Over-using glow plugs?

[gerard]

Oh, I agree, I agree. I said that I *avoid* that. I've seen other operators rev a diesel on starting, which seems like bad treatment for a lot of reasons: carbon buildup, cold oil not yet spread into bearing, ring blowby, and even head cracking from thermal shock. I used to fly light aircraft, where warmup and cooldown are strictly prescribed on the checklist, and I always idle the CK20 for a minute or two before shutdown.

I usually start with the throttle set for about 1000-1200 RPM, then ease it up to 1500 about half a minute after all cylinders are firing. But that can take 15-30 seconds after the engine catches, and I don't like all the blue smoke and rough running. So I blip the glow plugs for just 2 sec or so once or twice, which always gets it running smoothly.

If any of that is bad practice, I'd like to know about it. This is my first diesel, and advice on keeping it happy is welcome.

-Chelydra

A few observations - don't worry about the blue smoke on start up. Thats natural until the engine gets closer to operating temp and the fuel is more completetely combusted.

Turn glow plugs on for starting but I never heard about cycling after running. They add such a minimal amount of heat at that point I'm not sure it's of any benefit.

Get a block heater. 30 minutes of a block heater before starting makes a HUGE difference. I get a little puff of smoke when it starts but that's about it if I use the block heater.

If the engine has any residual heat it should start up fine but I don't shut mine down unless it's going to be off for 15 minutes or more. Diesels idle fine and I think that's less stress/wear and tear/ than starting and stopping all the time. (Tractor trailers often idle all night long).

I have 1300 hours on my tractor and the g plugs are still going.

 

[Patches]

Cycling the plugs after start is of definite value on my balky 3054, even with a lower hose heater, unless I preheat for a 2hr minimum, after which I don't need the plugs at all. After an hr, my usual preheat time, the tractor will run roughly for a minute or more unless I cycle the plugs; when I do the engine smooths out immediately, making me, and probably the engine, very happy