Mercedes glow plugs

Am thinking about installing 4 of the new faster heating and hope fully better quality Mercedes glow plugs than the case ones i have nothing but trouble with.Will allthe dash systems work with the new glow plugs .Tractor seems original with the twist switch and glow indicator on the dash..Seems the new plugs must be wired a bit differently so can someone explain.Will there be any chance of burning out the dash indicator??

My 190 had Champions wired in series. I tried testing one with a jumper and burned it out. Went to a Thermo King dealer and got a new one. Many tractors have them wired parallel and use a different plug

I assume you are still discussing your B414? The new plugs aren't made by Mercedes - they don't make any plugs, and neither does Case-IH. The new Bosch plugs were made to replace the big low voltage plugs used in some Mercedes cars and Unimog. Same as used in the IH British tractors.

The original plugs are rated for 9/10ths of one volt and are wired in series, including the indicator in the dashboard. That's five resistors in a row. That's what keeps voltage down way low.
If one plug burns out - none of the rest get power and do anything.

The new Duratherm plugs are rated for 12 volts instead of 9/10s of a volt and are made by Bosch. They get wired in parallel which means each gets directly wired to a 12 volt source. I changed over three IH tractors with them a few years ago and have had zero failures. Also makes them start much faster when cold. Night and day difference. I used a $10 relay to power the ones I installed. You also cannot use the old indicator anymore. I added a 12 volt indictor light to take its place.

(quoted from post at 16:11:27 09/28/13) Am thinking about installing 4 of the new faster heating and hope fully better quality Mercedes glow plugs than the case ones i have nothing but trouble with.Will allthe dash systems work with the new glow plugs .Tractor seems original with the twist switch and glow indicator on the dash..Seems the new plugs must be wired a bit differently so can someone explain.Will there be any chance of burning out the dash indicator??

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To put in the new plugs in parallel - each gets wired directly from a 12 volt source. A $10 relay is best way to power them. Use the old glow-plug switch to power the relay instead of powering the glow plugs directly. The old glow indicator was a basically a 5th glow plug in the series. It is not a light bulb and you eliminate it when wiring in the new plugs. A 12 volt indicator light can take its place.

There"s NO "H" in "Duraterm".

So i have found a source for the BOSCH glow plugs so as i am not very smart at electrical could you tell me the name of the relay and would this be the proper wiring method..Key switch to old glow plug twist switch and then to new 12 volt relay and from the relay 1 wire to each new glow plug.Do i have to put a light or something in place of th old indicator What guage wire should be used???? Thanks for the tons of help...Harry Keller

(quoted from post at 16:11:27 09/28/13) Am thinking about installing 4 of the new faster heating and hope fully better quality Mercedes glow plugs than the case ones i have nothing but trouble with.Will allthe dash systems work with the new glow plugs .Tractor seems original with the twist switch and glow indicator on the dash..Seems the new plugs must be wired a bit differently so can someone explain.Will there be any chance of burning out the dash indicator??

Click to expand...

The new glow plugs draw less then 10 amps each. So any relay that can handle 40 amps is fine. The old Ford type fender-mount relays are fine. NAPA part # MPE ST82SB. Also a glow plug relay listed for a 1983 Chevy Blazer diesel works just as well.

There's no set rule as to how to wire it. I ran two big (#8 gauge) wires from the relay to the plugs. Each #8 wire powers two glow plugs (with #10 wire connecting those two to each other). My wiring was overkill. Three feet of a single #8 gauge copper wire results in 1.6% voltage drop @ 40 amps which is good enough for most people.

I removed the original German glow-indicator-resistance unit. I riveted a washer over the hole that holds a new 12 volt indicator light. I also installed a water-proof momentary push-button to operate the plugs. I could of use the old lever-switch if I wanted to.

Tractor in the photo is my older B275 with a CAV inline pump. It was my worst starting British IH until I put the new plugs in. My newer ones with rotary CAV pumps were always better starters. I changed them over too, to the new plugs.

Bosch sells the plugs as already mentioned. So does Beru as # GV626, or Swag as # 10917215, HKT as # B-054, Mercedes # 1592501, etc.

Putting the new plugs on the IH made a huge difference. So did the power steering kit I bought for $27! Never seen another setup like it and I have no idea who made the kit. Best $27 I ever spent (on a tractor).

Thanks a mil Jdemaris Harry

Before i get in to deep I am sure myB414 tractor being an original positive grounnd wou ld not present a problem???

Will my 414 being original pos ground affect the installation of the new better quality Bosch glow plug system as explained on this site