multiple glow cycles in the morning (1 Viewer)

[No. 3]

I have both an HJ60 and a Mercedes 300TD running on biodiesel from the SF grease recovery program. My question is why the Landcruiser is so significantly different from the sedan in cold morning starts? I have new glow plugs (stock), new strong batteries (Optima yellow tops) and am facing 3-5 glow cycles before the truck starts depending how cold it is (and it has been cold here in SF lately- not snowing Northern miserable cold but damp North Coast miserable temperatures in the high 30s- 40s according to the thermometer out in the yard). The Mercedes, no matter how cold, starts right up on one glow cycle.

I know that people have skipped the timer circuit on the HJ60- mine came to me that way and I was cautioned against that as the glow plug timer circuit accounts for previous heating cycles to prevent cooking the plugs. It has been returned to stock. (I believe that there is a nice graph of charge vs. time in the shop manual.)

Is the HJ60 just more metal to heat on a cold morning than a 300TD? Not a complaint, the beast always starts, just a curiosity.
And thanks for all the EDIC guidance!

 

[_Walker_]

My understanding on the glow time thing wasn't that there was a danger of cooking the plugs, but rather with such a high draw you could kill the batts, but that being said the service manual was written before the days of yellow tops.

admittedly that does sound a bit off though, my guess is low compression? how many clicks?
Also an electric fuel pre heater may help....

 

[BillyGHusk]

I have been having a similar issue here in Seattle. Not running 100% bio but a mix from 5% to 50% here in the winter. I was having terrible smoke issues and running rough only at start up. My 60 has a 3B swapped in. Today I tried a new routine, glow 10 sec, pause, glow 10 sec, crank. Once she started I glowed again for 5-7 sec. No smoke, no rough running. Before it was smoking like a smoke bomb for 20 seconds or so.

thoughts?


Tim