hard starting power line 6/1

[Geno]

I don't like the way some GP tips are right in the way of the injected fuel. I solved this by using a full length one for starting and another one which is cut off flush to the plug for running. I swap them after a few minutes and can do so before the engine stops turning. I just make sure the comp release is engaged or it will shoot out like a bullet.

Thanks, Geno

[quinnf]

There were two flavors of VW glow plugs.  One was slow, took appx 15 seconds to glow sufficiently to start my '79 Rabbit Diesel.  A year or so later (1982, I think) they came out with the fast glow plugs that ran off a timer.  They glowed almost instantly, but couldn't be run for more than 10 seconds or so without burning out.  Hence the timer. 

Quinn

[quinnf]

Looked it up.  Here's the scoop:

http://www.4crawler.com/Diesel/GlowPlug.shtml

[Crofter]

I think there may have been later changes. My VW is 2001. I agree that some of the quick on plugs would burn out almost like flash bulbs if the voltage was not backed off. That was the way with the Mazda I played with. My present VW plugs do not react the same way so any one description does not fit all glow plugs and drivers.

Bottom line is if they either burn immediately or are ineffective as a starting aid, then they dont fill the bill.

Edit; Although the reference to the VW glowplugs shows a recent update, the models referred to are quite old. I dont think it applies to the new breed of VW glow plug. I believe their resistance rises as they heat up and are self limiting in how hot they get even after the engine starts. It is not a good idea though to have fuel spraying on continuously heated metal even if it likely is Inconel. There does not seem to be a lot of technical info on exactly how the various glow systems are controlled

[XYZER]

I have one that is experiencing the described issues.....I added an electric start and then it became hard to start . I did have the fuel off while it was in the shop getting the work done on it for the starter. It became a pig to start after that! It was a first time it hit compression it went engine. I still have not had time to sort out where the air is but I believe it to be a fuel/air issue. It starts with the starter but if you hand crank it will piss you off! The guy in the vidieo cranking that hard start oid is one good ol dude! There were no changes in bump clearance timing or anything but I did have the fuel off. Air can be a problem for sure!

Speaking of mismatched parts......the short one is the original plug that would start the 6/1 pretty much anytime. The longer ones are CMD glowplug replacements. I machined one to match the original and it did not help the start issue. I will put the original plug back in and see if it will start like it used to....
I put a starter and added the glowplug at the same time....now it is hard to start....

Well I finally decided to swim in diesel and chase my gremlin. My 6/1 turned into a hard starter for some unknown reason .....first I blamed the glow plug....then maybe an injector. I just checked my spill timing and it was 5deg late Well I'll try to start it tomorrow and see if I have my easy start 6/1 back! Hmmmm why did it change I ask...

[oiler]

DO NOT use ether!! Try brake cleaner instead. It aids starting and doesn't explode 

[bschwartz]

I knew ether was a no-no, but I didn't know brake fluid worked....

If I'm running waste "stuff" in an engine to get rid of it (WMO, WHF, WTF... ) can I also add brake fluid to the mix?

[vdubnut62]

No! not brake FLUID--- Brake CLEANER! 2 totally different animals.
A story of mine -  my 28 year old Son was spraying(what I thought was water based) brake cleaner, from a squirt bottle, on his Granny's 93 300k plus mile Camry"s hot (and running) engine  when it burst into flame.  It almost was an explosion, but not quite. At any rate it luckily burned itself out almost instantly, so be carefull !!
Ron

I knew ether was a no-no, but I didn't know brake fluid worked....

If I'm running waste "stuff" in an engine to get rid of it (WMO, WHF, WTF... ) can I also add brake fluid to the mix?

[bschwartz]

Hmmm...... maybe I should learn to read..

[Derb]

Hi Fellas. Regarding the ether or "engine start". Yup works real well. Down side is that the engines become addicted to it - in that most people over-administer the stuff and you end up with broken top rings, the resultant lower compression and a continuing need for it to start the engine even on a hot day. Years ago the local dairy company here had S-Line Internationals with Big-Cam Cummins engines in and they had an ether-start system on the dash board for the cold starts over here in winter. The button on the dash pushed a can of engine start in behind which had a nylon tube running into the manifold. I suspect a bit of "driver training" was necessary to avoid engine damage. Cheers.

[Rom]

Hi all,

Forgive me, I havent read the whole deal on this engine, but when my engine came from India, the bump clearance was not correct. It would start, but not every time. I would go through bump clearance specs and set them correctly. Since I did this, my 16/2 running WMO doesnt smoke and starts easily. I converted mine from the CoVs it came with (Atul told me they were fitted because the Americans like them) to blanking plugs, and adjusted the cylinder block shims to spec, and the rig runs like a clock besides the slop in the linkages. I still have to bush the arms for bronze to fix that, but indeed, getting bump clearance correct fixed most everything.

Goodluck,
Rom