Diesel engine pre-heaters

[snozz]

Slightly random question for a bushcraft forum, but has anyone used / fitted a pre heater to a diesel engine.

I have a Mitsubishi Delica, but two of the glow plugs have snapped off in the block, leaving nothing to weld to (to try and remove them).

I am left with 2 that work, however this can prove interesting once the temperature drops and i'm trying to start it.

It crossed my mind that a pre-heater might assist these two glow plugs in starting.

Cheers
Snozz

 

[bopdude]

Never done what your asking BUT, there is another method of removing snapped studs / bolts etc.I think they're called EZouts or something like it, basically 'all' you do is drill a pilot hole into the stud and screw in one of these ezouts ( easy out ) They are left hand thread so when you tighten them they unscrew the stud.

Hope that helps

 

[Baldy-Old-Troll]

I had the programmable system in my last Saab, it was controlled by the climate control panel and would switch on every morning at the same time, the car was then warm and ready to go when I needed it. There are quite a few Saabs selling for low prices at the moment,and increasingly large numbers in the scrapyards that would yield the required parts.The pre-heater is only going to be useful for planned starts, anything else and your still going to have problems, I think you'll have to bite the bullet and drill out the old glow plugs.

 

[jono7968]

Im a mechanic so will help if i can , some more agricultural vehicles use a heater unit in the intake pipe , wouldnt be to hard to fit or wire in, its basically a large glow plug, you would need to wire it the correct wire i would suggest a timer relay otherwise it will be on all the time.
Failing that and dependent on access , you can buy sockets the have left hand blades in so as you try and undo they cut into the object your removing, i have a set from snap on but im sure you could find cheaper.

 

[demographic]

I have a pre heater of sorts fitted to my (ex British Telecom) Transit. Was fitted when I bought it.
Its an Eberspacher water heater thing.

Can programme it to warm the van up (by heating its coolant) on a morning before I get in. That's nice and as the screen is de-iced its OK as well.

Err, can't say its that great other than that to be honest. Its handy for warming the van up during winter when I'm sitting drinking a cuppa at bait time on site.

 

[santaman2000]

Never done what your asking BUT, there is another method of removing snapped studs / bolts etc.I think they're called EZouts or something like it, basically 'all' you do is drill a pilot hole into the stud and screw in one of these ezouts ( easy out ) They are left hand thread so when you tighten them they unscrew the stud.

Hope that helps

Yes they're called EZouts. But you don't "screw them in." You drive them in with a hammer (their threads are very shallow and cut in as you drive)

 

[demographic]

Yes they're called EZouts. But you don't "screw them in." You drive them in with a hammer (their threads are very shallow and cut in as you drive)

Easy outs are also the generic title for bolt extractors over here, some are like a square wedge shape that you hammer into a hole then turn out with a tap wrench and some have a left hand thread that you screw in then remove the bolt with a tap wrench

I have some made by Dormer.
Like these.

 

[santaman2000]

Easy outs are also the generic title for bolt extractors over here, some are like a square wedge shape that you hammer into a hole then turn out with a tap wrench and some have a left hand thread that you screw in then remove the bolt with a tap wrench

I have some made by Dormer.
Like these.

Exactly so. Those are just like the ones I was issued and used. We rarely used a "tap wrench" though. More often an ordinary Crescent wrench (whether it was actually a Crescent brand or a generic)

Be VERY, VERY careful not to break one in whatever you're removing; if you do, you'll need a dental drill and loads of patience.

 

[demographic]

Exactly so. Those are just like the ones I was issued and used. We rarely used a "tap wrench" though. More often an ordinary Crescent wrench (whether it was actually a Crescent brand or a generic)

Be VERY, VERY careful not to break one in whatever you're removing; if you do, you'll need a dental drill and loads of patience.

I detest the things, got some of them and I avoid using them if its at all possible.
Last resort use only.

 

[santaman2000]

I detest the things, got some of them and I avoid using them if its at all possible.
Last resort use only.

Me too. I always tried everything else first; a Jonson Bar if one was available: www.youtube.com/watch?v=yktPX2jVSTk

 

[feralpig]

Cold starting diesels is something of a passion of mine. I loath glowplugs, they are feeble, fools of things to change, and unreliable. (IMHO)

There are loads of things on the market that I would like to try.
Real men start their diesels with flame plugs.

Lots of info here.
http://www.biopowered.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,819.0.html

 

[mrcharly]

Can often be more efficient to cut a slot in the end of the glow plug using something like a dremel then use an impact driver.

Santaman, the easyouts over here are usually very very hard and brittle; you certainly couldn't hammer them in, you have to very carefully drill a hole of the correct diameter to use them then be very careful not to put any side torque on when trying insert them.

 

[demographic]

Can often be more efficient to cut a slot in the end of the glow plug using something like a dremel then use an impact driver.

Santaman, the easyouts over here are usually very very hard and brittle; you certainly couldn't hammer them in, you have to very carefully drill a hole of the correct diameter to use them then be very careful not to put any side torque on when trying insert them.

I've seen the square ones that you tap in, never used one and don't want to either.

Like these.

 

[santaman2000]

Santaman, the easyouts over here are usually very very hard and brittle; you certainly couldn't hammer them in, you have to very carefully drill a hole of the correct diameter to use them then be very careful not to put any side torque on when trying insert them.

Yep. Just like the ones here (the same tool makers supply worldwide) You only drive it (gently) until the threads bite (maybe "tap" is a better word than "drive") then usually continue to tap on it while turning until the screw breaks free. Just the way they teach you in tech school. And just like he does in this British tutorial: http://youtu.be/SMrDYJvY0Ts

The "hard and brittle" bit is why you don't want to EVER break one off in the screw. They're a real b**ch to drill out. If they break (and if you use then regularly enough, you will break one on a truly, truly stuck screw) it's almost always while turning rather than while tapping it in (as stated in the video)

During my time on the flightline, I usually had to use them at least three or four times a week to remove screws when the Crew Chiefs stripped out the heads. Not sure what you call "Crew Chiefs" in the RAF.

 

[santaman2000]

I've seen the square ones that you tap in, never used one and don't want to either.

Like these.

I've never seen these (pictures, yes; the actual tools, no) Interesting.

 

[snozz]

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions. I've been speaking to an ex engineer and he suggested blowing hot air into the air intake may help in cold weather

 

[crowman]

Ive always had great success. With easy outs but I also have seen on a friends tractor a heater that fits on to the rad hose and keeps it warm overnight to ease starting one of my vehicles is a a pig to start from cold but will start with the thermo start on but this uses a lot or battery power so it gets easy start normally to speed things up.

 

[mrcharly]

I had a merc OM engine on a boat that was difficult to start in cold weather. Rigged the hot water system from the boat so that by opening a few valves I could run hot water into the engine cooling system - 5min of that and the block was nice and warm, started immediately. Fantastic on the really cold mornings when the river was freezing.

 

[MertzMan]

In canada I've used cars that plug into the mains for an electrical element to heat the block... might be an idea

 

[rbodell]

Speaking of diesel engines, I have two diesel engines I run on 100% waste motor oil. You have to filter, remove moisture and bring the PH up to neutral. I don't know about diesel engines that run on a computer but any other diesel will run on it.

It runs cleaner, smokes less and with noticeably more horsepower. I get roughly 7 HP out of a 6 HP engine. I have some videos on youtube under rbodell