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Manual Glow Plug Install

K9Vic

Active member
1,261
7
38
Location
Fort Worth, TX
This is a Military site for the military CUCV 6.2L diesel trucks, you have a civilian vehicle and the Glow Plug system is not the same. The CUCV GP system is a completely different design, but similar in operation. You have the older pre-85 crappy system that fails all the time that was in the 82-84. It is small gray tube like plug that goes where the CUCV temp sensor is with an external relay that you see on the fender. You can upgrade to the 85+ system for under $100that will be less then the cost of the current controller you have now that will likely fail again.

It is a very easy conversion, I have a 84 Suburban 6.2L and did it in about an hour. I was planning on posting a short how to in this thread tomorrow afternoon. So you can check there for a how to on making the conversion.
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showth...007-or-M1029&p=1358404&viewfull=1#post1358404
 

dependable

Well-known member
1,720
188
63
Location
Tisbury, Massachusetts
The solenoid is on the drivers fender. There in not a box under the steering column..
What I have is as follows...solenoid...battery cable attached to solenoid toward front of engine...two into one orange/ red wires attached to solenoid towards rear of engine...terminal attached to center of solenoid with light blue wire and pink/red wire.
The pink and blue wire connect to harness with black plastic connector where they become light green and cream with a black stripe.
Anybody have any Ideas what I can do???
The glow plugs do not work at all.
Solenoid is new...as are the glow plugs and the controller seems good. All wiring is intact and serviceable.
???????
Those civy controllers fail a lot. They were designed for 6V 'fast glow' (fast blow) system. If you are getting 12v from controller it is probably bad.

If you ground to terminal with light blue wire on glow plug relay (solenoid), with ignition on, it should active relay. If you add momentary switch on dash between ground and blue terminal, you should have manual glow. If not, check your glow plugs again. If you used the original 6v type, the are probably fried if they are getting 12v.
 

cpotato2001

New member
24
0
1
Location
Papillion, Nebraska
I have read several posts on this thread about manual momentary switches...I am trying to figure out how to do this to my vehicle.
It is an 84 Chevy custom deluxe with the 6.2 ...but my configuration of glow plug relays seems much different.
The solenoid is on the drivers fender. There in not a box under the steering column..
What I have is as follows...solenoid...battery cable attached to solenoid toward front of engine...two into one orange/ red wires attached to solenoid towards rear of engine...terminal attached to center of solenoid with light blue wire and pink/red wire.
The pink and blue wire connect to harness with black plastic connector where they become light green and cream with a black stripe.
Anybody have any Ideas what I can do???
The glow plugs do not work at all.
Solenoid is new...as are the glow plugs and the controller seems good. All wiring is intact and serviceable.
???????
If you believe controller and all is intact, test your glow plugs, one or all of them may be blown, and show no visual indicators. one way is to pull one, hook up juper cable to the lead coming off the plug and pos of your battery, then ground the threads of the glow plug to the neg terminal....
 

SSGT Mahan

New member
2
0
0
Location
Shasta Lake, CA
still fighting

If you believe controller and all is intact, test your glow plugs, one or all of them may be blown, and show no visual indicators. one way is to pull one, hook up juper cable to the lead coming off the plug and pos of your battery, then ground the threads of the glow plug to the neg terminal....
Thanks.
All the glow plugs were replaced...when I overhauled the engine at about 580,000
Had an auto electrician go through everything and he is stumped too.
Driving me crazy..instead of driving my truck.
 

acesneights1

Member
1,449
22
20
Location
CT
Was just reading this and decided to add because I did not see it(unless I missed it) Bosch Duratherms are also self regulating and IMHO better than the ac delcos. Last time I bought a set Rock Auto had them for 59$ for the set. I'll never use Wellmans in anything. Too many swelled ones over the years.
 
Last edited:

acesneights1

Member
1,449
22
20
Location
CT
Before you condemn your card as being bad, make sure to check the position of the small gauge orange wire on the glow plug relay. That wire is the voltage sensing wire for the card and the TM wiring diagram for its position is WRONG.

The TM states that the orange wire is supposed to be connected to the same terminal as the red wire from the resistor bank on the firewall. If it is hooked up that way, the controller will not energize the relay. The WAIT light will come on and then go out like it is heating the glow plugs, but nothing will happen with the relay.

The correct location for the wire is on the same terminal as the two large orange wires that feed the glow plugs.

Later,
Joe
This was a good read. My WTS light comes on for a decent amount of time but I see no voltage drop on the voltmeter in my M1009. When I hit the GP's in my M1008 I drop almost 3 volts. The PO hacked this thing up so bad and I see a NAPA solenoid so he had his dirty little paws on that too.
 

bimota

New member
209
3
0
Location
Campbell, CA
So just trying to confirm - 12 volt CUCV glow plugs on manual control have a maximum of 2 minutes before they likely burn out? I've found that my truck starts best with 20-30 seconds of glow plug when cold - trying to make sure I'm not going to ruin them with to much time. One 6.2 I did the glow plugs were very hard to replace because they had swollen up due to burn out.
 

ridenby

Member
144
18
18
Location
Frankfort,Ky
Here are some pics of my manual glow plug overide install. I choose to keep the glow plug controller and light blue wire intact, in case I ever want to go back to the factory setup. I ran a new black wire from the glow plug relay, through the firewall, to my switch in the dash.
Kinda off track question; there is a smaller,similar box with a "card" in it taped to the multipin plug deal. What is it for?
 

cucvrus

Well-known member
11,465
10,398
113
Location
Jonestown Pennsylvania
I seen it but do not know what it is for. You are talking the diagnostic plug at the dash above the throttle pedal. Not needed. remove and discard the entire plug and harness. Keep the round bracket it is perfect for mounting a gauge. Or sell it on Ebay.
 

ridenby

Member
144
18
18
Location
Frankfort,Ky
I seen it but do not know what it is for. You are talking the diagnostic plug at the dash above the throttle pedal. Not needed. remove and discard the entire plug and harness. Keep the round bracket it is perfect for mounting a gauge. Or sell it on Ebay.
Yes, The box with the card is taped to the wires that go to the diagnostic plug. I will have to track those wires.
 
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