7.3L Glowplug replacement

[DiamondSCattleCo]

Since I'm buying that 93 7.3L and I suspect it needs glowplugs, I was wondering if anyone had a particular replacement brand recommendation. I know the Ford ones don't work all that well in our north country.

Anyone make an aftermarket bolt-on manifold heater for the 7.3? Having spent many years with Cummins and its excellent manifold heater, I can't help but think that someone has adapted something over.

Rod

 

[MrGale]

you can get a freeze out plug heater from a lot of places....they worked great on my 2000 7.3 liter. just remove a freeze out plug and pop it in.... be sure you can get the plug end through the radiator grille though....better than having to pop the hood to plug it in. Ford has one too ....

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

Yeah, its already got a block heater (trucks come standard with them up here) but I need something better than glowplugs for when I'm places that I can't plug in. So far, all I've found is an ether assist kit that requires the glowplugs to be disabled. I'm a little surprised that someone hasn't come up with a manifold heat option. My Cummins would start at -35 without being plugged in. It was hard on it, but it would fire up.

Rod

 

[hurleyjd]

Since I'm buying that 93 7.3L and I suspect it needs glowplugs, I was wondering if anyone had a particular replacement brand recommendation. I know the Ford ones don't work all that well in our north country.

Anyone make an aftermarket bolt-on manifold heater for the 7.3? Having spent many years with Cummins and its excellent manifold heater, I can't help but think that someone has adapted something over.

Rod

The Ford tractors from the eighty and the ninetys had a theromostart on them. This would be the 4600 5600 etc. It had a heating coil on the end and had a line hooked into the diesel injector return line. You would turn the key to a certian position for a few seconds. The heating coil would heat and also a valve in it would let diesel by it. This was in a threaded hole in the intake manifold. I would think a person could drill and tap a hole in the intake manifold of your truck and hook one of these up. Or maybe two one on each side to service each side of the V8. You would need small hoses to it for the diesel and 12 volts for the power. A push button switch could be used for the power, that way you would not forget it. Look at one of them and if you are the least bit mechniclly inclined you could make this installation work.

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

Thanks for the idea, Hurley. I didn't think of pre-heating the fuel. I don't think coming from injector return line would help me in this case, as the injector return, I _think_ goes back to the tank on the Ford. Having said that, I do believe there is a kit available that heats the fuel on the injector pump inlet side though... I'll do some digging.

Rod

 

[BlackBaldyMan]

Since its a 93' means its an IDI (Indirect Injection) so if its like that should be just like our 91' and the plugs are a piece of cake to change. If its like my rig (late 94' direct injected) I have to pull the valve covers and its kinda a PITA, be sure to get the Beru's from International or Ford, dont get any other glow plugs as they will fall apart in your head!

 

[cfpinz]

Your truck already has a heated line coming up from the lift pump to the fuel filter, helps to keep fuel filter from gelling up in cold weather, not that you would have any cold weather up in Canada. :lol: As far as glow plugs go, I use the Motorcraft brand and have no complaints. Just be careful when you go to change them, the tips have a habit of swelling up and refusing to come out of the hole. If you find a tight one and I suspect you will, after loosening the plug, squirt some WD-40 around the plug and use a pair of needle-nose vise-grips, turning and wiggleing the plug as you pull it up. If at all possible, do not break the tip off of the plug, falls down into the precombustion chamber and later on top of your piston. Did that once, had to pull heads off truck, definately not one of my brighter moments.

cfpinz

 

[NorCalFarms]

I have been all through the 7.3 (not powerstroke) glowplug saga. The one and only rule is buy ONLY Beru glowplugs. Doesn't matter if you buy them from Ford (motorcraft) or International, they are made by Beru. They are the only ones that when they burn out will not swell up and sometimes get stuck in the head. Don't ask me how I know.

If the controller works properly, and there is no fuel problems, it should start down below -20. A lot of the problems regarding starting get blamed on glowplugs, when actually it is air getting into the fuel return lines. You then have to crank the engine to purge the air before it starts, easy way to tell is if it puffs white smoke while your cranking it is glowplugs. No smoke=no fuel. I have left my 94 out unplugged on nights that were well below -20. When you want to start it, turn the key on and let the glowplugs cycle. Then crank it for a few seconds to get some fuel in the prechamber. Turn the key off then back on and the glowplugs will cycle on again, and warm that fuel up. When the light goes off crank her over and it will fire right up. Those damn things will sit there and rumble, bang rattle and smoke for a few minutes until everything gets warmed up, but if everything works right-they can start without being plugged in when it is very cold. I always tried to plug mine in, but not every fine young lady I visited in my youth had that much extension cord. ;-) :roll: