plugs are worn, so are taking longer to heat up. They are not expensive, and easy to replace. It may take a little longer on colder days, but not that long!:thumb:

 

[sedge]

Not being at all technically mided, you know how you can clean up spark plugs and earth em and see if they work LOL - no I wouldn't do it but have watched whilst other folk did it, many times! - can you actually have gloplugs tested or DIY to see if its them or whether you need to look for other reasons or do you just have to pay to replace them - then find ages after when the prob still hasn't been cured, that it's summat entirely different causing it?

 

[mitzimad]

you can test for resistance a bit of research would give a figure for healthy ones
continuity test to earth usually once burnt out you get no path to earth

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[Jaws]

Number ones sons Merc ( 1996 chassis ) takes a good minute and always has.. But ten minutes ? Naaaa.. First thing I would check is the battery voltage when cold and turned on.
Might have a shorted plate or two.. Would still crank over ( if a little slowly ) but would take yonks for the plugs to reach heat.

Replacing the plugs is usually quite an easy job if somewhat fiddly, and can be changed with fairly basic tools :thumb:

 

[jamieBG]

Thanks ALL.

My second experiment resulted in the light on for 6 minutes before I got bored. So I turned off the ignition, then immediately turned it back on and the glowplug light did a much better couple of seconds then off. Started fine.

Interestingly, on the first try I detected no clunk of the relay. On the second try the relay made a satisfying click - maybe relay is on its way out?


We were away at the weekend first Brighton then up to Leicester, and no glowplug problems all weekend, I guess because it was that little bit warmer.

 

[aba]

if memory serves me correctly there are around 3 maybe 4 different types of heater plug relay fitted to these vans.

and the main difference between them is the multi plug so if you need to change it make sure you take the old one with you to match it up to.

it will either be a black box or a blue box around 3 inches long 2 inches wide and will have a multi plug and 2 or 3 thick wires going to it and normally fixed with a single bolt through a lug on top of the box.

they do burn out occasionally and should be around £25-£30 for a new one.

you should be able to get one from a local scrap yard off a peugeot / citroen as they seem to use the same.