BJ45 Glow System questions

[gr8ful]

Hi Guys,
I have an 82 BJ45 (3b), and I'm not sure if the glow system works. Does anyone happen to have an idea of what the standard practice would be to diagnose & fix if needed? Are there generally accepted first steps or processes that everyone follows for this sort of thing? I don't know the first thing about glow systems, or diesels for the most part, so I'm just trying to eliminate wasting time on goose chases...

Thanks,
Abe

 

[roscoFJ73]

The 1st thing to do is to put a test lamp on the bus bar(thats the bar that connects all the plugs) and see if the light comes on.
Is there a dash light with a little coil on it that comes on when the engine is cold?
Are you having starting problems?
There are free downloads for the 3B engine manual if you google it.
You also need to determine which glow system you have,there are different types for different climates.Others on the forum can help you with that. Its important to have the correct voltage plug

Basically the glow system involves a timing mechanism and temperature sensors which glows the plugs for the correct time.They often stay on after the engine has started for a short while to help it run smooth until the pistons are hot enough to warm the fuel.

 

[lostmarbles]

Hi Abe

For starters .... Does the glow controller start glowing 20 seconds after you've turned your key backwards into the glow position?

If not, then check to see whether each of your four glow plugs has continuity?

If any glow plug is open-circuit, replace them all with a new set (of the correct voltage spec).

 

[gr8ful]

Hey Guys,
Thanks for the responses & help! After readying your questions, and my first post, I realize I didn't provide much info. Sorry about that, I was excited to get to the answers... So, some background here. This truck is a LHD BJ45 Troopy that I bought & imported out of Portugal (12v/3b/4speed). When I first got it out of the container, I did nothing other than turn the key & it fired right up really well with no smoke at all. But that was at sea level in Houston, TX & 75 degrees F. I live just west of Boulder, CO at roughly 6,500 feet of elevation in the mountains, and w e do get snow & cold weather here. So far, I've let it sit for several days & even had a cold snap that got down to negative 20F for a bit, and the truck has started every time I've tried. But it takes a few turns to get it done in the cold & altitude. Once it is warm, it runs spectacularly well. It does have that little window thing with the grill in it in the dash, and I've never seen it light up yet. Which is why I thought maybe the glow system wasn't working. But until Tom's post above, I didn't even know that you had to turn the key backwards to get it to glow. I always thought you just turned it forward once, to the accessory spot (also I know very little about diesels, since they aren't common here, and even less about electronics). I read through some threads on this when I searched, but they were all a bit over my head.

Anyway, I just went out & turned the key backwards, and I get a very heavy sounding, "click" when I do so, but the window still doesn't glow at all. Although it did seem to start a lot easier/faster. Do I need to hold the key in that backward position to make it glow, or is it just a turn it back & let it go type of thing? I'm going to go out know with a multimeter & see if the bus bar has any voltage when I turn the key backwards.

Thanks!
Abe

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

That click is the sound of the contacts closing on the solenoid that energizes your glow plugs...I think. I'm no expert either. I do have a FSM and it explains the system pretty well, as well as trouble shooting procedures. As others have pointed out, the manuals are available on-line. Take the time to look for them. I usually just print out the few pages I need for whatever system I'm looking at and put them in a three-ring binder.

Dan

P.S. Share some pics.

 

[gr8ful]

Thanks Dan,
I'll track down the manual right now. A quick update, I put my multimeter on the battery & I get exactly 12.5volts. I put it on the busbar with no key turned, & 0 as you would expect. I turn the key backwards & hold it there, and the voltage jumps to a bit over 6v instantly, and then climbs up to almost 9.5v over the course of 4 or 5 seconds. The instant I let the key go, it drops back to 0v. The little filament window never lights up. I'm assuming that means it works, "manually" but the auto timer isn't working (or something like that). I did notice a loose plug that comes from the same loom as the busbar, but couldn't find it's mate yet. So maybe that is related. But could also just be one of those extra plugs for some option I never got...

Anyway, I'll track down a copy of the FSM now.
Thanks,
Abe

 

[lostmarbles]

Hi there Abe

You've got to actually hold the key backwards (in the "glow" position) to obtain preheat for your particular model.

If it's all OK, after 15 seconds you should start to see that coil of wire in your "glow Controller" glowing red.

20 seconds is what the Owner's Manual recommends (before turning your key full-forward to the cranking position).

Toyota warns against keeping the key back for more than 25 seconds (although my preheat system once stuck on for so long I smelt the dash paint burning and it appeared to do no damage).

 

[lostmarbles]

Thanks Dan,
I'll track down the manual right now. A quick update, I put my multimeter on the battery & I get exactly 12.5volts. I put it on the busbar with no key turned, & 0 as you would expect. I turn the key backwards & hold it there, and the voltage jumps to a bit over 6v instantly, and then climbs up to almost 9.5v over the course of 4 or 5 seconds. The instant I let the key go, it drops back to 0v. The little filament window never lights up. I'm assuming that means it works, "manually" but the auto timer isn't working (or something like that). I did notice a loose plug that comes from the same loom as the busbar, but couldn't find it's mate yet. So maybe that is related. But could also just be one of those extra plugs for some option I never got...

Anyway, I'll track down a copy of the FSM now.
Thanks,
Abe

If your cruiser is 12V then those plugs should be 8.5V.

Those figures suggest to me that one of your plugs may be open-circuit/faulty (or perhaps the wrong plugs are fitted).

With four working 8.5V plugs, the busbar voltage should gradually climb to roughly that value (ie. 8.5V)

 

[bj40green]

FYI: when it works, it should look like this (or a bit brighter).

Rudi