Troubleshooting and fixing the Ford 7.3l Powerstroke glow plugs are neither daunting nor much costly. Often it is difficult to turn on the vehicle’s engine in winter mornings that gets even worse when the temperature drops down continuously, resulting to the glow plug unit failure. If the truck is taken to a workshop for a repair than it might cost you a lot, but if the same repair is done by you self than it costs you under $200 in few hours of time.
Gasoline powered engines operate on spark plugs while the diesel powered engines make use of compressed air and fuel mix. The temperature rises when gas is compressed, whereas the diesel engines build up enough pressure to heat-up the air and fuel mix. But the compression level becomes inappropriate at low temperatures to burn the fuel and thus glow plugs are needed.
Ford 7.3l Powerstroke glow plugs are such cylinder components that increase the temperature level of air-fuel mix to the ignition level. The truck is difficult to get started if 1 or 2 of the glow plugs have ruined , but if more than 2 plugs get out of order than its impractical to start the truck. To troubleshoot the glow plugs is simple and easy task. You have to gauge the voltage and resistance level coupled with the pins of glow plugs. Jumper wires of 2-3 feet length are required having alligator clips at each end.
Firstly, you are required to check the relay of glow plug, which can be possibly failed. This relay is positioned at the right pinnacle of engine rear to the fuel filter covering and to the passenger’s side. In case of two relays, choose the one which is at the rear of the truck having big brown and yellow wires projections. Turn on the truck and test the voltage at terminal posts. The relay of glow plug should be on for at least ten seconds and for longer at cooler temperatures. Position the floor probe on a metal piece of engine and the other source probe on every terminal.
The reading on terminals should be near 12 volts. But if one terminal reads as zero then check whether the control module is damaged or the relay went wrong; in most cases the relay bears the problem. For a direct testing of the relay, use battery voltage on both terminals on the pinnacle of relay. If the reading is of 12 volts on both terminals then the relay is fine, otherwise reinstall the relay of glow plug.
Check for rest of the Ford 7.3l Powerstroke glow plugs. Inside every valve cover there are nine wires with a connection. Fuel injectors are attached with nine wires that glow the plugs. Take off the connector with the help of a screw driver vigilantly. The wires of glow plugs are placed two at the outermost front and two at the outermost rear. Check the resistance of the four connections. Fix the floor probe to the metal piece on the negative terminal of battery or on block. The reading of the resistance should range from 0.6 to 2.0 ohms. But if any one reading shows unbounded resistance then it means that they are damaged and reinstallation is required.
Now decide whether you want to change the failed glow plugs only or all of them. It is better to change all if few glow plugs on each side are damaged. For the reinstallation of Ford 7.3l Powerstroke glow plugs you require basic tools. A metric tool and SAE are required for this task but the torque wrench is the best option. If you are careful enough to fix the parts with appropriate force then you may skip the use of torque wrench. Buy glow plugs of OEM from local hardware shop that can save up to 75% of cost as compared to the local Ford dealership.