glow plugs

[pdenton]

I'm about to take a long trip on the ICW from North Carolina to Florida. My engine is a Westerbeke M4-30 (new to me) which has glow plugs. I'm trying to put together a list of spares should I include glow plugs.
Will probably leave in a week or two so the weather might be cold and presumably the engine more difficult to start.

[captstu]

The Wester beak will start reliably on one or two working glow plugs. Test to make sure all three are getting adequate power, there’s often a high resistance link between the bus bar at the top of the plugs. If all three are working in full current failure of all three is very very unlikely.

[Sailmonkey]

Even if all of the glow plugs die, and it’s cold, there are numerous other ways to get heat into the engine to start it.

Blow dryer into the intake, lighter in the intake, hot water over the. Engine several times, etc.....

[pdenton]

Thanks for the advice. Sounds as if while am getting the engine up to snuff I might polish the bus bar. Besides, the M4-30 has four glow plugs.

[John_Trusty]

I would not worry about the reliability of your diesel starting if the temperature is above 50 F, regardless of glow plugs. Michigan is a bit colder than the south eastern coast, and I don’t wait for glow plugs heating until it’s well in the 40s. Usually starts within 5 seconds.

[rwidman]

If they are inexpensive it wouldn't hurt to have a spare. On the other hand, being on the ICW, you'll never be far from a source even if you have to have one shipped overnight.

As others have posted, your engine will probably start with a failed one regardless.

[Stu Jackson]

Do you have a glow plug solenoid as part of the engine design or added later? Or does your power have to go all the way to the cockpit panel and then back down to the glow plugs?

Glow Plug Solenoid or Relay Installation for faster starting

[David M]

If you are ever in a jam and nothing else works, starting fluid.

[Island Time O25]

I have an original early 80s Universal 5432 with a 30A fuse for the glow plug switch and it keeps periodically blowing out. Once I replace it the plugs heat up fine for a while (say 3-4 cold starts) but then the fuse blows again. I was advised by a diesel mechanic (with decades of experience) to just by pass the fuse with a larger gauge wire. Not sure if that's appropriate. May be go to larger wire AND 50A or higher fuse? Any advice? Thank you.

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by David M

If you are ever in a jam and nothing else works, starting fluid.

Just have to have a feather light touch with it. I do a fraction of a second blast while someone else is starting. Otherwise if I'm the one at the start switch people are usually trigger happy to over-spray, especially if they never done it with their own diesel.

When I'm by myself and need to use the start fluid I found it helpful to spray it into a rug and put the rug under the air intake rather then spray and then climb over the now stairless entryway to the cockpit because if I put the stairs back on by that time the ether dissipates.

[David M]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

Just have to have a feather light touch with it. I do a fraction of a second blast while someone else is starting. Otherwise if I'm the one at the start switch people are usually trigger happy to over-spray, especially if they never done it with their own diesel.

Agreed!

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by David M

If you are ever in a jam and nothing else works, starting fluid.

And if that isn't available then WD40 or Lynx deodorant.

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by Pete7

And if that isn't available then WD40 or Lynx deodorant.

Would spraying 196 proof spirits do the same job?

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

Would spraying 196 proof spirits do the same job?

Not sure, could you do a test and let us know. You may have to palm off the test crew with something less volatile like a box of that Colt 45 stuff America has been passing off to the rest of the world for decades.

Pete

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

I have an original early 80s Universal 5432 with a 30A fuse for the glow plug switch and it keeps periodically blowing out. Once I replace it the plugs heat up fine for a while (say 3-4 cold starts) but then the fuse blows again. I was advised by a diesel mechanic (with decades of experience) to just by pass the fuse with a larger gauge wire. Not sure if that's appropriate. May be go to larger wire AND 50A or higher fuse? Any advice? Thank you.

It doesn't matter if your mechanic has centuries of experience, he is giving very bad advice if he is suggesting that anyone bypass a fuse.

Assuming it's the correct value fuse and not something that someone put in by mistake or because he didn't have the correct fuse, the correct advice would be to find out why the fuse is blowing and correct the problem.