I just had my first glow plug failure this weekend on the new engine (P200) on the Jet Luge. The first engine has over 100 starts with no problems and this one failed with just 10 starts.. (A fluke, I hope) The wire was broke between the 2 coils. I was going to replace it with the spare Rossi C8-S that I have, but when I tried to lift the second coil out of the body of the plug with a pin, the wire snapped in two right at the edge of the plug. The wire is flat where it joins to the plug body and looks to be a possible weak point as the transition from flat to round is like a crease, and this is where it broke. I am usually pretty skilled at working tiny objects. Can some one tell me if this is a fluke situation or will i need to buy a 5 pack of glow plugs to insure success? Is there a special technique???

Also, Is there a special "Glow Plug Wrench"? I had to grind down the walls of one of my good Craftsman 8 mm sockets to get at the reccessed glow plug.

Thanks for your help.

Bob
www.jetluge.net

Bob,
Glow plugs are considered an expendible item in the world of Radio Control. They all need changing periodically and virtually everyone has spares available. I don't know what the average life is in a turbine or what the best type to use is. I have always had good luck with the OS series. I suggest you try the OS glw plugs and see if you don't get longer life out of them.

Regards,
doubledee

Bob, I use a 5/16 driver for the glow plug. Don't know if it's different on a P-200.

http://jackmanrob77.gotdns.com/video/glow1.wmv

I put this video together for you just now. Should answer your questions. Sometimes you do get one that blows out in short duration. But most the time they last quite a while.

I usually buy 10 to 20 at a time, and make that purchase every couple years or more. I own 6 or 7 turbines and don't keep track of which one is blowing what, I just always have them on me.

Bob, before you pull the coils out of the glow plug body, heat the plug coil red hot with a glow driver, and let it cool. That seems to make the coil less prone to break and easier to pull out of the body. I've been doing that for several years since I started flying jets, and it seems to make the plugs last longer, too.

BTW, I haven't discovered any average/normal life span on the plugs. They last varying amounts of time, so it is always a good idea to have spares handy. Your getting 100 + starts seems to be a very long time according to my experience.

Good luck, Les

Preheating about 30 sec is a trick I've used to extend glow plug life in glow engines. I heard this was a trick pylon racers used. Though there isn't much vibration in a turbine, it obviously helps when pulling the coils out.

Sean, I had to check my email at 1:47 of the video

WOW, Thanks for all of your help here. I know it was a small thing, but I got real frustrated when the spare broke while working it. Sean, I was just thinking how it would be much better to be closer to a few jet guys and then you hit me with that video... Just like being in your shop... thanks. I pretty much did the same as you showed. perhaps this one plug was already prone to snap.
I will order more plugs today...

Note: The plug on the P-200 is recessed into a cup in the case. It takes a very thin walled socket to get at the nut, that is why I asked about the tool.



PS. My friends were very impressed on how the ECU diagnosed a glow plug failure on power-up. It beats the OBD-II codes that the car manufactuers developed

I was just thinking on how the plug may have failed in the first place. I was doing a demo at the Steel Valley (Friendship) Dragstrip in Ohio this weekend. It is a very small and old backwoods 1/8 mile track. Like a dummy I did not walk the track, and assumed that it was smooth since people go fast there.. Ha!... As soon as I hit the finish line I got launched about a foot in the air from a big crack in the asphalt. After I got done checking for discolored underwear, I was able to get one more start for another run, but had to shutdown while they rebooted their Windows based timing system. (chuckle, chuckle) . The next start blew me off with a red flashing ignition indicator.

I guess I am lucky I didn't shake more than that loose on the landing.. or the abrupt takeoff, for that matter.



bob
[link=http://gallery.photo.net/photo/4379359-md.jpg]First Ever Powered Luge Drag Race jet vs kart motor[/link]

To extend the life of the glow plug, reduce the setting in your GSU to the lowest that will ignite the gas.

Regards

ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!? That's not far from where I live.!! Friendship Park
Man I wish I'd have known you were going to be there. I flew my first ducted fan jet there and guys still fly at the upper end sometimes. I used to fly my ultralight out there when the county fair was going on too. I haven't been there since the dragsters took over. It used to be the county airport about 25 years ago.

Have a few plug / elements already set up so you don`t have to fiddle with them under pressure at the track or flying field.
V..

Mark, The dragstrip thing was completely unplanned, otherwise I would have announced it. Every year a bunch of us go to Wheeling, West Virginia on invite from a fellow competitor for a weekend of Fun Runs on the open roads of Wheeling, BBQ and party time. the only event where there is Zero competition and 100% fun. One of Wally's friends that was helping haul our equipment aked me if I wanted him to call the dragstrip (I didn't know there was one). I told him sure but did not expect much. They owner told him sure.... bring it on... we like weird stuff... be there no later than 5pm. So after a day of riding at the Wheeling airport hill, Wheeling Park and Dallas Pike, we all made the backwoods trek to the dragstrip. I will let you know when I go back. Seems the owner loved the show even though I only had one run. I have never been to a drag strip that went uphill. The other luge was powered by a KT100cc racing gokart engine. The Jet won this time.

It was a great 47th birthday party for me... and yes I still play in the street even though mama thinks I should grow up someday.

Picture story of our weekend Here:
[link=http://www.auldovertheroad.com/lugephotos/lugephotopage60/lugephotopage60.htm]Wheeling Fun Run[/link]

and here

[link=http://www.photo.net/photos/Erika_Morton]Erica's Picts of Wheeling[/link]

Bob, let me know the next time you guys are in the area. I live in Steubenville OH. There are a lot of nice hills around here. I grew up at the top of Hill Avenue

Try the Rossi R-5.. the Ni-chrome wire and connections for whatever reason on the R-5 are better for our purposes than the R-8. I had almost the same exact thing happen to an R-8 I purchased. Also I have been told too preheat the plug a few times before pulling the two coils out... anneals the Ni-chrome wire & makes it more flexible.
Lee