Glow plug indicator

[terry skinner]

The little resistor coil in the dash of my Mitsubishi 180D has burned out. Looks like rust is the cause. I cannot find a local tractor dealer that has anything close. Are there any suggestions as to where I can locate this part?? Or does anyone have an idea what the resistance is?? So that I can replace it with something else. I am afraid to hook it up direct . Don't want to overload the glow plugs.
Thanks from out here in the Pacific NW...............Terry

Part #
MM409515
NGK 29 A
DH-139V-29

 

[techwrtr2]

Try here Valley Power

 

[skylarkguy]

There is a guy in West Linn oregon who parts out tractors you can find him on the portland craigslist.
I also like the tractor store in eugene oregon.
Good luck

 

[terry skinner]

Thanks. I will give them a call on Monday. In the mean time I was able to pry off a little bit of the resistor coil and attach it to a new bolt. She started up just like that (snapping finger) and ran just fine. Still want to replace with a new one. Kinda worried about over loading the glow plugs. Those little puppies an't cheap!! Thanks again...........Terry

 

[terry skinner]

There is a guy in West Linn oregon who parts out tractors you can find him on the portland craigslist.
I also like the tractor store in eugene oregon.
Good luck

I found the guy in West Linn and will call him Monday too. Thanks guys. Hope I can do a payback.............Terry

 

[Ehanson]

A piece of "Nichrome" wire, but of the correct gauge. Nichrome is what you would find in a toaster or small oven, but you need the proper gauge.
Funny thing happen today, I had a piece of stainless wire short against my stinger and ground welding today and it lit up nice and orange with about 80 amps going through it. I wonder if something like that might work?

 

[PILOON]

Nichrome wire is indeed the proper stuff to use.
The reason being that it will not rust/corrode and keep its resistance value.
Gauge is not that important as is the proper total resistance.
If you can get a reading (ohms) of the old coil, replacing with a home made would be easy enough to do. A short length of nichrome giving same value will do the trick.
A caution is that you can not solder ends (solder will melt) so only mechanical connections will do.

 

[Kernopelli]

I like the nichrome wire advice. I did once find/buy an OEM Mitsubishi G.P. indicator off Ebay but they are rare. My next go around, I bought one of the Kubota compact tractor indicators ( they are listed as being for all B, L models and even some M's up to about 60HP) and swap the resistor wire coil to the Mit's indicator housing. The Kubota's "lamps" are usually available for $15+/- including SH.

 

[techwrtr2]

Odd mine has yet to fail after 30+ years of abuse. I man use.

 

[Kernopelli]

Odd mine has yet to fail after 30+ years of abuse. I man use.

Nothing odd....that's just good Ol' Mitsubishi service!! I have only replaced mine because my key will stick in "heat" position and my sons have left it on for ????......they can/WILL eventually burn out if left on repeatedly for super long periods of time.

 

[techwrtr2]

Need to get me a battery this week. Amazing how well the old beast starts when it has juice. Blows me away at times. Have a week of firewood processing and Beaver is integral to that work - I have a wood splitter that connects in line with the loader so no extra engine to maintain.

 

[techwrtr2]

Need to get me a battery this week. Amazing how well the old beast starts when it has juice. Blows me away at times. Have a week of firewood processing and Beaver is integral to that work - I have a wood splitter that connects in line with the loader so no extra engine to maintain.

Now I know what went wrong with my Beaver. I made the above post last week. This explains why it won't start today.

Here's a glow plug thing for an S370D

Glow Plug Indicator

 

[74chevy]

Does anyone know what the proper resistance for the indicator is or what the resistance on the glowplugs themselves are? My S370D is a pain to start when it's cold out.

 

[Ilikeurtractor]

Glow plugs should be right about 1 ohm. I never measured the resistance for the indicator, but it should drop about 2 volts out of the circuit. If my math is correct (highly questionable) the indicator should be around 0.1 ohm. Keep in mind also, glow plugs will take up to a minute to heat up enough to really help the engine, especially in cold weather despite how much the indicator is glowing. That doesn't seem like much time, but it is when you want to get moving. Fuel stations *should* be blending diesel also to aid in starting during cold weather months. You may need to put an additive in if you're using "summer" diesel or your station doesn't offer a winter blend.

 

[74chevy]

Glow plugs should be right about 1 ohm. I never measured the resistance for the indicator, but it should drop about 2 volts out of the circuit. If my math is correct (highly questionable) the indicator should be around 0.1 ohm. Keep in mind also, glow plugs will take up to a minute to heat up enough to really help the engine, especially in cold weather despite how much the indicator is glowing. That doesn't seem like much time, but it is when you want to get moving. Fuel stations *should* be blending diesel also to aid in starting during cold weather months. You may need to put an additive in if you're using "summer" diesel or your station doesn't offer a winter blend.

I just filled up 2-3 weeks ago with fresh fuel & diesel fuel additive that's supposed to help in the winter it was around 1/4 tank full at best. I was hoping to check the glow plugs this weekend but my son was sick so we didn't get over to "the farm". I guess another question is how do I know the glow plug indicator is working?

 

[Ilikeurtractor]

I guess another question is how do I know the glow plug indicator is working?

It should start to "glow" red in 20-30 seconds, if not sooner. I'm asssuming you have the nichrome wire type of indicator. Before it starts to glow you can also put your hand over the indicator and usually feel the heat from it too as it gives off a little heat like a toaster.

 

[74chevy]

It looks like it's the original style, like the link for the replacement earlier on this page. My father bought the tractor around 4/5 years ago and he never really used it during the colder months so it was never really an issue for him. Now that i've inheirited it I'm trying to get somethings done and it's easier to run the tractor around someplaces than to use a full size truck. I have a feeling the indicator isn't working because I never knew it glowed I thought it was a buzzer that was defective for the longest time...and i've preheated the glow plugs in the dim garage before and never notced a glow.

 

[Ilikeurtractor]

Forward to around 3:10 in this video to see an indicator working:

Ford 1900 Tractor [Smokey Cold Start / Clearing Snow] - YouTube

 

[74chevy]

Mine definately didn't glow this evening, but it was warm enough (~55*) I was able to get it to start w/o much hassle. Could it also not help that the previous owner at some point repainted the tractor and painted the glow plugs when they painted the engine?

 

[Ilikeurtractor]

Paint won't make any difference in the functionality of the glow plugs - unless he painted the part that goes into the pre-combustion chamber :shocked: Not that it would prevent them from working but you get the idea. You might want to take apart and clean the connections though just for good measure. If you have a volt meter, you can troubleshoot the system fairly quickly. Ideally you'd use a high capacity ammeter and measure the amps the circuit is drawing. Glow plugs should draw around 10-15 amps each.