Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (December 2007, week 1)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Thu, 6 Dec 2007 14:42:36 -0800
Reply-To:     jon <jon@KENNEKE.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         jon <jon@KENNEKE.COM>
Subject:      Re: Glows plugs
Comments: To: Allan Streib <streib@CS.INDIANA.EDU>
In-Reply-To:  <tzmvsh8f.fsf@cs.indiana.edu>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

The VW glow plugs are in parallel. I've been known to use an IR thermometer to check is a glow plug is working.

Jon

On Thu, 6 Dec 2007, Allan Streib wrote:

> Tabe Johnson <greentabe-vanagon@YAHOO.COM> writes: > > > A glow plug is just an electrical resistor. Imagine a very heavy > > duty light bulb without the glass globe. When you pass electricity > > through it, it heats up. To check, remove the bolts holding the > > electric wire to the glow plugs. Put an ohmmeter between the > > terminal (where the wire was) and the engine block. If you get an > > open circuit (infinite resistance), the glow plug's filament (like a > > light bulb) is broken and the plug needs to be replaced. If you get > > a number like 10 or 30 ohms, (in that range- don't know exactly what > > it should be) the glow plug is OK. > > I don't know about the glow plugs for volkswagen diesels, whether they > are series or parallel, etc. But by comparison, on the Mercedes > "pencil" style glow plugs, the cold resistance of a good glow plug is > very low, about 0.8 Ohms. If its much above that at all it is bad; be > aware that many bargain meters do not read very accurately this low in > the range. > > However, resistance tests are more for identifying bad glow plugs than > confirming good ones. A better test to confirm proper operation is > measuring the current draw as the plug heats up, it will start out > very high and fall as the plug heats up. Exact specs are hopefully in > the Bentley or maybe you can google the brand and type of glow plug to > see what the current draw should be. > > Allan >


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.