Glow Plug Life

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The old girl is nudging 158,000 km. Recently encountered an intermittent problem with rough idle immediately on cold start-up for a second or two and a puff of smokey exhaust.

After getting Toyota to check everything, including removing the glow plugs and checking the current, it was discovered they were all well below spec and needed replacing.

Apparently you need to sell your first born to fund such a repair on a CRD.

So anyone experiencing a similar problem could find thier glow plugs need to be checked.

Despite all that she still towed a van to Adelaide, up the Birdsville track and back to the Gold Coast and didn't miss a beat. Still cruised at 100 kph at times and got a max of 16L/100 towing.

[waltec Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close waltec]

Glow plugs only assist when the engine is cold, should not effect normal performance.

My TD has done 160k, and glow plugs are still going strong, I know this as when my wife starts it on a cold morning, she usually needs 2 goes, as she usually forgets to wait for the glow light to go out. I wait for the light to go out, then a quick turn of the key, and she fire into a smooth idle. If it does start first go for the wife and she forgot to "glow" first, there is a nice cloud of grey smoke (unburn diesel creates white/grey smoke when cold and black smoke when hot)

Matt

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Matt,

I am aware that glow plugs are only used to start the engine. I never suggested there was any ill affect to all round performance. I also realise you need to let the glow light to go out before turning the key. I think after havng the car for over 6 years I'd know that by now.

Seems the plug replacement hasn't removed the rough idle at start. I've told the dealer to contact all thier technical support and find out what else it could be.

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Matt,

I am aware that glow plugs are only used to start the engine. I never suggested there was any ill affect to all round performance. I also realise you need to let the glow light to go out before turning the key. I think after havng the car for over 6 years I'd know that by now.

Seems the plug replacement hasn't removed the rough idle at start. I've told the dealer to contact all thier technical support and find out what else it could be.

[Mark Smith Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mark Smith]

Wizard

My TD had a slight roughness in the first few seconds of startup recently too. I ran a litre of injector cleaner through it over a few tank fulls and it seems to have settled it down. I am also getting slightly better economy since using the injector cleaner as well.

Not sure if your problem is an injector but it could be the next place to look. Anyway, Toyota should theoretically be the experts.

Cheers, Mark

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Mark,

The roughness seems a little less dramatic of late, might be a coincidence.

Thanks for the tip. I was thinking the same myself. I was using Flashlube in every tank until a few months ago.

I'll see what the Toyota Gurus come up with first. Might get a full injector service and clean as well.

Cheers

[Guest Close Guest]

Seems this rough idle and smoke problem may have more to do with the possibility that there is air being take inton the fuel line between the filter and pump.

More to follow....

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Re: Glow Plug Life

Well here we go again. Driving back from Sydney to Brisbane towing a camper trailer. Doing a 100 kph sudden loss of power huge cloud of black smoke out the back and then normal again.

Next morning I have the cold start smoke rough idle problem back. Last time had the plugs replaced then found a cracked head as well.

Fingers crossed it wasn't the head again. Took it to a diesel specialist. First thing they find is the glow plugs aren't working properly. Seems one was burnt out and another had lost the tip (guess that's whate the black clolud of exhaust smoke was). Amazed it started at all!

Then he finds the dash light goes out sooner than the glow plugs have done their job properly. The light goes out after 1 second the plugs need to stay on for 4-6 secs.

RIng Toyota and they tell me the light is on a timer and not linked to the plugs at all. So there you go, thge glow plug light is just a placebo.... :wink:

[fishfinder Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close fishfinder]

Re: Glow Plug Life

The Glo plugs are on a timer as well , I would have thought they both run off the same timer

[peteandkyles Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close peteandkyles]

Re: Glow Plug Life

The old girl is nudging 158,000 km. Recently encountered an intermittent problem with rough idle immediately on cold start-up for a second or two and a puff of smokey exhaust.

After getting Toyota to check everything, including removing the glow plugs and checking the current, it was discovered they were all well below spec and needed replacing.

Apparently you need to sell your first born to fund such a repair on a CRD.

So anyone experiencing a similar problem could find thier glow plugs need to be checked.

Despite all that she still towed a van to Adelaide, up the Birdsville track and back to the Gold Coast and didn't miss a beat. Still cruised at 100 kph at times and got a max of 16L/100 towing.

The glow plus have nothing to do with the way the car runs. They only help in starting it. I have a 96 hilux 2.8 that went for a fresh water swim when it was 8 mo old. That blew the glow plug fuse. We only replaced it last winter as the short trips it does now it would take a couple of turns to start. For 12 years it didn't miss a beat even starting in -2C in Launceston in 2004. All without glow plugs. Lst year it would start in -4C but took a few turns and idle rough for the first couple of seconds.

From what I understand the 90 engine is basically very similiar but with a Turbo. They are almost bullet proof. In 12 years all I have done is change the oil every 6 or so months and had to replace the water pump once.

[Guest Close Guest]

Re: Glow Plug Life

Pete, I assume.

Thanks for your pearls of automotive wisdom. Iam aware that the servicablity of glow plugs has no effect on the the performance of a diesel engine.

However, they do effect how the fuel is burnt at start-up. If they do not heat the pre-combustion chamber enough, because they a faulty, the fuel will not burn properly therefore causing the smoke and rough idle. The smoke and idle problem will go away once everything is hot enough, usually a second or two...but I am sure you knew that.

You might also have a look at my discussions regarding the cracked head which seems also attributed to the problem.

Then have a look at my last post about "How strong is the 1KZTE" it also explains how I had two damaged glow plugs after part of the injector collar in the head decided to disintegrate and pass into the cylinder taking out a glow plug tip and damaging the top of the piston. That resulted in the same smoke and idle which were symptoms of a bigger problem that now has the engine out having a piston replaced.

You need to know the whole story first.

But thanks for the tip.

[StormyKnight Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close StormyKnight]

Re: Glow Plug Life

For everyones reference, the glow plugs in modern Diesels are a lot more efficient than older ones. With the 90 series, you can start the car when the light goes out, however the glow plugs continue to be powered thru the start up process & for some time after.

On older systems, you would also start when the light went out, but it took a lot longer as it took that extra time for the heat to build up.

My 2001 TD 90 now has 195,000km on it without any signs of difficulty starting.

BTW my 60 series failed to be able to be started with 2 of 6 glow plugs open circuited.

Cheers

[Chriso57 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chriso57]

Re: Glow Plug Life

My 2001 TD 90 now has 195,000km on it without any signs of difficulty starting.

I agree StormyKnight,

My 2002 TD has no problem starting after 220,000km whether I remember to let it glow or not. Just jump in and crank it.

(I am a mechanic by trade so I know I should show a little more respect for the old girl...)

Perhaps its just the better weather we have here in the West! 8)

[Derb Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Derb]

Re: Glow Plug Life

Gidday Fellas. I would have to agree with Stormy Night. My old 2.4 and 2.8 diesels would love a small glo before starting cold and then were good for the rest of the day. Whereas the 1kz in my old van and the 1kz-te in my prado will start at the drop of a hat anytime with or without a glo. Those glo plug lamps are just bloody useless. They serve no purpose whatsoever and have no relationship to what is happening at the glo plug. I put a meter across my plugs years ago which confirmed my suspicions. 1st up glo draws around 13 amps for a pre-determined period on the timer then the current draw drops to around 1/2 of that for a further period termined by Mr. Toyota. Best guess is to count slowly to 5 then activate the starter - disregard the dashboard lamp totally. If your older 2L/3L/4L series wont start because of dodgy plugs, a very carefully administered "sniff" usually does the trick. ( if you overdose though, and break a top ring or 2, they can become addicted and wont start without it at all) Cheers.