Remember Glow Plugs?

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by GasHauler, Apr 4, 2010.

  1. GasHauler

    GasHauler Master FMCSA Interpreter

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    I've run alot of different types of dozers from a 1958 D8 with a pony motor to a TD 25 with street tracks. But I haven't run across a one with glow plugs. It may be because they were all military dozers and too cheap to buy them. I don't know but we never really had any problems starting any dozers in the Seabees.

    The D8 that was old had a very low rpm range but would move a mountain. Later on we had 3408's in them and the 3406's came real late when they down sized the D8. I believe it was around the L model because the D8L tri-track we had was a V8 3408 with lots of power. I've even run equipment that came back from operation deep freeze and no glow plugs but I do know they kept the equipment in a heated buildings because they would never start in the south pole out in the open.

    If you ever get a chance to run a dozer that requires a pony motor to start it take it. It's a blast to get that little gasoline engine going then turn the diesel with the compression release on then slam it off and watch it puff to life. I swear those pistons must of been 12" across because it was only a straight in-line six. Only drawback was there was no hydraulics just cable blades which didn't have any down pressure on the blade.
     
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  3. jbatmick

    jbatmick Road Train Member

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    Some of the old John Deere 2 cylinder diesels had a gas pony motor as a starter.You had a problem if you forgot to fill the small pony motor gasoline tank, and shut it off in the middle of the field.We always made sure a chain was on that tractor,sometimes pulling it to start was easier than using the pony motor.
     
  4. heyns57

    heyns57 Road Train Member

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    I drove a Volvo day cab with glow plugs in 1985. It had a very large engine block, but was cut back in horsepower. The truck attracted attention for its unusual leaf suspension, air assisted clutch, air powered clutch brake, and cab air ride. The transmission could be shifted into any gear at any speed, but releasing the clutch while in the wrong gear was traumatic. The cab was small but heavy, in the European tradition. If we had to wait for repair parts, we said they were on the boat. :biggrin_25522:

    I thought of glow plugs as a delay whereas a shot of starting fluid only takes a few seconds. Remember ether "pills"?
     
  5. maxwelltie

    maxwelltie Medium Load Member

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    My uncle had a 1937 International with an engine you started on gas, then when warmed up a bit, you pushed a lever on the dash that shut off the gas and started the diesel flowing. Seems to me it had a 5 speed transmission with a two speed rear end, a sterring wheel as large as a boat and mechanical brakes.
    We used it to haul logs down off the mountain to the sawmill.
    I drove it once as a 17 year old and it liked to beat me to death.
    But I loved it!
     
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  6. Panhandle flash

    Panhandle flash Road Train Member

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    Ahhhh, the old John Deere 720. Worked for a farmer that had one of those. Pulled a little 6ft one way with it.
    Also had an old Jeep I think it was that had the button on the floor you had to push to start it. They all got quite a kick out of this city kid when he couldn't figure that out.
     
  7. GasHauler

    GasHauler Master FMCSA Interpreter

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    We'd start dozers by pushing blade to blade but you had to have more than one on the job. That's why we always made sure that pony motor work great all the time because you never knew if a dozer was going to be pulled from your jobsite.
     
  8. jbatmick

    jbatmick Road Train Member

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    And those were the good old days . {?}
    But I do miss them.
     
  9. ihford350

    ihford350 <strong>The Grease Monkey</strong>

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    All the major engines still have some type of cylinder heater weather its glow plug or otherwise, when you turn the key on and the gauges go up and down and you hear all the clicking, that is the glow plug circuit cycling, and the computer setting up.
     
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  10. blackw900

    blackw900 The Grandfather of Flatbed

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    That is COMPLETELY false!

    The clicking you hear is the system performing checks or as you said, The computer cycling itself...Most modern heavy duty diesels have no glow plugs or any other such preheating devices.

    Light duty diesel such as the ones in pickup trucks do have glowplugs but they don't make any sound at all.
     
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  11. jbatmick

    jbatmick Road Train Member

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    I have never had glow plugs on any of my Cummins,but I have seen them in pick-ups.
     
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