WHAT ARE THE BEST GLOW PLUGS FOR REPLACEMENT

[moedog]

60,000 MILES ON MY 97 6.5. NEEDS FRESH GLOWPLUGS. CANT REMEMBER WHAT NO. YOU GUYS LIKE BEST. MY DEALER ONLY STOCKS THE AC-60 PART NO.
THANKS
DAN

[Tough Guy]

The AC-60's are great, and so are the Quick-Heats that Kennedy sells....

Cheers,

The "Boy" TG ;)

[BUZZ]

I have a set of quick heats on the way. I installed new 60's about 2 years ago and suffer from cold start woes. I hope these quick heats help, but I have a feeling they won't.
Buzz

[Low_Bridge]

Are those the same 60's I use in the 6.2?

I've had 60's in the 82 6.2 for almost 2 years now with great luck

[moedog]

THANKS FOR THE REPLIES. I WENT AHEAD AND ORDERED KENNEDYS AS HE IS THE SAME PRICE AS GM AC-60S AND I TRUST JOHNS OPINIONS MORE THAN THE LOCAL GM DEALER.
I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HELP. NICE TO MAKE EDUCATED DECISIONS ON TRANSPORTATION ISSUES TO AVOID COSTLY MISTAKES.
CHEERS!

[Marty Lau]

Moedog;
I did the quik heats about a year ago and they work okay but don't start as good as the old #9's did in the truck. I guess I will just have to do a glow time increase.

[MTTwister]

16ga - Merry Christmas -

Can the Quick heats burn as long as the 60's? From an old article I remember that the 60's could burn for 8 hours or something like that. (Well, the 1 tested did, anyway). With the number of "glow plug" cycles on a cold morning, I can envision the glow plugs cooling off well before I torch it off...

Hoping that I don't have to swap these out soon, but no idea what they put in the '96 at the factory ( and hoping 11's at least). Hmmm, lot of hope's here, huh.

[damork]

I installed AC-60's at 76,000 miles along with a glow plug controller. The controller improved starting much more than the glow plugs did, and after taking the old controller apart I understood why - the contacts are not that big and were burnt. Maybe low battery voltage was part of the blame.

Although it improved the starting, it wasn't great and I was about to change something in the glow system at about 160k when I decided to installed the DSG timing gears. The gears made all the difference - still running with the same glow plugs I installed at 76,000 miles and I'm 200 miles short of 200,000 today. Although I probably will change the plugs and put in new injectors, the DSG gears made all the difference and my truck has been starting right up after the glow light goes off.

[BUZZ]

This is the post I have been waiting to hear. Installing new timing components greatly improves cold starting! I had my IP changed at 100,000 or so and the reward was a lazy starting rig, especially cold. I have wondered if worn timing chain and gears were retarding the timing enough to cause poor starting. It sounds like the answers is YES. Any body else replace the timing parts and have the same improved starting results?
Thanks
Buzz

[twaddle]

Hi Buzz,
Are you sure that the new pump timing was correct. A new pump should NOT lead to poor starting.
Could be the mechanic didn't take care when doing the installation.
Also are the glow plugs all working ok.
Regards

Jim twaddle
Biggar, Scotland

[MikeC]

MTTwister,

My Burban is an early 96 (reg H2O pump and single T-stat) and I just took 11G's out of it due to a rough running situation after startup. I was nervous when I started but NONE of them were swollen as I feared. I also believe them to be original due to the truck having been a Florida truck until I got it at 62K.

Mike

[TAG]

I Have had the same problem with my 95. Had the pump changed at 109,000 mi, started lazy at the dealer when i picked it up. Always started like a gas engine before that hot or cold. I said something to them at the time & got the usual shoulder shrug. Now have 179,000 mi on it & nothing has changed. Some stations fuel exaggerates the problem, even in summer. No additive has made any difference, have adjusted the timing & offset to every concievable position - no difference. Have left fuel cap loose - no change. Have changed glow plugs & verified several times (including again tonight) that they are all good. The engine power balance checks good, no blowby, doesnt use oil, gets good mileage, has plenty of power. I am convinced it is something amiss in pump ( maybe a leaky check valve). I changed out a friends inj pump 1 1/2 yrs ago with a new pump and his starts in 1rev hot or cold. Could be injector leak as they are original, but why would it start acting like this the day pump was replaced. I know i am not the only one with this problem. Anyone been through this & resolved it?

[steve-r]

TAG, I have the exact same experience, twice.
before a failed IP was replaced, truck started very quick...then new IP, and lazy start needing multiple cranks. dealer didnt know. ran with it until that IP failed.. then got a another ...different dealer this time.... truck started great again.....then that IP failed 10k later... got the next IP....truck is hard starting again. no one could explain why the symptom only changed after an IP was installed. glows & injectors,batteries, etc didnt change overnight...got to be something in the pump...

[BUZZ]

TAG and Stever, You are describing my issue to a tee. Other than poor cold start and lazy warm starts, runs great.
I have not replaced nozzles, but I am not convinced this is the root cause. I am out of warranty so I suppose I'll do something sooner or later. I just feel like this thing is retard on timing on starts. It will start on cold morning but after it hits I have to floor the peddle to clear it up and help it to a smooth idle. I still wonder if the timing chain is loose enough to cause poor starts. I suppose that since this all started with a IP change that it must be IP related. I do hate to drop 1,000 on a IP.

Jim, I had the timing checked after that fact and is to spec. I have a new set of quick heats and controller

Buzz