Question about Glow plugs

spock123 · 02-14-2016, 04:07 PM

I have a 2012 3500HD SRW diesel. About when do you start changing glow plugs? I had one bad one this past week, number 2 plug. About 60,000 miles and this is not the first one. This is the third one. Should I be concerned? Would it be best if another one goes out to just replace them all?

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tzh99h · 02-14-2016, 04:22 PM

My 09 has 308,000 km on , I did number eight cylinder glow plug, before Christmas.
I n my opinion its a matter of preference, do them as they go down or do all of them and do them all again the next time they go down, depends how full your wallet is .lol
Your truck will still start in warm weather or if in garage with one or a few glow plugs down, just the remote start wont work, so if they go down on a trip its not an emergency repair .

DaveSchwartz · 02-14-2016, 05:23 PM

On a 2012 you should have them all at least removed and have anti-seize applied.

For me (a 2005) its too late... GM used a bad design with the glow plug extending through a long galvanized tube with the threads into the head on one end and the hex stamping on the other. The head is aluminum so galvanic welding sets in almost immediately and after a few years, they are seized. Almost impossible to get a seized one out without twisting off the tube. Odds are it will take removing the heads to have the broken bit removed by a machine shop.

I know this because I had two (one on each bank) fail. I never noticed because it still started fine - until the entire module went. When replacing the module, they found the two bad plugs and so I said to replace them. The first one broke off as above but didn't leak and the mechanic didn't want to touch the second one because he probably wouldn't be so lucky. Would have cost $2500 to R&R one head and an extra $1000 to do the second at the same time. They said I still had 6 good ones so it would start (run a little rough for the first 15 or so seconds) and they're right. If I use the block heater for a couple hours, even at zero Fahrenheit it doesn't even use the glow plugs (use is dependent on coolant temperature). Now that I'm retired and the truck doesn't leave the driveway but for a few times during the winter, I can live with that trade.

Long story short... service them NOW or live with them when they fail (unless you have deep pockets).

muddyrode · 03-09-2016, 10:11 PM

I have a 2012 dmax and i got a bulliton from gm saying the glow plugs may go bad.
if engine lightcomes on take to dealer and if it is a glow plug they will replace free of charg
the next wweek had one go out they will only replace the bad one so tech said we may see you again

DreiHunde · 03-10-2016, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by muddyrode

I have a 2012 dmax and i got a bulliton from gm saying the glow plugs may go bad.
if engine lightcomes on take to dealer and if it is a glow plug they will replace free of charg
the next wweek had one go out they will only replace the bad one so tech said we may see you again

Yep my 2011 had a similar bulletin....they were burning out about every 3 months starting around 40000 miles. My dealer at the time changed the first 3 as they died. Then for other reasons I changed dealerships and when I had the next one burn out the service manager just had them all changed even the ones that had been replaced. Haven't had a problem since with glow plugs....knock on wood....very hard and many many times.

schrederman · 03-11-2016, 11:50 AM

Thank goodness my Cummins doesn't have them. However, I'm sure the intake-air heater element won't be cheap if it goes out. Everything's a trade-off...

KRSmitty · 03-11-2016, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schrederman

Thank goodness my Cummins doesn't have them. However, I'm sure the intake-air heater element won't be cheap if it goes out. Everything's a trade-off...

X2 on the Cummins. I have my heater element turned off also. Don't need it in Florida.

tgomez61 · 03-08-2019, 09:50 AM

My 08' Chevy 2500 had #6 go out once. I replaced it at around 80k miles and the original looked good (not burnt or blown). I live in Louisiana so the motor doesn't get that cold...
Now I get another "Check Eng" light and it reads #6 again.
I wonder if it could be a ECM/PCM issue???

Lins · 03-08-2019, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schrederman

Thank goodness my Cummins doesn't have them. However, I'm sure the intake-air heater element won't be cheap if it goes out. Everything's a trade-off...

It's the grid heater BOLT that's a concern, especially on '13/'14 trucks - it goes straight to number 5 or 6 cylinder. Not a bad idea to look up the 'wiggle test' and check it occasionally.

NMWildcat · 03-08-2019, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tgomez61

My 08' Chevy 2500 had #6 go out once. I replaced it at around 80k miles and the original looked good (not burnt or blown). I live in Louisiana so the motor doesn't get that cold...
Now I get another "Check Eng" light and it reads #6 again.
I wonder if it could be a ECM/PCM issue???

Next things to check are the glow plug controller, and the wire itself. This is assuming the resistance in the glow plug is good (not another bad one). Oh, and every bad glow plug I have seen looked fine from the outside.

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