LUVTruck.com

My ’82 LUV has always been a hard starter and I keep the block heater plug in most of the time so it starts right up. Otherwise it will crank, crank. smoke and crank.

Thinking the glow plugs were bad I ordered some up. I have had them on order through NAPA for over a year, but was finally told they were unavailable.

In the mean time I noticed a screeching sound coming from the belt and determined that the water pump bearing had seized up. Got a replacement water pump and installed it without problems.

I refilled the radiator and decided to start it up forgetting the block heater had not been plugged in, so the engine was cold. But, it started right up. So I drove it around a bit and let it sit over night sans block heater. Went out the next day and added some more coolant and started it right up.

How installing a new water pump solves the hard starting problem is a mystery to me, but I not going to wring my hands over it. Has this happened to anyone else?



BTW, I found some glow plugs through partsamerica.com.

There are 2 or 3 temperature sensors at the thermostat housing. Two of these, mid temperature and hot temperature, are used to determine if - and how hot - to turn on your glow plugs. I don't have the manual in front of me, so the temperatures are probably wrong, but the logic behind it says something like,

If (150°F > temp > 100°F) apply 1/2 voltage to glow plugs
If (temp < 100&deg;F) turn on full power.

It could be that you fixed a connection in your temperature sensors and caused the glow plugs to start working. The third sensor, I seem to remember, if for your idiot light.

BTW, EBay usually has glow plugs. I bought mine there a couple years ago.

That sounds like typical jap engineering. Over complicate shit.


Id be hard wiring them to a push button switch at full volts. Well wired thru a relay and thru the fuesable link.


You can test glow plugs. Pull them out and hook them up to a good battery with jumper leads. Earth the body of the glow plug where it screws in the cyl head and put + to the top where the power strap screws on. They should glow red hot within one or two seconds. Dont burn your fingers.


Cheers, Bob.

_________________
Current project, 1979 KB Isuzu Ute.

Daily driver, '86 Rodeo Spacecab.
Chasing parts for Isuzu Impulse.

I will try that before I replace all four. BTW Bob, what is the normal life expectency of your average glow plug?

Depends on how often you have to use them and if they have been over glowed.

24 months or so. Some need to be changed every 12 months others will last for years.

Basically when it starts to get hard to start which is usually the start of winter, the first cold snap or frost. lol.


Id put in a whole set if the budget extends. Keep any of the old set that will glow up eventually for use later. Match them with some other half knackered ones and you might get another 12 months out of them.

Ive also seen new ones not work.

I didnt say this, If the tip brakes off when your screwing them out (happens in the I-mark/Gemini 4FB1 motor, dont recall doing a C190/223's glow plugs) just start the motor and the bit will fly out. Like a bullet so take care.



Cheers, Bob.

_________________
Current project, 1979 KB Isuzu Ute.

Daily driver, '86 Rodeo Spacecab.
Chasing parts for Isuzu Impulse.

Got my plugs the other day and installed them. No problems such as tips breaking off of having one seized inot the block due to age and heat. I did put anti-seize on the threads and cleaned up the electrical connections.

It's good.

I thought I heard of someone adapting GM 6.2 glow plugs to fit the Luv engine. If you can do it, they make some glow plugs that should out last your truck. It also takes the "newer" correct relay timer setup. Just hook up to a push button in the cab.

I had all that saved on my old hd till it crashed.

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75 Luv, 350 V8, TH350, Camaro rearend. New 1975 Luv Step side. Stock for now.
Grandmaster of the "Shade Tree" way.. I can't see the yard for all the cars. Come on down and we will sit on the porch and watch the grass grow.