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Coolant Glow Plug Heater

Phil-E
in General Automotive Chat

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Hey folks.

Just trying to do some investigating.

Does anyone know which diesel engines are/or are likely to have a coolant heater? The type with three glow plugs in it?

Also would one be pretty much a bolt on fitting to fit? (Excluding the wiring of course).

Phil

Not many uk cars do, seen the odd mk4 golf and beetle but they may have been imports.

In the UK you will be hard pushed to find any, it doesn't get cold enough to warrant the extra cost.

In Scandinavia etc then I would imagine Webasto's are pretty common, they can also be retro fitted but will cost over a grand to do.

The PTC heater is expensive, but the '3 plug system' is remarkably cheap.

You need a coolant flange such as

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-AUDI-A4-VW-PASSAT-B5-1-9TDI-GLOW-PLUG-HEATER-COOLANT-FLANGE-028-121-145-E-/280791897518?_trksid=p4340.m185&_trkparms=algo%3DDLSL%252BSIC.NPJS%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BUA%26otn%3D10%26pmod%3D270607048680%252B270607048680%26po%3D%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D6209039140367422441

and the three plugs

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Volkswagen-Auxiliary-Heating-Coolant-Pre-Heater-Glow-Plug-Made-EU-VW-1-9TDI-/130616813835?_trksid=p4340.m185&_trkparms=algo%3DDLSL%252BSIC.NPJS%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BUA%26otn%3D10%26pmod%3D270607048680%252B270607048680%26po%3D%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D6209039140367422443

In addition you will need a relay and some heavy duty cabling

Girlfriends Leon has one fitted.

Had looked at doing it on my fabia but never got round to it.

Kev

  • Author

Yes that's the type I was looking at. I know it's not going to make a massive difference but must be worth it otherwise they would never have bothered fitting it to any cars.

How much power do you reckon those glow plugs draw together?

Tha plan was to wire the relay for them up to the rear heated windscreen. That way if I forget to turn them off then they will turn off after 10 minutes anyway. By which time the engine will be warming up nicely. I will also wire in a switch so I can turn them off when not needed and just the heated screen needs to be run.

Phil

The PTC heater is expensive, but the '3 plug system' is remarkably cheap.

You need a coolant flange such as

http://www.ebay.co.u...039140367422441

and the three plugs

http://www.ebay.co.u...039140367422443

In addition you will need a relay and some heavy duty cabling

Ah not come across that type before :thumbup:

Are they just used once the engine is running to speed up heating the coolant system then? do they make that much of a difference?

...How much power do you reckon those glow plugs draw together?...

They draw 12A each. The OEM configuration has two relays. Only one coolant plug comes on when the engine glowplugs are preheating and the other two come on after starting. They then stay on until the coolant reaches 50degC.

  • Author

Yes that's how they work. But usually only at temperatures of -5c or less.

I think it will make a bit of a difference. I think a glow plug is around 10-12A each. So about 30amps of heating going into the coolant.

Phil

  • Author

They draw 12A each. The OEM configuration has two relays. Only one coolant plug comes on when the engine glowplugs are preheating and the other two come on after starting. They then stay on until the coolant reaches 50degC.

Thank you.

I plan to wire them all to one relay so a 40a one should do the trick.

Phil

Ah not come across that type before :thumbup:

Are they just used once the engine is running to speed up heating the coolant system then? do they make that much of a difference?

Many years ago I did a test, and with the plugs on it took only 2/3 of the time to get from 0degC to 50degC.

  • Author

Many years ago I did a test, and with the plugs on it took only 2/3 of the time to get from 0degC to 50degC.

That's what I wanted to hear. We are doing a lot of short trips at the moment in the cold and just think it would be better if it heated up faster! Will be a pretty straight forward install too.

Phil

Thank you.

I plan to wire them all to one relay so a 40a one should do the trick.

Phil

Remember, the plugs are rated 12A at 12V steady state. With the alternator running, you may see 14V and an initial current will briefly peak at about 20A.

That's what I wanted to hear. We are doing a lot of short trips at the moment in the cold and just think it would be better if it heated up faster! Will be a pretty straight forward install too.

Phil

I have a system in my SEAT Ibiza which has worked well for many years the unit is from a diesel Citroen can't remember which -- it has four plugs which if memory serves draw approx 42amps/pair and work thro' two LARGE fuses and relays of 40amp each and manual switches and small relays which latch when power is applied-- with a choice of positions I fitted mine in the oil cooler feed pipe luckily being a sport variant I have a volt meter and so am carefull how and when I switch both sets on hope this is of some help

  • Author

I have a system in my SEAT Ibiza which has worked well for many years the unit is from a diesel Citroen can't remember which -- it has four plugs which if memory serves draw approx 42amps/pair and work thro' two LARGE fuses and relays of 40amp each and manual switches and small relays which latch when power is applied-- with a choice of positions I fitted mine in the oil cooler feed pipe luckily being a sport variant I have a volt meter and so am carefull how and when I switch both sets on hope this is of some help

Sounds interesting. Obviously VAG not the only car group to use these kind of systems.

I think I will go for the VAG one though as it is a bolt-on fitment and more OEM! lol

Remember, the plugs are rated 12A at 12V steady state. With the alternator running, you may see 14V and an initial current will briefly peak at about 20A.

Good point!

I will probably have two relays then. Perhaps one powering just one of the glow plugs then the other two on another one. If I'm really clever I could even have a temperature controller in there so they would come on by themselves.

Is there a live feed anywhere for when the engine is running (I.e. so not when the ignition is on but when the engine is actually running?) don't want them powering on when I switch the ignition on but only when the engine is actually running.

IIRC, the standard (no coolant heater plugs) flange is the same part on both the Golf VI and Cordoba, so the eBay part should fit provided there is room. It is tight on the Golf.

If you are going down the temperature controlled route, the ECU could switch the two relays for you. If you look in the electrical connector box, you will find a number of coloured connectors. There is a large blue connector and a small blue connector. Pins 1 and 2 of the large blue connector are the control wires for the relay. The pins will be empty, wired only on the ECU/engine side or if you are really lucky (very unlikely) both sides will have wires attached and the relay sockets will be in place under the dash.

If you are going to get the eBay one, ask if they have the loom that connects to it. It usually consists of two thick wires and the three plug caps.

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