Glowplugs question (mk2 GTD - 1.6 TD IDI)

[DanielAdams]

Hi

Background:

On my mk2 GTD (1.6 TD) the glowplugs warming light flashes for maybe 10-20 seconds from cold start before it goes out and I am able to start the car, ie long enough for me to put on my seatbelt, get myself ready, and then sit there impatiently watching it.

This weekend I hired an LDV ocnvoy turbo disel delivery van to pick up some sofas. THe glowplug light came on briefly (1-2 seconds, like the other ignition check lights) then went off and I was able to start it. Id did this over this whole weekend from cold starts and warm starts.

Question:

Is there something wrong with the glowplugs on my mk2 GTD? If not, and this is normal, can I go about upgrading the glowplugs at all for faster starts on a morning? ie to get them to warm up faster?

Cheers

Dan[/b]

[tylernt]

Hmm. The Mk2 should already have a fast glow system (less than 7 seconds). Two things determine the pre-glow time, the coolant temperature sensor and the glow plug relay. Hard for me to say which might be at fault here, so I'll let someone else chime in here that will hopefully know more.

[QuickTD]

Most direct injection engines don't use the glow plugs at all until the temps drop pretty low so you'll just see the glow plug light come on for a bulb test. The VW TDI doesn't use them until 9ºC.

  IDI engines must use glow plugs on every cold start due to the greater heat loss of the IDI prechamber. Are you sure you have to wait 20 seconds? 7 seconds is an eternity when you're waiting...

[DanielAdams]

IDI engines must use glow plugs on every cold start due to the greater heat loss of the IDI prechamber. Are you sure you have to wait 20 seconds? 7 seconds is an eternity when you're waiting

Hiya

Thanks for the info. I've timed it accurately now and yeah, its mot like about 8 seconds (as you say, feels like an eternity).

Is there absolutely no way of reducing this time on an IDI engine? Feels like an eternity every time I go to start the car. (I'm impatient I suppose!)

Cheers

Dan

[Benjamin]

The VW TDI doesn't use them until 9ºC.

My sisters golf5 1.9tdi never needed to glow, it was about -5°C and she doenst need to glow.

Greetz, Benjamin

[QuickTD]

Is there absolutely no way of reducing this time on an IDI engine? Feels like an eternity every time I go to start the car. (I'm impatient I suppose!)
 

 Bosch duraterm glow plugs from the 1.9TD will fit. They are currently being used to replace all previous glow plugs (slow and fast) anyway. These offer marginally quicker heat up time, but your stock glow plug controller doesn't know that, so you would just have to jump the gun yourself and crank it early.

 Beru also manufactures glow plugs similar to the bosch duraterm and sells them in an upgrade kit with a relay for older diesels. Again, the glow time will only be reduced by a fraction, you can decide if its worth it once you price the kit. I'm not sure how to quantify the price of 3 seconds a day... The beru part number is SR 028 and includes 4 GN 857 glow plugs and a GR 031 relay. The included relay is set up for the shorter heating time (5.7 sec) and the glow plug light will reflect that. The kit also provides a 180 second afterglow feature that helps improve cold running.

You could also plug in the block heater every night so that the engine was warm. The glow time will be reduced in this case. Again, electricity isn't free and block heaters use lots of it, so you'll need to decide if its worth it.

[DanielAdams]

wow, thanks for the in-depth response, that's really useful info. I'll look into the price of that Beru setup, thanks

[tylernt]

You could also rig something up that fires off the relay when the drivers door is opened or closed. Would buy you a few extra seconds. I've thought about doing this, but if I put the key in glow, I can pull out the cold start, seatbelt, put it in reverse, and release the e-brake and the light will usually beat me.

[fspGTD]

Moved to troubleshooting.  IDI engine is for power enhancement related discussion only.

[coke]

A note about duraterm plugs in older engines:

A diesel specialist shop notified me the duraterm plugs can be used with the older Fast glow plug relay with no problems. Since these plugs have a 3 minute post-start heating time, 7 or 8 seconds isn't really going to do much damage. They aren't as prone to failure as the older plugs.