Glow plug light

[goosergus]

Hi people.
I am having a small problem with my Sprinter 308d

My glow plug light in the dash no longer illuminates when the ignition is turned on, however if i wait the amount of time it usually takes for the light to go out the engine will fire making me think the glow plugs are okay.
A little while after the engine starts though the glow plug light comes on and stays on for anything up to a minute while the engine is running.
This problem corrected itself once but has recently returned.

If anyone has a scooby as to whats going on please enlighten me.

 

[blassberg]

when u start does the engine sound rougher and emits black stuff? If so then glow-plug(s) are suspect. Happened on my ML after 85,000 miles or so

 

[goosergus]

No black stuff. Engine has sounded rough since an oil change a little while ago but yes more so on first start.

I seem to be finding some horror stories about getting glow plugs out. I am fairly competent with diy mechanics. Would it be okay for me to attempt the plugs?

 

[Suki]

I have heard of lots of people being worried about taking of glow plugs. My advice is proceed with caution, but it is possible.
If it all goes pair shaped you can call someone who can drill the old piece out.
If you are in the Berkshire or near area there is a guy called the thread doctor who has a very good reputation for this. his number is 07831 345 804.
He is a very polite chap who has a lot of experience in this area.
Regards
SUki

 

[Andy Wr]

Search for glow plugs as they have been talked about extensively. There is a way to do them by presoaking them for a couple of days, loosening slightly, pinching back up so on. Let us know how you go on.

 

[Stevie A]

Maybe glowplug sensor / sender is faulty. Someone may know how this works? Look in the manual (if you have one) and see if it says anything about glowplug light behaviour.
Or maybe one of the glowplugs is faulty.
I know very little about diesels though.

 

[Richard Hayes]

Hi people.
I am having a small problem with my Sprinter 308d

My glow plug light in the dash no longer illuminates when the ignition is turned on, however if i wait the amount of time it usually takes for the light to go out the engine will fire making me think the glow plugs are okay.
A little while after the engine starts though the glow plug light comes on and stays on for anything up to a minute while the engine is running.
This problem corrected itself once but has recently returned.

If anyone has a scooby as to whats going on please enlighten me.

It sounds like you have a faulty glow plugs

 

[dava]

Probably the relay, if it was a faulty glow plugs the light would either flash or stay on. It's located uner the battery passenger side under bonnet, as early ones the batt was under the seat. It's a black box about 50mm by 30mm with wires about 10mm going to it. Common fault on these they either dont work on stop on and burn out the glow plugs.

 

[philsparky]

hi mate ,the first thing you need to do is meter out the glow plugs with a quality meter at the the glowplug relay[plug disconnected] anything other than a reading of between 0.7 & 0.9 ohms assume the plug is caput!. once you have identified the rogue plug or plugs check the inside of the plug ,not socket,where you will see a number,that number corresponds to the cylinder no. secondly you can leave the plug out of the relay then switch on the ignition and quickly check for outputs on all four outputs .inside the glowplug relay are fusible links which blow if the glow plug goes short circuit trashing the relay.