FS Glow Plug Relay, Heavy Duty Controller - Diesel

RDavisinVA

Technical Excellence Contributor
Heavy Duty Automatic Glow Plug Controller with built in timer.
We use these with great success on Diesel Engine Conversions.

Turn on the key and the glow plugs run for 12 to 14 seconds.
Has a lead for a dash light and one which ends the glow cycle when the starter is engaged.
Rated @ 70 AMPs and about 4 times larger than the little TDI relays that have small contacts and windings.

If you have an early diesel with the glow built into the ignition switch, this relay will eliminate the need to replace the switch when the contacts burn out.

$69 + $13 flat rate shipping.

Legend for third picture:
30 - Power from battery (+) source (usually power lead on starter solenoid)
87 - Up to 6 Glow Plugs (+)
86 - Switching source (+) (ignition or fuel shutoff solenoid on injection pump)*
85 - Ground (-)
L - To Dash Warning Light (+)
50 - To starter engagement lead on starter solenoid (+)
 

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Tomaco1

Well-known member
I just hooked mine up. The glow plug light only comes on for less than a second. I do hear the relay click after about 10 seconds. My question is about the light and wether the light only blinks because it’s in a warm shop, or do I have it hooked up wrong?
 

RDavisinVA

Technical Excellence Contributor
if you followed the legend in post 1, the unit will operate properly.
How is your relay hooked up?
 

Tomaco1

Well-known member
the truck was originally a TD5 body, now has a 200tdi
I used the existing TD5 glow plug wires
 

RDavisinVA

Technical Excellence Contributor
the truck was originally a TD5 body, now has a 200tdi
I used the existing TD5 glow plug wires

I have no idea what this means.
If you follow the legend in post 1, the unit will work as described.
Can you post up some more specific information to get some more specific support.
 

NPT90

Well-known member
Could it be the lack of the wire that shuts it off at ignition?

Page 34

Your existing relay wiring has a signal wire that went back to an 'ECM' originally. Presuming that has been removed.

You need to combine these 2 wires to use the dash warning light:
 

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Tomaco1

Well-known member
sorry, electrical stuff throws me off.

The warning light worked with the original factory glow plug relay and the way it was wired.

I swapped the wires according to the legend, with the exception of the wire that shuts it off when the starter is engaged.
The only thing that seems different know is that the dash light only lights for a split second.
I was wondering if that was because the truck is in a warm shop?
 

NPT90

Well-known member
sorry, electrical stuff throws me off.

The warning light worked with the original factory glow plug relay and the way it was wired.

I swapped the wires according to the legend, with the exception of the wire that shuts it off when the starter is engaged.
The only thing that seems different know is that the dash light only lights for a split second.
I was wondering if that was because the truck is in a warm shop?

I mean it could be, but I have a TD5 dash with that wire direct to the warning light and mine works as it is designed (with the shutoff lead however).

You 100% sure you hooked it up right?

I posted this after I installed one:
Used existing glow plug wire from 2.5NA ignition in the engine bay to warning light terminal (have 4 position ignition so there was no place for the large terminal that usually carries the voltage). Warning light is wired into this circuit and while the gauge of the wire might be overkill it provided plenty of feed for the dummy light on the TD5 dash. Taped the spade terminal near the ignition.

Wired a small gauge wire to the start solenoid for the 'kill' function on the relay.

Wired a 12 gauge wire from the starter lug to the relay feed

Ran glow plugs from relay switched on

Grounded (easy peasy)

locating a 'always on' ignition feed wasn't super easy, had to determine which white wires were not 'interrupted' by the ignition feed. The fuel shutoff solenoid can be used here but I found by using a meter I located an open plug on the engine loom that didn't lose voltage when the starter cranked. made for a cleaner install.

End result is a 4 pole ignition on a 2.5NA harness that runs this relay fine.
 

NPT90

Well-known member
It sounds like your live ignition feed is not staying live for long. I would put a meter on it and turn the ignition on to ensure it is running the relay
 

Tomaco1

Well-known member
Everything works as it should
Except the warning light

Glow plugs light for 10-15 seconds
L spade shows power, comes on with the switch but never turns off
Glow plug light flickers once and stops
until I put the test light on it
Test light lights, but so does the dash light
Ground seems solid
 

NPT90

Well-known member
Everything works as it should
Except the warning light

Glow plugs light for 10-15 seconds
L spade shows power, comes on with the switch but never turns off
Glow plug light flickers once and stops
until I put the test light on it
Test light lights, but so does the dash light
Ground seems solid

Don't count out the possibility that the relay is bad out of the box... wouldn't be the first time something like that happened.
 

RDavisinVA

Technical Excellence Contributor
I would agree the relay is bad if it were hooked up exactly as the legend in post 1 describes, but this has yet to be confirmed.
 

Tomaco1

Well-known member
It’s all good. Relay works as it should.

My issue is with the TD5 warning light I tied into at the dash. For some reason it is sending power out?
 
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