Glow Plugs

[Jay Mahn]

I have a "86 GMC 3500 Rally Van withe the 6.2. Can anyone tell me if there is an easy way to change the front two Glow plugs on the Drivers side. I am exp some real hard starting problems whenit sits for awhile. black smoke rolls out the back when it does fire but seems to run just fine after it fires. Sometimes it will start nearly immediatly then quit.
I will have to crank on it for quite awhile before it starts. Engine deosn't heat up. Oil presure is good and it charges fine. Any help will be appreciated.

[George Philip]

I have a 97 chev van with the 6.5 diesel and the two front glow plugs, on either side, are changed thru the wheel wells after taking the tires off. You should make sure the glow plugs are defective before changing them. I measure their current consumption with a clamp-on ammeter. You can also measure their resistance after unplugging the wire to the glowplug.

[George Philip]

With defective glowplugs I get white smoke out of the exhaust after startup for a couple of mionutes, not black smoke. That was why I mentioned in my previous post that you should make sure the glowplugs are defective.

[Jay Mahn]

Thanks for the info on the change over. I am the third owner of this vehicle and the Goodwrench engine was installed in around 95. I asked the second owner if he had ever changed the glow plugs and he couldn't remember, even though the filters and oil were changed regularly. The Glow plugs were just filthy with soot like they were not working. I will check them along with the fuel system. I was told that the black smoke means there is plenty of fuel getting in there. You are right it could be my Relay. and I should check it. Has about 80 thousand on the engine and I did some minor head work on it when I got it but I have driven it about 6500 miles since and it runs real strong when fired up. Just started firing heard after it sat for awhile usually overnight. Thanks for the reply I appreciate it I have better luck on the diesel page board and I find more info since they changed this board I can't get any responses.
Thanks again.

[Turbo Al]

All of the info on the 6.2 & 6.5 is located in the Member's only area. I believe that the cost of a Membership really does pay for itself many times over.

It does sound like you have a malfuntion in the glow plug system either the glow plugs are shot or the controller (because it is hard to start). The black smoke is not related to hard start (as previously mentioned white smoke relates to glow plug/system failure.) Black smoke is usally an air intake, lack of turbo boost, timing or overfueling problems.
A really simple way to check each glowplug line is to buy a new glow plug and plug it into each glow plug wire one at a time. This will tell you if the controller is bad right away and if any of the wires to the glow plugs themselves are bad. Remember that the glow plug gets really hot and must be securely grounded -- I use a pair of vice grips to hold it and then ground the vice grips.
Good luck
Al