My 82 suburban has been converted to manual glowplugs w/a toggle switch. What is the proper way to cycle them?


Thanks,


Owen

What pn plugs do you have that will dictate how long they can glow,

I don't quite understand your responce. The glowplugs are simply opperated by a switch. I can hear them go on and then off when I flip the switch back to off.

What brand and part number are your plugs? Some plugs will mushroom the tips if you glow them too long.

I would strongly recommend that you put the plugs on a momentary switch. Otherwise, you run the risk of accidentally leaving them on and burning them out/mushrooming the tips. This happened to me because my gp relay was wired incorrectly. It left the plugs on indefinitely. All eight burned out and two of them had mushroomed tips that prevented their removal. Getting them out turned out to be no big deal -- I broke off the offending tip inside the precombustion chamber by bending the plug back and forth, then pulled the injector and removed the tip with a rare earth magnet -- but it was still a PITA.


After this episode, rather than fool with trying to wire the relay correctly, I went to a manual momentary switch wired to a generic starter relay that sends power to the plugs.


I forget which plugs I have now, but here is my starting ritual:


Cold starts: I cycle them on for five seconds, off for one or two seconds, on for five seconds, then off as I start the vehicle. As the engine first runs I cycle the plugs on for one second, off for five, on for one, off for five, etc. until the engine smooths out.


Hot starts: On for five seconds, then off as I start the vehicle.


My times are estimations since I use the "one-one-thousand, two-one-thousand. . . " method. This has worked very well so far down to about 30 deg F.


I was told on this forum a few weeks ago that as long as I leave the plugs on for no more than 10 seconds, I won't burn them out.

I agree w/Thumbsmasher, put a momentary switch on it! I've run GM glo-plugs on Olds 5.7s and early 6.2s for years w/ momentary switches. So far, only burned one set of plugs because of a failing IP. Fixed the pump and no more long glo-plug-on time. I count 5-7 seconds when cold and start the engine. Sometimes, with certain vehicles, it helps to crank the engine for 1-2 seconds before operating the glo-plug switch. Seems a little "shot of fuel" in the pre-chamber aids in starting. This trick works on some and not on others. My '82 Pickup (old red 6.2 engine) likes it and my '84 suburban (Goodwrench black engine, '87 model) doesn't! Go figure? I think I have 11Gs in both of them now. My Olds 5.7 has PTC plugs in it. They don't thread in all the way, but ended the burn-out problem and it starts well. They've been in it for years. Hope this helps. Fred

The latest plugs 60G or Lucas IIRC have been test glowed up to 15 min with no swelling issues, which was my point of knowing which glows you have, early plugs have been known to swell in as little as 15 sec, they are 6v plugs that get hit with 12v to make them glow, get hot fast that way, too fast for some of the earlier plugs, hence need for a glow control to cycle them without overheat, works as long as controller works, can be fixed with manual but newer extended glow plugs with momentary on switch is way to go.


JK sells extended glow plugs as do others

I think the guy who had this suburban before me accidentally left teh glow plugs on for a long time once or twice. They seem to still work. I can hear them, and they still help in starting. I don't know if they are working as good as they should. I don't have a lot of experience w/the 6.2L.


Fred-


You talk about an old red engine and a new black one. Mine has a black GM Goodwrench. Q: Can you tell a motor is an original fatory block if it is red? Were all 6.2's red from '82- '93?


Thanks guys for your input.

Check the resistance of each plug go to center lug to the plug body, with a VOM or DVM no change means plug is open/burned out, I'll have to check mine to give you a range of a good one should be low resistance, I just checked my set of used but good 11Gs, all read 0 ohm same reading as meter test leads crossed together when on ohm scale

Where are the glow plugs located in the manifold?

My glow plugs don't make any sound. I've tested at least 6 sets
and never heard any sounds. What you are hearing is probably the
solenoid.

War Wagon, The 6.2 engines were painted red in the '82, '83 and very early '84s. After that, black was used to "mask normal engine oil seepage and underhood grime". (quote from GM rep) The black pigment was supposedly the most expensive of them all. GM reps used to say, "We even use the most expensive paint on our engines!" (Guess you had to be there for that to sound funny!?!)http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley4.gif

I have been using a momentary toggle switch for at least 12 years as I didn't want to pay the $150 for a new controller when the Chev parts man said they go out real often. When my relay went out then I replaced it with one of my spare Pinto starter relays.

Don't use any of the old Delco or Champion glow plugs. If they are in your engine then get them out ASAP and replace then with the Delco 60G glow plugs. I use 10 seconds during warm weather and 20 seconds during cold weather for the 60G's. I still use the thermostat controller in the right rear head since it cuts the circuit to the relay if your engine is warm enough. The 60G's heat slower than the older plugs and never mix them because you would fry the older ones. Put 12 volts to each outside the engine and you will see the difference.