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Glow Plugs for 85 HJ60 with Wilson Switch?

Alex King

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Joined
Mar 6, 2018
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australia
So I'm having issues with my landy to start on cold mornings, when the rego was done the mechanic said it might be worth replacing the glow plugs at some point so I thought now is the best time.

I've never owned an old diesel with a super glow system before but when I bought the landy the guy said to just push the button for 5-10 seconds, I'm not too sure whether I'm holding it for too long or not enough or whether the plugs are just worn completely.

I've been reading so many threads online and they're confusing me with 6, 12, 14, 24v selections and because I have a wilson switch does that affect which ones I need?

Any ideas?

Cheers
 
The glow plugs in a Diesel engine are most used for starting but are also used after starting in modern engines for emissions control. In other words you don’t have a maximum time that you can run them so don’t have to worry about using them for too long.
Using for too short a time will only make your engine less easy to start.

I’ve no idea what a ‘Wilson Switch’ is but I’m guessing that you are manually operating your glow plugs, an operation that is automatically controlled in newer vehicles.

You don’t say what has prompted you to look at replacing them apart from being told. Do you have bad starting for example or white smoke at/after starting?

Replacement is simple. They will have a number stamped on them, just identify this number and obtain the best quality replacements if the same or equivalent number and replace the lot, they aren’t expensive.

To test glow plugs you need to remove the electrical link across the top of them and test across the terminal to the block with a multimeter set to Ohms and you should get a very low value. If they are old it’s probably a good idea to replace them anyway. There have been a few reports of glowplug tips breaking off but this is very very rare.
 
I think a Wilson Switch is just a press button ‘push to make-release to break’ type switch. As Starcruiser has said, they can be tested with a multimeter. They pull a lot of current so the meter will show close to a short circuit if they’re good. You could even take them out and try each one across a battery(s) to see how they perform. I fitted a manual override switch, with a warning light, to the pre-heater on my 80 as the super glow system seemed to have a mind of its own sometimes, occasionally coming on with a warm engine and cutting of prematurely on really cold starts.
 
The reason your cruiser won't start in the cold is because its losing compression because the ends in the cylinder chamber are burnt out they may still heat up but when cranking the engine the compression is lost at the insulators at the top of the glow plug as with the bottoms burnt out the glow plug becomes a pipe straight up to the top of the glow plug. You will find the engine will start above 25C. Just buy 6 glow plugs and replace them do not use aero start or the like on your engine as it will always want it. Just replace them. Auto electricians will test them and tell you they are working fine electronically but once the ends burn out they are toast even if they test ok.

The tips on my glow plugs last time only lasted 20,000k so never assume the tips are ok.

Mine run off the ignition switch and just listen for a clicking sound then you know their warm enough too start about 10-20 seconds.

A diesel engine will start without glow plugs with good compression I very rarely use my glow plugs under 25C.
 
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a superglow sistem would put a high voltage for a very short time on a lower voltage glow plug.
a wilson switch is putting the same high voltage for as long as you keep it on.

if you hold a wilson switch on with normal super glow plugs, you end up burning them very very fast.
 
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