thermostat heating on Ford 5000

[snowcrash]

I installed a glow plug intake heater on our 5000 and instead of using a reservoir box to hold the fuel, I put a T in the return line near the top of the tank and ran a line to the heater.

I bought a new 5-wire switch to put on it, but decided against it because when you go to crank the engine, the switch turns off power to all the switch lugs except the glow plug and starter ones. I have an electric fuel pump on our tractor so it needs to be running when the engine is trying to crank so I stayed with the old switch.

Everything is hooked up right and I have a push button that feeds power to the heater when pushed.

My question is, what is the correct way to use a heater on one of these tractors? At first, I thought maybe just holding the button for 10 seconds, releasing and cranking it so I tried that one day.

I remember when using my test light, the glow plug stayed on when in the starting position of the key so I was thinking maybe you hold the heater button for 10 seconds and then while continuing to hold it you crank the tractor so I tried it yesterday but it was warm day so the tractor would have cranked without it.

It makes sense though that continuing to hold the button while cranking would work since you are sucking warm fuel into the intake but I figured I'd ask to see the correct way since we've never used one.

Thanks for any help,
Charlie

 

[Jerry/MT]

I installed a glow plug intake heater on our 5000 and instead of using a reservoir box to hold the fuel, I put a T in the return line near the top of the tank and ran a line to the heater.

I bought a new 5-wire switch to put on it, but decided against it because when you go to crank the engine, the switch turns off power to all the switch lugs except the glow plug and starter ones. I have an electric fuel pump on our tractor so it needs to be running when the engine is trying to crank so I stayed with the old switch.

Everything is hooked up right and I have a push button that feeds power to the heater when pushed.

My question is, what is the correct way to use a heater on one of these tractors? At first, I thought maybe just holding the button for 10 seconds, releasing and cranking it so I tried that one day.

I remember when using my test light, the glow plug stayed on when in the starting position of the key so I was thinking maybe you hold the heater button for 10 seconds and then while continuing to hold it you crank the tractor so I tried it yesterday but it was warm day so the tractor would have cranked without it.

It makes sense though that continuing to hold the button while cranking would work since you are sucking warm fuel into the intake but I figured I'd ask to see the correct way since we've never used one.

Thanks for any help,
Charlie

I have a Ford 4610 with a Thermostart system and it uses a "T" in the return line plus the line to the Thermostart unit as the resevior.
You could have wired the electric fuel pump to the start/run connection and the pump would continue to run during the start cycle.

The correct way to use the thermostart is to activate it for ~30-45 seconds (colder days need longer "ON" times) BEFORE you activate the starter. Use "trail and error" to find the best activation times on your tractor.

 

[snowcrash]

Sorry for getting back to you so late to say thanks but I believe we are glow plug heater is working as it should. I'm still not sure how the switch would have worked the fuel pump because the only lug on the switch that stayed hot when in the glow plug heating part of the switch was the glow plug lug and the the main battery lug.

Everything else then shut off and I guess that is why they said your dash lights would go out when you were heating the glowplug up.

With the 3-wire switch, I just have the fuel pump on the run lug with the glow plug heater wire ran to a push button. That way the glow plug can get power only with the switch on and the button pushed in. I also put a light in the cluster to show that he button is pushed in.

At around 15-20 seconds, the glow plug will smoke a little bit but in that time period or so, you can hear the fuel "poof" or ignite or whatever it does in there. I'm thinking 30 seconds might be too long but I don't know. Like you said, trial and error but it has cranked good in the wet or cold conditions so far when using.

Is there a limit that it should not be pushed too or a max time. I imagine the smoke on the heater is just the thing heating up because I think my dad said one of the other older 2000 SOS diesel tractors will do the same thing when pre-heating.

Lastly, how much fuel does the thing use when you push the button in? Does it dump a steady stream or how does it work. Just hate to hold the button to long and run out of fuel in the line going from the T to the heater.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Jerry/MT]

Sorry for getting back to you so late to say thanks but I believe we are glow plug heater is working as it should. I'm still not sure how the switch would have worked the fuel pump because the only lug on the switch that stayed hot when in the glow plug heating part of the switch was the glow plug lug and the the main battery lug.

Everything else then shut off and I guess that is why they said your dash lights would go out when you were heating the glowplug up.

With the 3-wire switch, I just have the fuel pump on the run lug with the glow plug heater wire ran to a push button. That way the glow plug can get power only with the switch on and the button pushed in. I also put a light in the cluster to show that he button is pushed in.

At around 15-20 seconds, the glow plug will smoke a little bit but in that time period or so, you can hear the fuel "poof" or ignite or whatever it does in there. I'm thinking 30 seconds might be too long but I don't know. Like you said, trial and error but it has cranked good in the wet or cold conditions so far when using.

Is there a limit that it should not be pushed too or a max time. I imagine the smoke on the heater is just the thing heating up because I think my dad said one of the other older 2000 SOS diesel tractors will do the same thing when pre-heating.

Lastly, how much fuel does the thing use when you push the button in? Does it dump a steady stream or how does it work. Just hate to hold the button to long and run out of fuel in the line going from the T to the heater.

Thanks for the help!

I think the thing actually lights a little flame in the intake on the heated grid and the fuel just dribbles in from the line as long as the unit is activated. It's purpose is to heat the air charge just a little to help get the combustion reaction started.
I have heard people say you should not activate it longer than a minute.
The fuel available to assist the start is just the volume in the line to the Thermostart and it's refilled once the engine starts and the bypass fuel is returning to the tank. So if you try numerous unsucessful starts you can run it out of fuel. i don't know what that number of failed starts is, however.

My Ford 4610 owners manual says that it's effective down to 0F. below that, you need the block heater. The first time you attempt a start, apply it for 30 seconds. If the engine does not start after 25 seconds of cranking, energize the Thermostart for another 15 seconds.

You must also remember to NEVER USE STARTING FLUID if you have a Thermostart unit ULESS YOU DEACTIVATE THE THERMOSTART UNIT. Failure to do so can cause an explosion in the intake manifold.