Troubleshooting Glow Plugs on a 3-Cylinder Diesel

[@CZ3ro]

Wonderful!!! I've been a mechanic for 109 years and I only learned how to fix cars now, because until now I just watched how it was done. For the first time in my life, I grabbed a tool and realized how difficult it is to unscrew a nut. I've been working for two days and it's great! !!!!!!thank you

[@hycron1234]

Kubota G5200H - Kubota D600 service manual, glow plugs are considered good at approx 1.6 omh. 🤷‍♂ In my case it turned out to be the precharge light on the dash, which is just a resistor/wire that glows red when the glowplugs are hot enough. The terminals on the precharge were lose and corroded, as was the resistor/wire within the precharge housing. So I took the precharge apart, took the wire out, cleaned them up, put it back together and now it works perfectly. 5 seconds glow, precharge wire glows red hot, and engine starts no problem. When turning the keyswitch to glow the glowplugs there should be 10 to 12v at the glowplugs, and you should be able to measure current on the wire running to the glowplugs with a clamp on meter. Prior to doing this I wasn't getting any voltage or current at the glowplugs. These machines need their glowplugs, otherwise they will kill your battery, starter, sanity and absolutely won't start.

[@craigkeller]

Thanks for the tip. Today it wouldn’t preheat, had to jump glow plugs with spare battery. Jump on it tomorrow.

[@lisajohnson8566]

Thanks for a well done video! While I have been a professional automitive mechanic for 45 year now my diesel experience is extremely limited. I have a Yanmar engine in my little LS tractor with only 100 hours on it and on very cold mornings (20 degrees) while the engine fires right up it sounds like the pistons are changing cylinders until it's run for about 30 seconds. My issue turned out to be I was only holding the glowplugs on on for about 8 seconds now I hold it for 20 seconds and it runs a lot better. But now I know how to test glow plugs. Thanks for your help.

[@portlandlocalchurch8168]

Wow that's great thank you for sharing this I also have a three cylinder diesel mini tractor that takes forever to start

[@mikefarren6001]

Thank you Hey your good can see the video and you speak WELL. No BS Stories

[@georgetrevino5724]

Thank you Brother for your excellent video

[@Vicos]

Hi George, Many thanks for the kind words!

[@interociteroperator8539]

Great video. Ya got her runnin'! Wish we could have seen what the old glowplugs would do with the big charged up battery.

[@WalterO1959]

So why didn't you video the removal of the glow plugs

[@Solar333444]

Thanks. I'm having issues starting my Massey, same hours and age as your tractor. After watching your video, I came to the conclusion I either have a weak starter or the battery is dying. I'll find out tomorrow. Thanks for posting...

[@martinmoffitt4702]

NOT an expert on anything.... but always start with the easiest/obvious follow a trouble shooting guide esp. one for your piece of equipment if available...those glow plugs did not even have to come out of the engine to see that they were fine ....you never had a chance of starting that puppy because you did not have any "Juice" (12volts) at the Glow plugs...... but alas this is how we learn...thanks for posting

[@Vicos]

Yep, that's usually the problem with doing something the first time w/o a mentor or documentation. Typically, you're not going to do it the best possible way. I actually considered re-ordering the events in the video to show the proper way to do it, i.e. testing for voltage first. But, I decided that was BS. Better to show how it actually went down, mistakes and all.

[@martinmoffitt4702]

@@Vicos Thanks for your reply and thank you for your video...Yes we all learn together Thank you again

[@Digitalphantom01]

PRO TIP... check meter leads under $100 or above before testing especially under. If you do a loads test with a modern -10 year old vehicle plug than you will burn out the plug....i may have destroyed a few. Good video though!

[@petratical]

corrosion on the starter, another reason why you should keep tractor under a roof, when not in use, thus keeping moisture out of starter and key switch.

[@Vicos]

If i had a roof, that's where it would be.

[@petratical]

@@Vicos I hear that!

[@chriscrandall9939]

Can you please let me know the part number of the ignition switch. I have the same issue. Thanks

[@Vicos]

Hi Chris, It's been a few years and I don't have it any more. I'm sure the dealer can help you out. Sorry.

[@rodwesling8660]

Did Vico send you the part number of that new switch you ask him about …. I couldn`t find the answer to your question? Thanks Rod. [e-mail]

[@JONBOYLEMON]

where did you buy those glow plugs from I cannot find them anywhere

[@Vicos]

That was a while back, but I think I found them on Amazon for the best price.

[@comodice905]

Is there any other issues that cause hard starting

[@Vicos]

Many diesel engines are a bear to start when they are cold. If you are in a cold climate and can't keep it in an enclosed heated space, see if you can get a block heater for it. I think you typically have to knock out a freeze plug and install it in that hole. Then just plug it into AC power the night before you need to use it.

[@comodice905]

@@Vicos claro

[@vernonblackwell6181]

my glow plug light will not go out after i crank the engine

[@briankovacs8962]

I lose confidence in someone posting troubleshooting a basic electrical circuit and makes a comment about how a bigger capacity 12V battery would make a glow plug be brighter. The original set was on a smaller capacity battery; the new plug was connected to a larger capacity, and he comments how the new one may have glowed brighter because of a larger battery? WRONG. OHMS LAW E=IR where E= applied voltage (12V); I=current; R=resistance (1.1ohm vs. 1.3 ohm). Applying these numbers to the formula 12(V)= I X 1.1(R) give the current (ampacity) for the new plug, i.e. 10.9 amps; 12(V)= I X 1.3(R)= 9.23 amps. More ampacity = more glow. Has nothing to do with size of battery, if they are both+12VDC batteries.

[@Vicos]

Ahhhh, I think the point I was trying to make was that the smaller battery had a smaller capacity (Amp-Hours, not voltage) and I had quickly run the battery down by that point due to the large current draw from the glow plug, in which case the voltage also drops. This was a cheap battery from a UPS which was already on its last legs, so it didn't take much to drain it. Thus, I grabbed a higher capacity car battery, much like the one that was in the tractor in question. My mistake was not using the car battery to begin with. electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/19107/do-batteries-lose-voltage-as-theyre-used-up And if you had paid attention, you would have seen that the pugs indeed glowed hotter with a charged battery vs. a depleted one. That's basic common sense and doesn't require an engineering degree. Maybe I could have been more clear in the video, but I never expected this level of scrutiny and talking is off the cuff, not from an edited script. No one likes a know-it-all, and I'm speaking as a reformed know-it-all. Peace and love, bro.

[@forestMog]

I disagree. Some of my old batteries show almost 13v when charged. When tested under load the have a high internal resistance. Therefore not as much amperage is possible compared to a new battery. I think you have to account for ALL resistance in a circuit. The switch had too much resistance.