It is in my plan to do, I just don't operate as fast as some of the people on this site.

 

Agree IF you use the momentary switch, I didnt, because IF you need to push it 2 min (very cold wheater), its not that easy to your finger

 

This is where in installed the switch.
I think it works very well and to me was worth the time to do, I really like having total control of the GP system. When the weather gets colder I'll know more, and we'll see if I still like it.
I did take some pics and am planning to do a write up in the next couple of days.

 

THANKS DIYMechanic for the writeup on this. My GP's were working some of the time, for the last few days I had to jump the GPR with a screwdriver, but luckily I aleady had the new Stancor Relay waiting to go in, but decided to have a look and see if there was a writeup on how to put a switch in so I control it, not the PCM. It is -25* C here this morning in Northern Canada, and I did not plug it in last night, to see if it would start on its own with the new GPR system, and it fired right up. When I push the button, the Amp Gauge drops and when I let off it goes back up. Now I control it, not the computer. GREAT mod. Here is where I put the switch:

 

Glad I could help, but the credit for the writeup should go to richdawg, not me.

 

DIYMechanic: Your replies helped both of us get it done right.
richdawg: Thanks for posting the original question, meant all I had to do was search for the info I needed.

 

Keep in mind that the glow plugs are NOT just for starting the engine. The system is designed to keep them on for up to two minutes to heat the chambers for more efficient fuel burn. Esp. at such low temperatures, the bit of glow plug duty life saved is probably swamped by the added fuel used and the added wear-and-tear on a colder engine.

Switches like this remind me of the ways people with vehicles with electric fans rig them on their own switches. It usually just masks a real underlying issue (like a low-quality GP relay), and can have unintended consequences.

 

Fair enough, I completely understand where you are coming from. When I started it this morning, I kept the button held down after it fired up to help it run a little smoother while cold at start up. I also know that I don't want to hold it down for too long because it may cause damage by leaving them on too long.

My GPR was bad, I replaced it with the Stancor and put the switch in at the same time, because I have heard about the Stancor's causing the Glow Plugs to melt when the PCM controls when they come on/shut off. When the engine is warm, I won't have to wait for 30 seconds to 2 minutes for them to go off anymore, as I don't want to drive it with them on still.

 

The Stancor GPR can't possibly "cause" the glow plugs to melt. It's just a big switch. It doesn't create power out of thin air. If the glow plugs are melting, once again, there's another problem (probablly cheap Autolite or other sub-par brand glow plugs), one that's masked by a workaround like this. And again, there's nothing wrong with driving with the GPs on; they're supposed to be on until the oil reaches a certain temperature.

The one exception to this is when you re-start the engine after it's warmed up, and it's only been off for a short time (still warm/hot). The PCM still runs the GPs for a few seconds. The newer trucks (I wanna say it started with the SDs) have that programmed out in the PCM, where at a high enough starting oil temp, it won't engergize the GPs at all. So I could see having a switch to turn them off for those times, if your driving includes a lot of hot starts. But in any other situation, the PCM actually knows what it's doing (so to speak), and any weird event such as a relay getting hot, a plug melting or wire damage, is a faulty part problem and should be addressed as such.

 

That's exactly why I installed my switch. On short trips it really bothers me to see them running on every start. When mine will run on a warm start though, it was for a lot more then a few seconds. Its was almost as long as a cold start. Totally unnecessary as far as I'm concerned.

 

In other threads related I have read that its good to cycle the GPs at least one time in the day, I dont remember correclty but if you dont do that, besides of all that has been written here, the GPs make more carbon residue in the tip, IDK

 

Your absolutly right Jose, I'll let mine run on the first start of the day and unless its really cold out I'll shut them off for the rest of the day.

 

Yes sir, I do the same, and even here where the wheater is very different (warmer )

 

How long do you let them run for? The Shop Foreman at the Ford Dealership in town told me to be careful with it because if I leave them on too long the tip that heats up will eventually break off and burn through a Piston. It seemed a little far fetched but I understand what he means by being careful to make sure they dont stay on TOO long.

 

I wouldn't rule out the possibility. This is why, if you're gonna do a workaround, probably the most useful one would be a regular SPST toggle switch (not a momentary) in _series_ in the wire going from the relay to the PCM. Leave it in the ON position, the plugs cycle as they would normally, the PCM will turn them off long before they overheat or carbon up or whatever. But for those runaround-town trips, when you're starting an already warm engine, you can flip the switch OFF. Flip it back ON when you get to your final destination, so that next time, when you start cold, it'll cycle as usual.

Hmm, this gets me thinkin', I wonder if any of the chip guys could program their chips to control the GP ground like the Super Duties, so that if the oil temp is more than, say, 150F, don't turn on the GPs at all. Hmm, puzzle puzzle.....