[dan ahern]

The Powertrain one is perfect for you as you can set afterglow during your freezing cold winters to keep them on a 1 second pulse for a while after the glowplugs have done their job starting the car.
It's a hell of a lot easier to wire up and set the glow time than the Kemo as well.
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Yes i think i will be doing this one...even as it is though i am happy to have the manual glow over the factory for the reason you know they don't stay on as long and i can at least control that. The only concern with my current set up is cold mornings i have to glow them for ages (At least when the Patrol was last running fine) after start up it would run rough if i stopped glowing so my concern here was they had to be on full power the whole time once i push the button i had no more control over that.I had them wired through the main relay though which is better but i know the factory set up reduces power to the busbar once engine has started.

 

[skegbudley]

Yes i think i will be doing this one...even as it is though i am happy to have the manual glow over the factory for the reason you know they don't stay on as long and i can at least control that. The only concern with my current set up is cold mornings i have to glow them for ages (At least when the Patrol was last running fine) after start up it would run rough if i stopped glowing so my concern here was they had to be on full power the whole time once i push the button i had no more control over that.I had them wired through the main relay though which is better but i know the factory set up reduces power to the busbar once engine has started.

Let me know if you can't source the powertrain timer locally mate. I will happily ship you one from here if you can't find one. They are pretty small and light so postage won't be much. They retail for around $50 here.

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[StephenhasaPatrol]

Hi @skegbudley I know you have now done two very instructive articles on ZD30 glow plug timers - this one for the Repco product and the earlier one for the Kymco product but is not a simple on/off switch even easier? My 2002 GU3 ST variant has a vacant switch slot above the 'Heat' switch that would look to be a perfect place for a simple on/off switch - it would come down to: 'Climb into the Patrol, turn on the on/off switch, turn on the ignition, put on seatbelt (by the time I've done that the glowplug light has gone out), start engine, and 10-15 secs later, turn off the on/off switch. What advantages are there to going down one of the two more complicated timer options? Thanks, Stephen

 

[geeyoutoo]

Hi @skegbudley I know you have now done two very instructive articles on ZD30 glow plug timers - this one for the Repco product and the earlier one for the Kymco product but is not a simple on/off switch even easier? My 2002 GU3 ST variant has a vacant switch slot above the 'Heat' switch that would look to be a perfect place for a simple on/off switch - it would come down to: 'Climb into the Patrol, turn on the on/off switch, turn on the ignition, put on seatbelt (by the time I've done that the glowplug light has gone out), start engine, and 10-15 secs later, turn off the on/off switch. What advantages are there to going down one of the two more complicated timer options? Thanks, Stephen

I won't answer for Skegs but from my point of view I fitted the very early Kemo GP Timer (and wrote it up in my build thread) many years ago and before doing it I looked at all my options, I decided to go the automated route where everything is idiot proofed. Many years later and still working fine.

 

[skegbudley]

Hi @skegbudley I know you have now done two very instructive articles on ZD30 glow plug timers - this one for the Repco product and the earlier one for the Kymco product but is not a simple on/off switch even easier? My 2002 GU3 ST variant has a vacant switch slot above the 'Heat' switch that would look to be a perfect place for a simple on/off switch - it would come down to: 'Climb into the Patrol, turn on the on/off switch, turn on the ignition, put on seatbelt (by the time I've done that the glowplug light has gone out), start engine, and 10-15 secs later, turn off the on/off switch. What advantages are there to going down one of the two more complicated timer options? Thanks, Stephen

Having a fully automated system means you can start the Patrol like normal. Forget to turn off the switch and you will burn it out and do damage to the engine.
If other people drive your car they are more likely to have problems.
The Powertrain timer mod takes 10min to do if you already have a switch. It's dead simple to assemble and set the timer. Not complicated at all.

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[StephenhasaPatrol]

I won't answer for Skegs but from my point of view I fitted the very early Kemo GP Timer (and wrote it up in my build thread) many years ago and before doing it I looked at all my options, I decided to go the automated route where everything is idiot proofed. Many years later and still working fine.

OK, thanks @geeyoutoo

 

[StephenhasaPatrol]

Having a fully automated system means you can start the Patrol like normal. Forget to turn off the switch and you will burn it out and do damage to the engine.
If other people drive your car they are more likely to have problems.
The Powertrain timer mod takes 10min to do if you already have a switch. It's dead simple to assemble and set the timer. Not complicated at all.

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OK, thanks @skegbudley - my reason for asking is that I'm prehistoric in my understanding of the dark art of electrics & electronics. An On/Off switch in the power lead between the ECU and glowplugs seemed to be the simplest possible path of all. I'll work on getting my head around the Powertrain timer mod.

 

[skegbudley]

OK, thanks @skegbudley - my reason for asking is that I'm prehistoric in my understanding of the dark art of electrics & electronics. An On/Off switch in the power lead between the ECU and glowplugs seemed to be the simplest possible path of all. I'll work on getting my head around the Powertrain timer mod.

How did you go with the timer?

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[pootroll_4x4]

Cam some please clarify the reason for this mod when converting from zd to td.

 

[StephenhasaPatrol]

How did you go with the timer?

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Hi @skegbudley - I haven't done anything to this point. It's not forgotten, just, due to various other priorities, it's sitting on the short list of Patrol 'to do' things along with my fitting of a larger intercooler and 2" lift.

 

[Bathy]

Cam some please clarify the reason for this mod when converting from zd to td.

I found after my TD conversion that the ZD30 glow plug system being ECU controlled,
glowed the plugs for far too long, just from watching the glow dash light.

Then after hooking the glow plugs up with a test light,
this also showed that the glow plugs continued to glow even after the engine was started (afterglow) for about 30 secs.

I figured the glow plugs wouldn't last long being glowed for that long.
My solution was to use the heat switch which has a light in in it, to isolate the glow relay with another new relay.
the light helps me avoid leaving the heat switch on and potentially letting the ECU overglow the plugs and burn them out.

ie, when the heat switch is off, the ecu is disconnected from the glow relay trigger circuit and the glow system will not work.
the ecu will still be switching the glow light on though.
The ECU turns the glow plug relay on by earthing the trigger circuit on the relay.
and also turns the dash glow plug light on by earthing the dash bulb (separate circuit)

when the heat switch is on, the ecu is connected to the glow relay and the system will glow the plugs as per normal.

So, my start procedure consists of turning ignition on,
if i need glow plugs, i turn the heat switch on, count to 5, turn heat switch off, start engine.

One day i may replace the heat switch with a glow plug timer.

I'm going to have the same issue with the 2nd one i'm currently doing,
except that from an RD28ETi to another TD27T,
yes the GU's RD28's glow system incorporates afterglow as well.

since this one is for the Mrs.
i may just go with the glow plug timer mod on this one
to ensure glow plugs don't get accidentally left under ECU control
and have their life prematurely shortened.

 

[TheoGu]

Hi There,

Have got the Powertrain timer mod done and now due for glow plugs.Not sure what is in there at moment.What is recommended to use.Was looking at NGK Y- 522J and have been informed these are for CRD engines.

TheoGu

 

[Zd30 Steven]

Installed power train glow plug timer yesterday, car starts run well power train works as normal,but not seeing any power at busbar LED. The pig tail light on dash lights up as normal timer counts down, just no LED on , checked power at busbar with test light, no power with test light.No fault codes just no led coming on. Is there a fuse for glow plug relay?.. Led worked before installing power train, replaced LED today with new one , still no LED on

 

[RAGGQ]

Thanks heaps for this mod skegbudley, I’ve just finished doing this and it works a treat.
It’s getting cold in the Yarra Valley now and she fires up well in the morning. I’ve just left it on the standard setting. Hopefully now I won’t have to change glow plugs so often!

 

[skegbudley]

Installed power train glow plug timer yesterday, car starts run well power train works as normal,but not seeing any power at busbar LED. The pig tail light on dash lights up as normal timer counts down, just no LED on , checked power at busbar with test light, no power with test light.No fault codes just no led coming on. Is there a fuse for glow plug relay?.. Led worked before installing power train, replaced LED today with new one , still no LED on

Yes there is a fuse. It's in the engine bay fusebox.

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[Zd30 Steven]

Thanks for your reply, checked fuse and okay.Replaced glow plug relay also on Sunday and still the same, still no LED ?. I’m not sure if this could be the problem but l put a small amount of grease on glow plug thread before tightening up , maybe causing bad earth?

 

[old ed]

Thanks for your reply, checked fuse and okay.Replaced glow plug relay also on Sunday and still the same, still no LED ?. I’m not sure if this could be the problem but l put a small amount of grease on glow plug thread before tightening up , maybe causing bad earth?

bad earth on glow plugs will not stop power getting to the bus bar, the problem is elsewhere.

 

[Zd30 Steven]

Going to check ECU relay next . Double checked wiring of power train timer all good there. Might remove glow plugs and check them just to confirm there okay ( brand new).


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[old ed]

Going to check ECU relay next . Double checked wiring of power train timer all good there. Might remove glow plugs and check them just to confirm there okay ( brand new).


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you don't need to remove the glow plugs. just remove the bus bar and check the plugs in-situ, from memory the resistance is about 2 ohm. From your posts I thought your problem was no power to the bus bar, if that is the case the glow plug condition is immaterial at present

 

[Zd30 Steven]

Yes no power at busbar, have checked glow plugs and am getting 2ohms with busbar on , will try without busbar, thanks for your replies,


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