Glow plugs Can anyone tell me if replacing the glow-plugs will improve performance the same as spark plugs do on non-diesel engines? Do glow-plugs serve any purpose besides car starting?

Your truck doesn't have glow plugs it has spark plugs if it is a gas engine. Glow plugs are used on diesel engines spark plugs on gas engines..

Diesel engines don't have spark plugs. They use compression and heat to fire the diesel. Most diesel engines have glow plugs which are designed to preheat the combustion chamber to help burn the diesel fuel when you start it up. Hope this helps.

Hi.

The glow plugs are plugged into the cylinders. They basically do the same that spark plugs do in gasoline/petrol fueled engines.

It is quite rare that glow plugs heater circuits go bad all at once. Test also the wiring harness.

Here a forum that can help you a lot. Picture below is from the tdiclub.com forum in this link:

Glow plugs do not "fire". You may be confusing the function of glow plugs as analagous to spark plugs in a gasoline engine; the purpose of glow plugs is to heat the air-fuel mixture to a temperature that will support the diesel auto-combustion process. The diesel process is not one in which the air-fuel mixture is ignited via spark like a gas engine; rather, the air-fuel mixture undergoes much higher compression and spontaneously explodes, generating the combustion in a self-sustaining manner. High compression produces much higher heat, but before it can begin, heat must be introduced into the system to get it started.

If you're having sluggish engine performance from your diesel engine, you may have fuel system issues such as fuel pump failure or fuel line restrictions (including fuel filter or strainer clogging), etc. At the "worst" end of the spectrum, one of more of your fuel injectors may have a problem - the fuel injectors on the Powerstrokes not only inject the fuel into the combustion chamber, but are also cooled and lubricated by the fuel - if the vehicle has ever been run out of fuel, the injectors may have been damaged and will need to be inspected for replacement.

Hi my name is Tom and I am here to help you.

If you think of glow plugs as the spark plugs of a diesel engine, the task of replacing them makes more sense. Have you ever changed spark plugs? If so do the same for your diesel car.

Do one cylinder at a time until you have changed all of the plugs. Check your dash to see if they are working. I had a 1980 Chevy with a diesel engine and the change was done in about an hour.

If I can be of any help, please feel free to call or email me. Also, please take the time to rank me as far as helpfulness. This is the only was I can improve my "helping" skills.

TomE

This engine is a gasoline engine, so it used Spark Plugs, only diesel engines use Glow Plugs as an aid in starting.

glow plug relay in the engine bay fuse box, check this they wear out over time.

Gasoline engines dont use glow plugs. glow plugs are for diesel engines some people call glow plugs as heater plugs, but well, if you are refering to a toyota corolla, then you must have been refering to the SPARK PLUGS. trace the four long wires(high tension wires) that goes to the engine, pull the rubber boot and you will see the spark plugs, its kinda deep though so you will need a flashlight.

mcdevito75 here, I;m sure you mean spark plugs, as glow plugs are for a Diesel engine. -------------- If by chance they are glow plugs and you do have a Diesel engine, I would take it to a shop for installation for 1 reason, the electrical connection on each glow plug is plastic, and in time Plastic gets very hard and brittle, what to do if 1 of those electrical connections break?????. If they are spark plugs, you should buy a spark plug gapper tool available at any auto parts store and get the gap of the spark plugs also the parts store has that info, usuallu .027 Spark Plugs are pre-gapped at the factory but need to be double checked, adjust gap (most likely not need) but if so by slightly, slightly bending the side or Bent electrode on the spark plug tip, Next you"ll need the exact spark plug socket and wrench, also available at the parts store, Let"s assume your set to go, on a cold, cold engine, twist, twist each spark plug wire at the spark plug itself, (as close to the engine as possible) TWIST and pull the spark plug wire off 1 spark plug just 1 . Fit you socket and wrech onto the spark plug all the way, make sure tool is fully on the spark plug, then remove the spark plug, install same way, do not use much force to tighten the spark plugs as they are tapered to fit fairly tight with just a little tightening, Follow this for all the spark plugs and you"ll be good to go. If you have a Diesel engine and indeed glow plugs, let the shop do the job.