# Glow Plug Question - 1970 Ford 3000



## michaeleodom (Oct 27, 2021)

Man.....this tractor crap is addictive. I got this old tractor with the intent of getting it ready to take to Kentucky as a work tractor for my deer lease and now I'm going down all sorts of "fixer upper" rabbit holes! I can see now how folks get into restoring them!

Anyway, because I'll be taking the tractor to KY and it'll be experiencing some cold weather, I figured I may as well get the glow plug working again. The old one is still in the intake manifold with the old fuel supply line pinched and cut off and I intend to just go ahead and replace it (any suggestion on make/model would be helpful). I do not have the reservoir that I've read about for fuel supply. I know absolutely nada about glow plugs other than what they are for. My ignition switch seems to have an option to power the glow plug by turning it to the left but I don't think it has a start option to the left (gonna put the volt meter on it and confirm it has power when turned to the left). So I'm assuming the operation would be turn the key to the left, let the plug warm up for about 15 seconds and then turn to the right and start the tractor as normally done.

From what I can tell, I can tee into the injector fuel line after the last injector going back to the diesel tank and run that as the supply to the glow plug? If that is correct, how much fuel is that and what happens to the fuel that goes back through the manifold when the glow plug is not on and igniting it? Does it simply just get pulled into the injectors with the air supply? If so, can I anticipate any fuel mixture problems when I get it all set back to original conditions?

Thanks in advance!


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## sixbales (May 18, 2011)

The *thermostart* has a heat-controlled valve that opens when you hold the switch in the heat position for 15-30 seconds (depending on how cold it is). When the valve opens, diesel fuel flows onto the hot coil, is vaporized or ignited, and onward into the intake manifold. It doesn't take much fuel.


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## Hacke (Feb 22, 2011)

See the Shop Manual once again, Paragraph 162, PDF page 51:


https://www.tractorforum.com/attachments/shopmanual_ford_2_3_4000_v2-pdf.72426/


*** Edit
Page 51 it is, nothing else.
***

It is not a glow plug, it is a flame heater. The fuel is gravity fed to the Thermostart plug when you pre-heat (heat before cranking). On later models, the reservoir was omitted and there is only an extra piece of fuel line that holds the pre-heat fuel. The extra line is teed in, as you say. If you put the T-connection close to the tank inlet, you will have a good length of line that supplies the Thermostart, under normal conditions.

If you need to repeat the pre-heat/cranking operation, perhaps the fuel will not last. You can easily make your own reservoir by putting an inline fuel filter between the T-connection and the tank inlet.

The Thermostart valve can start to leak, by time. That results in smokey exhaust and possible piston damage. You can put an inline petcock on the line that goes to the Thermostart to minimize that risk. You open it only when you need the cold starting aid.

I power the plug through a relay. You do as you like, but use a wire with sufficient area, 6 mm² (9 AWG) will do.


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## sixbales (May 18, 2011)

Excellent post Hacke.


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## michaeleodom (Oct 27, 2021)

Hacke said:


> See the Shop Manual once again, Paragraph 162, PDF page 148:
> 
> 
> https://www.tractorforum.com/attachments/shopmanual_ford_2_3_4000_v2-pdf.72426/
> ...


Hacke......you are awesome! Always a wealth of information when you respond to newbies like me! Thanks very much for your responses. Incredibly helpful!


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## michaeleodom (Oct 27, 2021)

Hacke said:


> See the Shop Manual once again, Paragraph 162, PDF page 148:
> 
> 
> https://www.tractorforum.com/attachments/shopmanual_ford_2_3_4000_v2-pdf.72426/
> ...


What manual are you pulling from? The one I bought is different it seems and not as informative. I need to purchase whichever one you have.


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## michaeleodom (Oct 27, 2021)

michaeleodom said:


> What manual are you pulling from? The one I bought is different it seems and not as informative. I need to purchase whichever one you have.


Never mind......the paragraph and page number you referenced don't match up. I found it. This is a complete manual, no?


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## Hacke (Feb 22, 2011)

michaeleodom said:


> What manual are you pulling from? The one I bought is different it seems and not as informative. I need to purchase whichever one you have.


You just download it, which you already have done. Save it and it is yours for ever.


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## Hacke (Feb 22, 2011)

michaeleodom said:


> Never mind......the paragraph and page number you referenced don't match up. I found it. This is a complete manual, no?


Sorry, I was in a hurry. 148 is the total number of pages, the correct page is 51. Paragraph 162 is correct though. I have changed the previous post.

I gave you a direct link to the PDF in this post:








Ford 2000-3000-4000 (3-cyl ,1/65 -12/74) Shop Manual...


Covers: All Purpose Agriculture (2100, 3100 and 4100) LCG (2110 and 4110) Rowcrop (4200) 4000 SU (4140) The old version of this pdf (ShopManual_Ford_2_3_4000.pdf) did not have all pages from the manual. This second version is updated and complete.




www.tractorforum.com





There are more useful stuff in that section of the forum:








Tractors


Tractors




www.tractorforum.com


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## michaeleodom (Oct 27, 2021)

Hacke said:


> Sorry, I was in a hurry. 148 is the total number of pages, the correct page is 51. Paragraph 162 is correct though. I have changed the previous post.
> 
> I gave you a direct link to the PDF in this post:
> 
> ...


Got it downloaded and saved forever. Thanks again! You've been a big help.


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