2.5NA 2.5TD glowplug warm up time

[jafir]

Has anyone seen this before? http://www.expeditionlandrover.info/landRoverFAQ/FAQ_glowplugs.htm

QUESTION - The glow plugs seem to take a long time to heat up before the motor will start. I understand there are two different types of plugs.

ANSWER - From Steve Mace for metric thread glow plugs only:

I looked into this and LR say the later 2.25 diesel and the 2.5NA diesel [WITH METRIC THREADS] both take the Champion CH-63 glow plug. This is an 11V 90W heater and should be connected direct to the battery (through suitable controller). Once you switch the plugs on the battery voltage drops to 11V so this is okay.

Anyway, after a LOT of web searching and phone calls this is what I've discovered:

1. The CH-63 take 30 seconds (at 11V) to reach max temp of 800 degrees C.
2. The CH-63 is a probe type with 25mm x 6.1mm probe size, M12, 12x1.25 thread. It should be wired direct, in parallel, with no ballast.
3. The very best plugs nowadays are ceramic type which are supposed to last the life of the vehicle (whether that covers the average 30 years of a LR or the normal 6 years of a modern car is another matter). These have very fast heat up i.e. around 5 seconds. Couldn't find anyone who could tell me about a set of these for the 2.5 (and therefore 2.25) LR.
4. Nobody knows anything about glow plugs! Tried Champion and NGK and their technical knowledge was very poor!
5. NGK do a drop in replacement for the CH-63 which is the Y-208T. The Y-208T has a 13-15 second heat up time which is a lot better than the Champion part (the T means fast heat up). The Y-208T is a straight swap - same voltage, same size etc..
6. In the process of looking at prices I also discovered the CH-63 plugs can be had for less than US$ 9 for a set of four on the US side of the lake but cost three times that over here in the UK! I also found the cheapest UK place I could get NGK Y-208T's from they were about US$ 64 for

Their comments about 30 seconds for the champion plugs getting to full temperature seems to jive with my experience of whatever plugs are in mine.

I've just ordered a set of the NGK (crosses to NGK box number 1250) plugs they have listed to see if they really do perform better.

 

[RDavisinVA]

30 seconds is more than twice the time needed.
12 to 14 seconds should take you there with a modern GP.
30 seconds is for the older resistance wire type plug.

 

[Tbaumer]

So, I think it is time for me to install the new plugs I bought a while back as "Just in case I need 'em" parts, because, unless the engine is already warm, I wait 30 seconds for success.
On really cold mornings I hold it for a 45 count!

 

[The Dro]

I wait about 10-15 seconds and then crank up... So far it stars on the first try.

 

[The_Vermonster]

Forgive my ignorance, but what is so different about the 200Tdi that allows me to start it like a gasoline engine?

 

[RDavisinVA]

So, I think it is time for me to install the new plugs I bought a while back as "Just in case I need 'em" parts, because, unless the engine is already warm, I wait 30 seconds for success.
On really cold mornings I hold it for a 45 count!

If you have modern glow plugs 45 seconds is more that 3 times too long.
12 to 14 seconds is sufficient for an engine in good order.
If you need 45 seconds, then you have other issues preventing a quicker startup.

 

[RDavisinVA]

Forgive my ignorance, but what is so different about the 200Tdi that allows me to start it like a gasoline engine?

A TDI design is much easier to start with little or no glow, where a N/A engine will not start without sufficient glow.
The difference is TDI (turbo diesel (direct) injection) verses the indirect injection of the N/A diesel.

 

[RDavisinVA]

I wait about 10-15 seconds and then crank up... So far it stars on the first try.

As it should.

 

[jafir]

So I think some of my glow plugs were just faulty. I replaced them with the new NGK plugs today and when I removed the old plugs at least a couple seem to be loose between the electrical connector and the body. This is my first dealing with glow plugs so I don't know if this is normal or not. Also the plugs weren't champion they were wellman brand. They had green paint on them so I'm guessing the MOD put them in when they replaced the engine. The tag says 06, so I'm guessing they are 11 years old. How long do glow plugs typically last?

Anyway, it did seem to start a lot easier with the new plugs.

 

[Tbaumer]

Thought I better follow up after changing my glow plugs with new, so I'm not spreading bad info.
15 seconds warm up starts it from cold now.
From what I've read, probably won't even need them when the weather gets hot.
Should have changed them six months ago!

 

[RDavisinVA]

So I think some of my glow plugs were just faulty. How long do glow plugs typically last?

Anyway, it did seem to start a lot easier with the new plugs.

Glow plugs can last forever or can fail after 1 use.
The Italian and Slovakian GPs we sell are made in a Bosch factory and last long time...long time.

 

[DJOHN]

While attempting to diagnose some electrical faults on my wife's 1988 90 2.5 TD, I inadvertently disconnected the ad hoc manual glow plug warm up button. Didn't notice a difference in starting. Hmmm . . .

 

[RDavisinVA]

While attempting to diagnose some electrical faults on my wife's 1988 90 2.5 TD, I inadvertently disconnected the ad hoc manual glow plug warm up button. Didn't notice a difference in starting. Hmmm . . .

We have new heavy duty glow plug relays and plugs if that helps.