Ignition burns out glow plugs

[alifor65]

I just had a new ignition installed on my 1980 Satoh S750 and when you turn it to the left it doesn't heat the plugs. Instead it keeps burning out the glow plugs. Its not the original part but I was told its the universal part that all these models are using. Could it be a wiring/ground problem?

 

[jinman]

The only way glow plugs can be burned out is by leaving power to them too long. If they are a 12 volt plug, that's the only thing that can cause them to fail. It's impossible to overpower the plugs with a 12 volt battery.

 

[RickB]

The only way glow plugs can be burned out is by leaving power to them too long. If they are a 12 volt plug, that's the only thing that can cause them to fail. It's impossible to overpower the plugs with a 12 volt battery.

Agreed. The switch is either incorrect for the application, wired incorrectly, or both.

 

[banjodunn]

Agreed. The switch is either incorrect for the application, wired incorrectly, or both.

X3 it sounds like the glow plugs are actually wired into the 'run' position of the key and not into the 'glow' position


Jon

 

[KubotaSam]

I am not sure about your Satoh. However if it is the same as an older Kubota, the glow plugs are not designed to use full battery voltage. They have a resistor wired in series to drop the battery voltage down to the voltage they are design to use. If some one has removed the resistor or it has shorted and the glow plugs receive the full voltage from the battery they will burn out. Use a meter to measure how many volts is getting to the glow plugs when you turn the key to the glow position. Then find out what voltage they are designed to operate with. Some glow plugs have this identified on them or you may need to call a parts place.