If you drive a diesel, you’ve probably heard a thing or two about glow plugs. If you are new to a diesel automobile, glow plugs may sound like something funky you would use to decorate your house for Halloween. Village Diesel Works can replace your automobile or work truck’s glow plugs when they go bad. Let’s talk about glow plugs, what they do inside your diesel engine, and signs that they are going bad and need to be replaced.
What Are Glow Plugs
Your diesel engine needs heat to start, which is why it is so hard to fire up a diesel automobile in cold weather. Glow plugs come to the rescue. These parts produce heat in the combustion chamber so it’s easier for you to start your diesel engine and get it running. Things that absorb crucial engine heat include the cylinder head and cylinder block. When you turn the key in the ignition, the glow plugs fire up and add warmth to the combustion chamber.
Aren’t Glow Plugs Spark Plugs?
We get this question a lot, and the answer is no, glow plugs are different from spark plugs. Spark plugs are found in a gasoline automobile’s combustion chamber and they produce a spark to ignite the air and fuel that are in the cylinders. Diesel engines don’t have spark plugs because they cannot produce the heat needed to fire up the diesel fuel. Diesel engines produce higher compression ratios, and the glow plug replaces the spark plug because it generates more heat.
What Are the Signs of Bad Glow Plugs?
Malfunctioning glow plugs will not produce the heat that your diesel engine needs to ignite. You might be able to get your diesel started if the weather is warm outside, but without glow plugs, you won’t be able to get it started in the cold. There are several signs that your glow plugs are going bad. They are
- Inability to start your diesel engine
- Black exhaust smoke that is excessive
- Acceleration loss or lagging when you step on the gas
- Overall power loss particularly when towing things
- A reduction in fuel economy caused by a loss of fuel efficiency
These are symptoms of glow plug problems, but they are also symptoms of fuel problems in your diesel engine, which is why it’s important to schedule an appointment and bring your vehicle to us. We are Village Diesel Works, and we aim to be the best diesel repair shop in Woodbury, MN, with top-notch customer service and expertise in our field. Call us today.