Glow Plugs

[yooperdave]

This is a repost from the power trac forum hoping for some more input from the whole group.

The air cooled Deutz diesel engines do not routinely come with glow plugs.

As a yooper, should I be concerned with -20 degree starting in the middle of Winter? With a sizeable investment like this, I want certainty of being able to start when I want to start it.

Any comments from the diesel experts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Yooper Dave

 

[Henro]

<font color="blue">
As a yooper, should I be concerned </font>

I don't know...also I don't know what a yopper is!

Now I do know I am always the last to know...so what is a yooper anyway?

Sorry to anwser a question with a question. Hope we both get our answers... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[frank_f15]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( ...also I don't know what a yopper is!
)</font>

i don't know what a yooper is either

 

[yooperdave]

A yooper a.k.a. u.p'er is someone who lives north of the Mackinac bridge - in Michigans Upper Peninsula /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif!

I am only 1/2 yooper - my front half /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif!

People who live under "the bridge" a.k.a. trolls. L5030 (Daryl) knows all about this situation and needs to come to terms with his yooper envy /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif.

My graduation from Michigan Tech up in Houghton many years ago was just before Memorial Day, and the snow finally melted away just a couple of days before.

Yoopers are subject to bitter cold winters for 6 months of the year, making glow plugs a more commonly used option than in the southern states.

Any glow plug experts out there?

Yooper Dave

 

[Inspector507]

It comes from "U.P.'er", as in someone who lives in the U.P. of Michigan.
Dang.......Dave beat me to it /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[RoyJackson]

A "Yooper" is from the Upper Pennisula (UP) of Michigan, although in this case, I think Dave is from Wisconsin.

Anyway...although I'm surprised the Deutz diesel doesn't have glow plugs, I'd just install a block heater and not worry about it any longer.
Dave, are you sure you don't have some kind of cold start aids? if not glow plugs, maybe an intake heater like the 4xxx series Deeres have?
If all else fails...and you're sure you don't have any kind of cold start aid or device, you might want to keep a can of ether handy.
But definitely install that block heater!

 

[Bob_Skurka]

I would think that it would be very difficult to start a diesel engine without glowplugs. I admit to being ignorant of the Dietz air-cooled engine, but I have a fleet of diesel trucks that pretty much freeze up when temps drop below ZERO unless we keep them plugged in so the block heater keeps them thawed. Diesel engines operate on a compression creates heat theory and the fuel burns instead of combusting the way gas does. If the engine is cold it simply doesn't work right, the glow plug simply acts as a preheater for the cylinder to help. Does the Deutz engine use something else to preheat the cylinder?

 

[yooperdave]

Hi Roy,

Is the installation similar to a water cooled engine? I very well could be wrong, but I thought that the block heater was integral with the coolant system of the engine.

I am away from my farm for weeks at a time, and did not want to leave a electric dip stick plugged in while I was away.

Power trac said they never installed a glow plug on a engine yet, but they did call Deutz to get some direction.

Yooper Dave

 

[Egon]

Some diesels preheat the intake air and also heat the fuel. No glow plugs.

Egon

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Egon . . . I've heard of preheating the intake, but I'm not personally familiar with it. But as to Yooperdave's situation, if he doesn't have the tractor plugged in to warm something, and he doesn't have a glow plug, then how could he have the fuel warmed? Or how could he have the air warmed prior to firing up the engine so that it makes it easier to start. Like I said in my reply, I am ignorant of his engine, and I guess to all air-cooled diesels for that matter.

 

[yooperdave]

Deutz does make a glow plug for this engine as an option. Power trac has never put one in yet though. I hope it is not a BIG deal to put one in after the fact.

Yooper Dave

 

[RoyJackson]

"I hope it is not a BIG deal to put one in after the fact."


If there are holes drilled and tapped in the cylinder heads for the glow plugs, shouldn't be too big a problem. If Deutz does install glow plug in some applications, they may put the holes in and then plug them. If the threaded holes are not there, it's not something you want to do.

However, since they've never been installed by the Power Trac, you probably would need to rig up a wiring harness too.

You'd really need to get guidance from Power Trac on this if you want to modify the engine and wiring harness.

 

[Egon]

There is a fuel preheater in line before the pump. It runs on the units electrical system and is only activated when the key is turned on and ambient temperatures indicates it's required. It's the same for the air preheaters.

Egon

 

[tractorhal]

As stated a blockheater won't work on air cooled engines. Deutz's usually has an air intake heater or glow plugs. An alternate means is to us magnetic block heaters attached to the oil pan. These are quick and easy, and by having oil warm they turn over faster and normally start right up.