Diesel Ignition

[Jim-ME]

I hope to swap to a diesel engine later this summer and am trying to think ahead a little. Could I use the start position of the ignition switch to power the glow plugs and then have a bulkhead mounted push to start starter switch? Then I could use my current choke cable to kill it.
Jim

[superstator]

Mine's set up just the opposite - start is start, and a pushbutton on the bulkhead trips the relay for the glowplugs.

[SafeAirOne]

I hope to swap to a diesel engine later this summer and am trying to think ahead a little. Could I use the start position of the ignition switch to power the glow plugs and then have a bulkhead mounted push to start starter switch? Then I could use my current choke cable to kill it.
Jim

Well--The 2.5 uses an electric fuel solenoid to allow then engine to run and to kill it when you want it to stop. This solenoid needs to be powered when the key is in the "run" position and also when you are cranking in the "start" position, just like the primary winding in the coil you used to use in the petrol engine. Sooo....just use use the white wire running to the coil (+) to power the diesel fuel shutoff solenoid on the injector pump--Nothing else is necessary and the engine stops when you turn the key off.

For the glow plugs, just use the factory electrical switch on the choke cable itself to operate a relay that supplies power to the glow plugs. In other words, when you pull out your choke cable, the "cold start" light goes on, warning you that your glow plugs are on and the relay energizes, sending power from the battery directly to the glow plugs through the relay. All you need is a few feet of wire and a $10 relay from the auto parts store.

This way you don't have to sit there holding a button for 60 (or more) seconds in the winter waiting for you cylinders to heat up.

[KevinNY]

Mine's set up just the opposite - start is start, and a pushbutton on the bulkhead trips the relay for the glowplugs.

Thats the way I did it and I have never run the glow plugs for more than 15 seconds, and that was in Maine in February at Winter Romp. The switch was 8 bucks or so at NAPA.

[SafeAirOne]

Thats the way I did it and I have never run the glow plugs for more than 15 seconds, and that was in Maine in February at Winter Romp.

Wow--15 Seconds, eh? It might be just about time for a quick overhaul on my 2.5 then, though mine's only failed to start once during this last NH winter. It was a 5-below day at the end of January when I found out that my favorite gas station wasn't offering winter-blend diesel yet.

[SafeAirOne]

Here's the schematic for using the choke switch (and thereby cold start light) to activate the heater plugs. Area of concern is circled in red. Everything else is just so you can get your bearings.

[KevinNY]

You probably have one or more burned out plugs.

[junkyddog11]

or you could use a 2.5 ignition switch which has a position for the glowplugs with an inline resistor and dash warning light. All Rover bits, all easy to find, all dirt cheap ( Our hosts can help you out and if they can't I certainly have a pile of NOS) and no need for any silly knobs (that can be forgotten).

Use the coil wire for the fuel shut off solenoid.

[junkyddog11]

This way you don't have to sit there holding a button for 60 (or more) seconds in the winter waiting for you cylinders to heat up.

Dude, that's just wrong. 10-15 anything longer than that and you are damaging the glow plug.

[SafeAirOne]

Dude, that's just wrong. 10-15 anything longer than that and you are damaging the glow plug.

I'll certainly have to check into this. Heater plugs are cheap enough. I'll have to have a peek at my heater plug wiring. My I BELIEVE that they are wired in series, so presumably if one were burned out, none would work, and that's not the case.

I don't know how many miles are on my 2.5--I've put 60,000 myself and God only knows how many were on it when I installed it. Probably not squeezing the air/oil like it used to...