Glow Plugs
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In machines, it is sometimes necessary to preheat certain parts before starting the
machine, the most common is to heat the lubrication oil or hydraulic devices. This is
almost always achieved through thermostated electric heaters attached to the parts
in question. For the interest of this article, such devices are electric heaters and not
glow plugs.
Glow plugs or glow plugs are heating devices that are mounted on internal
combustion engines and are equipped with an electrical resistance that is controlled
with the engine start key. Typically, they are present to facilitate cold starting of
Diesel engines.
These spark plugs serve to produce an incandescent (or very hot) spot inside the
combustion chamber, which is reached by the injected fuel aerosol . When part of
the aerosol comes into contact with the hot area of the preheating plug, the fuel
evaporates and ignites, causing the engine to start even in low temperature
conditions. In addition to this, the materials from which these spark plugs are made
have elements such as platinum or iridium in their composition that have a catalytic
effect on the combustion process.
A few seconds after the start, the electrical current is removed from the spark plug
as its function is no longer necessary, since the combustion chamber has heated
up enough to produce self-ignition of the fuel without assistance.
Due to the nature of the direct injection chambers, these glow plugs are commonly
not necessary in engines provided with this type of chamber, while in engines with
separate injection they become an indispensable device to guarantee safe starting
in all conditions.
There is two guys basic of plugs of preheating:
1 .- Naked electrical resistance, traditionally used.
2 .- Protected electrical resistance that have been introduced more recently.
Figure 1.
Bare resistance spark plugs
Figure 1 shows a classic glow plug with bare electrical resistance.
In a steel body provided with a thread to be installed in the engine, just as the spark
plug of gasoline engines does, it is placed isolated from the body, and in its center,
a conductor that ends at the lower end in an electrical resistance made of thick wire
in the shape of a loop. The other end of the resistor is connected to the steel body
and thus to ground.
This central conductor ends at the upper end in a bolt
threaded for connect he wire of feeding.
The device is long enough so that the electrical resistance (loop) reaches inside the
combustion chamber, and the connecting bolt is on the outside of the engine, within
reach of the power cable.
The electrical resistance is made of metal alloys that are very resistant to the highly
corrosive environment of the combustion chamber, and to the erosion produced by
combustion gases to achieve a long useful life.
When the cold engine is to be started, the current from the accumulator battery is
first connected to the spark plug long enough for the inner loop to heat up to
glowing red, using a corresponding position of the engine ignition key. . Once this
time has elapsed, the ignition key is turned to the start position, with this change
two effects are produced; The starter motor is powered to rotate the combustion
engine and current is removed to the spark plug. The large mass of the thick
resistor wire keeps it hot for a few seconds after power is removed, ensuring that
some post-start injection cycles occur efficiently.
In the multi-cylinder engine there is a preheating plug for each cylinder and another
that serves as a warning light, within the driver's sight on the instrument panel. As
all the spark plugs are the same, by observing the color of the indicator plug, the
driver will be able to know when the ones placed in the cylinders are at a good
temperature to proceed with attempting to start.
Covered resistance spark plugs
Glow plugs with covered resistance are a technological
improvement of the traditional spark plug but their
basic function is the same.
Figure 2 shows the image of a shrouded resistance
type glow plug so that the interior parts can be seen.
The main difference with the traditional spark plug is
that the electrical resistance is made up of two parts, it
is made of finer wire and is covered with an
environmentally resistant cover to protect it.
In these spark plugs, the heating resistance is made up
of two electrical resistances connected in series, one Figure 2.
that functions as a heating element, with almost
constant resistance with temperature, and the other as
a current regulating element since it is made of a
material that increases notably the electrical resistance
with increasing temperature.
As the heating resistance is made of very fine wire, its
thermal inertia is low and it heats up very quickly with
the danger of breakdown if it were not for the fact that it
communicates the heat to the other resistance
connected to it in series, the latter quickly increases the
electrical resistance and limits the current to a safe
value for both, so the final temperature remainslimited.
The protective cover is filled with a powder material
( magnesium oxide) good conductor of heat, so the Figure 3.
heat generated is quickly transferred to the metal walls of the sheath, becoming
incandescent in few seconds.
In vehicles with these types of spark plugs, the most common thing is that the
warning light on the dashboard of instruments be a
lamp of warning.
The rapid heating of these spark plugs and the current development of electrical
and electronic components has allowed this type of spark plugs to work
automatically without driver intervention in some car models.
Figure 3 shows a real image of one of these spark plugs.
Causes of failure
1 .- The main cause of failure of these spark plugs is that they remain connected to
the current with the engine running, the heat of combustion is added to that
generated by electricity, so the temperature can cause the melting of the spark plug
material. the resistance.
2 .- As these spark plugs are subjected to the erosive, corrosive and incandescent
gases of combustion, their life, although long, can be affected by harmful elements
from poor quality fuels or with inappropriate contaminants.
Diagnosis
It is very easy to diagnose whether a glow plug is working or not.
These devices generally have a low value of electrical resistance, so a simple lamp
used in the automobile, placed in series with the corresponding spark plug wire, will
light if the spark plug is good and will not light if it is damaged.
Change the car's diesel glow plugs: when
and why?
Function of glow plugs:
In a diesel engine, glow plugs serve to preheat the combustion chambers of each
cylinder before and during starting.
In newer diesel engines, it is not necessary to preheat the diesel. The spark plugs
have the function of staying hot after starting to reduce contamination and black
smoke, this is what is called "post heating".
Why change the glow plugs?
When the glow plugs deteriorate, it is difficult to start the vehicle, and when they
stop working it is impossible to start.
In the case of "post-heating" type glow plugs, when they fail, excessive fuel
consumption and even engine failures occur.
When to change the glow plugs?
Typically, the spark plug replacement interval is approximately 120,000 km. This is
what manufacturers recommend with first-fit spark plugs and recognized brands in
the sector (Beru, Ngk, Bosch, Champion, Denso).
It is important to replace all the spark plugs, even if only one of them is defective,
so that an imbalance does not occur between the cylinders when starting.
It is necessary to intervene on the spark plugs if the vehicle has difficulty starting
when cold. Difficulties in starting indicate the end of the useful life of the glow plugs.
In this case, a diagnosis is recommended.
Preheat relay function:
A preheating relay (control system, preheating time) ensures the delivery of high
power current to the spark plugs and manages the preheating time according to the
engine temperature.
Diagnosis of the preheating relay
Check that the preheating indicator appears on the dashboard. If it does not turn
on, then there is a problem in the preheating system.
If it does not turn on, a professional needs to check the box's power supply system.
If it comes on, check that power is reaching the spark plugs:
• In the case of glow plugs: use a voltmeter or test lamp to check that power is
reaching the glow plugs while the helper turns on the ignition at the same time. The
feeding lasts between 10 and 20 seconds.
• In the case of after-heating spark plugs: sometimes you have to start the engine
to check the power supply to the spark plugs. The duration of feeding can be
extended to several minutes.
In both cases, if there is no power, the problem almost certainly comes from the
preheating relay or its power supply.
Check the relay power supply; See wiring diagrams in the technical sheet.
If the power works, change the relay.
Diagnosis of glow plugs
Disconnect the negative terminal of the battery (see safety instructions) .
Locate the glow plugs and their accessibility: a protection, a diesel channel or an
intake pipe, etc. can be removed. depending on the case.
Disconnect the electrical wires from the spark plugs, either clipped or screwed onto
the spark plug. In some cases it will be necessary to remove the spark plugs to
check their condition.
Touch the positive (red) terminal of the ohmmeter to the connection terminal of the
spark plug, while at the same time apply the negative (black) terminal of the
ohmmeter to the body or head of the spark plug.
Use the ohmmeter to check that the connection is not interrupted (open circuit):
• Uninterrupted connection: check that the measured resistance is the same on
each spark plug. If this is not the case, then one of the spark plugs is bad.
• Interrupted connection: the spark plug is faulty.
How to change the glow plugs?
Removing the glow plugs
Disconnect the negative terminal of the battery.
Locate the glow plugs and their accessibility (a diesel pipe or intake pipe can be
removed if necessary).
Disconnect the electrical wires from the spark plugs, either clipped or screwed onto
the spark plug.
Installing the glow plugs
Before installing new spark plugs, ensure that the new spark plug is identical to the
one removed.
Apply disassembly grease to the thread to prevent corrosion and facilitate
disassembly.
Use the spark plug wrench extension to manually install the spark plug in its space,
taking care to place it very straight (a poorly installed spark plug can cause thread
damage).
Manually tighten.
Finish tightening using the wrench.
Reconnect the electrical wires to the spark plugs.
Reassemble the diesel pipe or intake pipe if necessary.