TC 40D Glow Plug Light Staying On - Question

dlctcg · Sep 23, 2019

Ok been on here for 10+ yrs but don't post much... well because you all have taught me so much & I usually don't need to ask questions because I can find the answers here... (ok I'm 10+ yr old novice tractor owner so I read alot... but don't have much to add to the knowledge base here...)

So after we decided to save & not sell (or set on fire) the TC 40D & with almost 11mo of the TC 40D apart (due to life issues) I got it back together in Nov 2018, after a pretty major maintenance / repair / upgrade going through (story for another time... hopefully with a drink in my hand & a smile on my face) & all has been great; up until 3 days ago.

I know the TC's are pron to the #2 fuse going & I've had it happen maybe 3 or 4 times in the 11yrs we owned it, never really was a big issue, but I think I'm going to do the ignition relay upgrade I've read about on here (thank you all).... BUT here is my real issue...

Two days ago upon starting I noticed the glow plug light turn on upon key on & then turn off after 5 /6 secs (as normal) & then I started it. It fired right up but then the glow plug light came back on & you could hear a relay clicking. I turned it off & waited a couple of minutes & tried again, this time everything normal & used the machine with multiple stop & starts throughout the day with no issues. Until yesterday... same issue except now it is here to stay it looks like... the glow plug light comes back on & you hear a relay clicking every-time you start it...

With much reading on here I'm thinking I have a bad Glow Plug Lamp Timer (part # 385870301) but wanted all of your opinions prior to spending $100 on a part without definitive confirmation..

as Jinman (RIP) would say "Everytime, good troubleshooting wins over Easter egging" (some phrases just stick with you)...

SO trying not to "Easter egg" here.... Is there something else I should be looking for /at?

We really need the TC back up & working to do fall maintenance on our 1/2 mile gravel drive prior to winter....

Thanks in Advance

JC-jetro · Sep 24, 2019

aw, so nice that we bring out our dear friend's name Jim Inman. I am sure he is on some heavenly website and giving tractor advice to departed folks way up there. RIP.

I don't have TC's experience but I know the light and the glow plug are in one series circuit. I would not want to burn the glow plug, so the first thing I'd do is to determine if I actually have voltage on the glow plug while the light is on and specially when the light is off. If so, you might risk burning the glow plugs. If you have a solenoid it might be sticking at some times. Do you know if you have a timer circuit for the glow plug?

JC,

dlctcg · Sep 24, 2019

JC-jrtro - I'm sure your right about Jim helping people out up there...

I definitely do not want to burn out the glow plugs which is why I got it back in the garage & shut it down asap...

Yes, I'm sure there is a timer in the circuit it is the Glow Plug Lamp Timer (part # 385870301). I think I found a reference on how to test it so I'm going to try that today... Hate to purchase a $100 timer if it isn't needed....

If I can't figure it out I may just unplug the timer for now as it still warm enough to run the tractor without the glow plugs right now. I have a ton of driveway repairs to do on our 1/2 mile long drive prior to the leaves really dropping & making a mess of things. Also really would like the TC to be running correctly for leaf season; I'm just finishing up adding a RAD PTO Debris Blower to it that I'm building in-seat controls for both blower rotation & lift adjustments...

But definitely want it fixed correctly asap.

Thanks

JC-jetro · Sep 24, 2019

If you can by pass the timer then you could be the timer. On my 1700 there is a piece of resistive wire that I can see on the dash. That wire is in series with the glow plug and after 10 second or so will glow red and that is basically my manual timer. Seeing it glow red is an indication of completed circuit for me. Anymore I don't even look at it as I count 10 to 15 seconds and that is enough heat at the glow plug to start my 1700 with cold engine. Timer is not an absolute necessity if you can get juice to glow plugs.

JC,

Roadworthy · Sep 24, 2019

Not all tractors even HAVE glow plug timers - my Mitsubishi doesn't. Some genius did wire its glow plugs to run on twelve volts. They work that way but don't last long. They are supposed to run at 9.5 volts. That's why they have that glow resistor in series. I bought new glow plugs and added the correct glow resistor into the circuit. Glow plugs last a LOT longer now. Oh, the extra current took out the original ignition switch, too, but that's another story.

dlctcg · Sep 24, 2019

Thanks, guys.... The TC 40D definitely has a timer... went out to test it this afternoon & of course was working normal & couldn't get it to act up again. So checked & cleaned all the connections (even though this was just done during the resurrection) & they all looked good.. Looked over the wiring harness & all seemed good there also....

So I guess I'll wait & see if it acts up again... if so I'll test the timer module. I still have a feeling it is failing as everything else looks good right now. Just stinks because it is not easy to get too if it happens again while we are using it... & I really don't want to burn up glow plugs...

dlctcg · Sep 29, 2019

Well that didn't take long... Acted up again yesterday (luckily I had ordered the glow plug timer prior based on how it was reacting); pulled it a part today, tested & then replaced the timer. All is well so far.

While I was in there today I also (finally) installed the ignition relay upgrade I've been wanting to do...

Also got to finally finish the actuators & the control box for the remote rotation & deflection shield for the Debris Blower (just in-time for fall leaves)... :thumbsup:

I now have 280 degrees of rotation & full deflection from the drivers seat.... bring on the leaves...

thclimer · Sep 30, 2019

dlctcg said:
Well that didn't take long... Acted up again yesterday (luckily I had ordered the glow plug timer prior based on how it was reacting); pulled it a part today, tested & then replaced the timer. All is well so far.

While I was in there today I also (finally) installed the ignition relay upgrade I've been wanting to do...
View attachment 623038

Also got to finally finish the actuators & the control box for the remote rotation & deflection shield for the Debris Blower (just in-time for fall leaves)... :thumbsup:
View attachment 623041 View attachment 623042 View attachment 623043

I now have 280 degrees of rotation & full deflection from the drivers seat.... bring on the leaves...

Wow how many acres to do have to clear the leaves off of?

You did a nice job on the wiring, hoping your effort pays off. Its so much nicer to do during warmer temps rather in the middle of winter.

dlctcg · Sep 30, 2019

thclimer said:
Wow how many acres to do have to clear the leaves off of?

You did a nice job on the wiring, hoping your effort pays off. Its so much nicer to do during warmer temps rather in the middle of winter.

We have 21 acres but only clear the leaves from approx 3 acres of the lawn areas & most of that is done with a leaf vac system on the zero turn; then the PTO Blower is used to blow back the leave along the wood lines.

However the PTO blower is really the saving grace for clearing the leaves off the driveway. The driveway is gravel. 12 - 14 ft wide & a little over a 1/2 mile long with a pretty good grade uphill, it is completely surrounded by woods & it gets a ton of leaves. The lower 450 ft or so parallels neighbors on either side so with the PTO blower I can blow them up the driveway until I am in a place to blow them in the woods. Now that I have push button remote control from the tractor seat of both the blower chute & the deflector it should make even easier to clear...

Thanks on the wiring comment... I try to keep everything as clean as possible & labeled for future troubleshooting (if needed)... I made the bracket to hold the new starter relay out in front of the new glow plug timer I just installed (I wanted the relays to be together). But I put the fuse protecting that circuit up near the Factory & my Auxiliary Fuse Blocks. The last pic is the new dash / switch layout I did during the resurrection of the TC...

thclimer · Oct 1, 2019

dlctcg said:
We have 21 acres but only clear the leaves from approx 3 acres of the lawn areas & most of that is done with a leaf vac system on the zero turn; then the PTO Blower is used to blow back the leave along the wood lines.

However the PTO blower is really the saving grace for clearing the leaves off the driveway. The driveway is gravel. 12 - 14 ft wide & a little over a 1/2 mile long with a pretty good grade uphill, it is completely surrounded by woods & it gets a ton of leaves. The lower 450 ft or so parallels neighbors on either side so with the PTO blower I can blow them up the driveway until I am in a place to blow them in the woods. Now that I have push button remote control from the tractor seat of both the blower chute & the deflector it should make even easier to clear...

Thanks on the wiring comment... I try to keep everything as clean as possible & labeled for future troubleshooting (if needed)... I made the bracket to hold the new starter relay out in front of the new glow plug timer I just installed (I wanted the relays to be together). But I put the fuse protecting that circuit up near the Factory & my Auxiliary Fuse Blocks. The last pic is the new dash / switch layout I did during the resurrection of the TC...

View attachment 623123 View attachment 623124

I can understand the need for clearing the driveway, ours is about 1,300 feet long with about 300 feet in the woods but the wind blows up the section in the woods pretty fierce so the leaves don't last long on the driveway but do get caught along the sides, it would be nice to clear them from the sides.