D1-30 Glowplugs

[Newf]

A question to satisfy my curiosity: For those with the Volvo Penta D1-30 in the R21EC, after you push the On/Off button on the instrument panel, do you engage the glow plugs before starting the engine and wait for it to completely cycle through (roughly 18-20 secs) or do you just push and hold the start button and fire up the engine right away?

Given that the engine normally starts on the first revolution if you just push and hold the start button, is there any benefit in engaging the glow plugs and letting it go through the cycle before you start? Are there any potential adverse effects on anything by not engaging and letting the glow plugs cycle before starting the engine?

 

[lproulx]

If it is at all warm it will start instantly without waiting for the glow plugs. If you try it when cold it will take unnecessary cranking and be tough on the starter.

Larry

 

[Newf]

Thanks Larry, I get the need for glow plugs for cold starting and potential harm to the starter. The coldest that I've used my boat is around -2C to -4C or around 24-28F. Although that's not very cold it did take 3-4 revolution before it fired as I was not cycling the glow plugs before starting.

I have to be honest here and I feel like a bit of an idiot in saying so, given that I've owned the boat for 8 years now. I actually did not understand how or when the glow plugs are engaged until a couple of days ago when I was playing with the multi-meter and was trying some tests on them. I've always thought that when I pressed the On/Off button and waiting 6-8 seconds for that "beep" it was then that the glow plugs were energized and had cycled. This is not the case as is noted in the manual which I read years ago but obviously did not understand at the time as this was all new to me then. I have "always" turned on the panel and after the beep at 6-8 seconds, pushed and held the start button to fire up the engine.

I have never just quickly pushed and released the start/preheat button to initiate the glow plugs and wait for it to cycle because as stated I did not understand this was how it worked. The glowplugs do energize and stay on for about 20 seconds even when you press and hold the button to start the engine as I do but there is very little time to preheat the chamber because as you pointed out, it always starts immediately unless it's colder and even then it's usually only a few seconds.

So I guess the reason for my post was to see what others do (do you perform a preheat cycle before starting??) and also to ask by doing what I do and not perform a preheat cycle before starting, am I contribution to any adverse effects such as fouling in the chamber, on the tip of the glow plugs or on the injectors etc???

I guess the old saying is true in that "you never stop learning".

Thanks again for your response Larry.