What Controls Heating Up Of Glow Plugs On Td Engine?

[mmatthej1 1]

In throes of buying a old "do'er upp'er" 205, fitted with the 1.8 turbo-diesel engine - one odd thing that the owner showed us is that he manually connects the wire from the glow plugs DIRECT to the battery, each time he starts, in order to pre-heat them!

 

It works fine but clearly something ain't quite right!

 

Can anyone please explain how pre-heat should be working ( there must be a 'timer' in the system somewhere, that normally heats for a limited time, I guess? Where is this located? Can it go wrong?)

 

I've never come across this situation before - usually just turn the key, wait, then fire it up!

[welshpug 1,666]

yes there should be a large relay in the engine bay, later systems have a temperature sender in the thermostat housing, not sure how the earlier systems regulate the heat time.

[Tom Fenton 1,548]

The early ones just use a simple timer built into the relay, nothing complicated.

[mmatthej1 1]

Thanks for responses - maybe the sender (wherever it is) failed and owner is just 'hot wiring' to get around this - hope it's that 'simple' !

 

Car is 1993/ 'L' - reg, by the way..................

[deathbringer929 49 1 Cars]

glow plug relay is on left chassis leg, forwards of the battery tray. last one i brought was about 60 notes new pattern part. they normally blue colour. easy to id with quite a thick wire to it.

 

iirc its a round terminal with an 8mm nut, they tend to corrode and snap off. My old STDT fed live to the glow plugs post starting, ie after glow light goes out it will still heat for about 5 seconds.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/peugeot-205-1-8-diesel-heater-plug-relay-/121096721614?hash=item1c31ed54ce

 

thats the one! ^^^^^^

[mmatthej1 1]

Oh thanks, that is a really helpful pointer, thanks to piccie & location info - will have a look under the bonnet tomorrow!

 

Cheers.

[mmatthej1 1]

Oh dear, I can't find the blue relay, can you guide me a bit closer, please?

 

(I've looked inside a box up near the water header tank, has 1x red/orange relay only - also inside a box attached to the slam panel over radiator, which has 2xpurple and 1x green)

 

If you have a foto, that would be perfect! (my e-mail is mmatthej1@aol.com)

[Tom Fenton 1,548]

Find the thick cable that supplies the glow plugs, follow it back.

[deathbringer929 49 1 Cars]

not got a photo but its in front of the battery tray bolted to a thin metal bracket which in turn is bolted to the left chassis leg. as tom says follow the thick gauge wire from the glow plugs

[mmatthej1 1]

Ah, therein lies my problem - I can't 'follow the cable', because it's not attached to anything at the end away from the glowplugs (previous owner must have detached it, then 'hot wiring' direct to battery, when needed to start).

 

The area by the battery and washer bottle is very 'busy' and not easy to see - would I see the relay easier, if I took the washer bottle out, do you think?

[welshpug 1,666]

no, look below the top hose, side of the chassis leg.

 

will be a red cable from the shunt box or battery to it.

[mmatthej1 1]

Again, thanks - I've looked again and see quite a large blue 'box' down, quite low below the radiator-end of the top hose - can't really reach it with my hand, at least from top of engine but could this be it?

 

(I have taken a foto but don't know how to add it to this message, unfortunately - think I'll start a "new post", to include the foto - can I ask you to look there and comment)

[welshpug 1,666]

That'll be it yes.