Replace glowplugs

[Ranger_J]

Hey guys, first I wanna say that I am in no way good at working on cars or trucks. I dont have much experiance. NOw dont laugh at me lol. ANyway for the problem:
MY truck needs to get the glowplugs replaced becuase it's not starting and I am pretty sure that is what the problem is. It's saturday and all the shops are closing and most will be closed tomorrow so I have no where to take it. It's been deadlined for about a week now and I am tired of having it sit there. I wanna go buy glowplugs myself and install them. How hard is it to install the plugs. I know you have to take the wires out, inplug em, get the new ones attached to wires and put em in. NEver done it before, Iam pretty sure I know where the plugs are. what do you say, take it in or give it a try myself? i need it by monday lol. or if anyone is in columbus, ga i have a ton of beer and food if you wanna help. gracias

 

[91W350]

If you were a thousand miles or so closer, I would be glad to do it with you. Pretty easy though, I just use a 1/4" drive ratchet and as long as the plugs are not swollen, it is an easy job. They are long and small in diameter, I am not sure it is possible to cross thread one. They will be at the ends of those little green wires, four on each side of the engine. I have been running AC 60G plugs with no issues. Glen

 

[K9Vic]

If you were a thousand miles or so closer, I would be glad to do it with you. Pretty easy though, I just use a 1/4" drive ratchet and as long as the plugs are not swollen, it is an easy job. They are long and small in diameter, I am not sure it is possible to cross thread one. They will be at the ends of those little green wires, four on each side of the engine. I have been running AC 60G plugs with no issues. Glen

Those are only $8.99 at Autozone, not too bad.

So are these fine then compared to the Wellman glow plus everyone recommends? I would not mind changing out mine today and the AC 60G are readily available.

 

[91W350]

As I understand, as long as your resistor block is working properly, they will get around 14v, which is about perfect. Fortunately for me, they have been working great. I take a Dremel tool with a sanding drum and "grind" the spade on the 60G to fit the terminal. I just take an old stock plug and use it for comparison. The Dremel will do a set of 8 in about four minutes, it is not a tough chore. I would rather do that than change the ends of the wiring. This M1009 is my third CUCV running 60G plugs with no issues. I have pulled random plugs several times to check for swelling and I have not found any yet. None of my stock plugs were swollen either, thankfully! Glen

 

[K9Vic]

I just checked all my glow plugs and two were bad and replaced them with the AC 60G and ground down the ends as you said. One of the bad ones as slightly swollen, but came out OK complete. Should I have just replaced them all?

 

[Ranger_J]

yeah, when we have to switch glow plugs like this, should we do a mass switch or is it better to do it one at a time as they wear out? as easy as pulling the wires outta the sockets, and then using the rachet and taking them out right?

 

[dependable]

I just checked all my glow plugs and two were bad and replaced them with the AC 60G and ground down the ends as you said. One of the bad ones as slightly swollen, but came out OK complete. Should I have just replaced them all?

I like to replace them in sets. When one or more goes out, it changes the current to the ones that still work and will shorten their lives. If you burn one out and it breaks off and damages piston wrist pin, ..well that can happen.

 

[dskchevy]

I just changed all 8 with ac 60g the M1009 is 12v now. Had 2 autolite with about 1/2 burnted off, and 4 wellington only 1 swollen, 2 ac the only ones that were working.
Now starts very easy and just checked mpg went 100mls on 4.6 gallons = 21.7 mpg at 70mph I almost kissed the little old lady at the fuel desk.......

 

[K9Vic]

Thanks all, I will replace the others tomorrow.

 

[dskchevy]

I know that the mpg has nothing to do with glow plugs but I was still doing the snoopy dance...............

 

[Braunchitis]

It's pretty easy to replace glow plugs. Unscrew the old ones, screw the new ones in. Unless...you have a swollen one. The little tip sometimes swells up and becomes bigger than the hole they come out of.

I used Wellmans, myself, but a lot of people here use the AC60s.
Here's Wellman's site, if you want to use those.

Glow Plug Distributor - Diesel Engine, Automotive Applications and Off-Highway Equipment

$60 for 8 GPs

 

[steve87]

My truck wouldn't start a few weeks ago so i checked my GPs, only four where working. Luckily I was able to remove them easily but I need to get new GPs in a hurry (getting out of utah for the weekend, yay Nevada). I just bought 60Gs at Checker since i could get them right away. i just cut off the old terminals and put on new connectors to fit the 60Gs, that was the hardest part for me since I did it outside at night it around 10*. I have only had my 1009 for only a couple months and am still learning everything about it but so far I haven't had any issue with the 60Gs.

 

[91W350]

I like to replace them in sets. When one or more goes out, it changes the current to the ones that still work and will shorten their lives. If you burn one out and it breaks off and damages piston wrist pin, ..well that can happen.

I always went with complete sets as well, figured the rest were not far behind...

 

[Ranger_J]

I went and got the 60G's. It looks easy enough, but what is with the modifing that needs to be done? It looks like it fights right into the old glow plug slot and the wire connects right on the back. Am I missing somehing, and pardon my ignorance....more like in-experiance. Thanks again.

 

[doghead]

Take a picture(and post it) of your wire connectors, maybe someone modified yours already.

 

[Ranger_J]

ok will do. gimme a seconde.

 

[Ranger_J]

Ok so the first one are both glow plugs side by side. the next is the connector and the last is an old glowplug still in. I think It has already been modified. makes it easier for me.

 

[doghead]

Yup! Your connectors have been changed. Your good to go!

 

[Ranger_J]

Thanks man. Yea i saw a video on youtube and the guy had to change his. I noticed the plugs I pulled out where the same as the ones I got so....yep, good to go. Thanks doghead. I am a learnin.

 

[Ranger_J]

dude! we spoke to soon. I replaced the first one fine, got onto the seconde one and bam, it's not modified yet. that goes for 2 other ones. it's like half are modified and half arnt. NOw I think I know what was being talked about using the dremeltool. DO i need to dremel tool the sides of the glow plug to make it fit the old connecter, or should I juwst buy a new connector?