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Old 10-26-2017, 06:38 PM   #1
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How to replace glow plugs on T444E?

I turned the key but waited like 3 minutes before cranking the engine. The bus is a 2001 International. All the lights, etc. come on, but turn off when I fully turn the key.

Pretty sure I blew the glow plugs by waiting too long to crank. Can someone please advise me on how to replace them? Bonus points if you can explain it to me like I'm 5 years old because I have no idea what I'm doing here. Thanks!

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Old 10-26-2017, 06:52 PM   #2
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I turned the key but waited like 3 minutes before cranking the engine. The bus is a 2001 International. All the lights, etc. come on, but turn off when I fully turn the key.

Pretty sure I blew the glow plugs by waiting too long to crank. Can someone please advise me on how to replace them? Bonus points if you can explain it to me like I'm 5 years old because I have no idea what I'm doing here. Thanks!
You didn't damage your glowplugs simply by leaving the ignition on.

From what you describe, it sounds like either a flat battery, or a poor ground or hot connection between the battery and starter.
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Old 10-27-2017, 05:04 AM   #3
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You didn't damage your glowplugs simply by leaving the ignition on.

From what you describe, it sounds like either a flat battery, or a poor ground or hot connection between the battery and starter.
Agreed.
The lights and buzzer, et al, are fly weights compared to the amp draw the starter needs.
You didn't say if it's sat for a while, or if the problem just appeared suddenly.
Seems to call for a battery boost for the former condition, a connection check for the latter.
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Old 10-27-2017, 08:26 AM   #4
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One battery is fully charged, and one is half charged. Could that be the cause?

Gonna fully charge both when I get home today.
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Old 10-27-2017, 09:45 AM   #5
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One battery is fully charged, and one is half charged. Could that be the cause?

Gonna fully charge both when I get home today.
Could well be, especially now that temperatures are dropping. Batteries loose power in cold, oil thickens in the engine...

Glow plugs use a fair amount of juice to heat.
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Old 11-03-2017, 02:24 AM   #6
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Could well be, especially now that temperatures are dropping. Batteries loose power in cold, oil thickens in the engine...

Glow plugs use a fair amount of juice to heat.
I'm not familiar with the T444, but if it's individual plugs there's either a wire to each or a copper strip with a wire to one end. Take a test light and test for voltage on initial key on. It may have a light on the dash it should light for a short ( 10 secs at most) then go out. Voltage should be present at the terminal of each glowplug. This doesn't mean they're good. To test each, remove the wire or copper strip place the alligator clip of your test light on the positive terminal of the battery then touch each plug terminal. Good plugs will light bad ones won't. If they are all good take a jumper wire and connect it to battery positive then touch it to one of the plugs through the back of the connector for approx 5 secs then crank the engine it should fire and run. If it doesn't you have other issues. Oh make sure they're all connected up before applying the voltage manually. And never use starting fluid on a glowplug engine. You could damage it or yourself. Let me know. On the Ford's and chevy they usually screw into the cylinder heads near the valley cover. They have a spade terminal and usually have a 10 Mm wrench size bolt face

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Old 07-23-2019, 06:54 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by golfersmurf57 View Post
I'm not familiar with the T444, but if it's individual plugs there's either a wire to each or a copper strip with a wire to one end. Take a test light and test for voltage on initial key on. It may have a light on the dash it should light for a short ( 10 secs at most) then go out. Voltage should be present at the terminal of each glowplug. This doesn't mean they're good. To test each, remove the wire or copper strip place the alligator clip of your test light on the positive terminal of the battery then touch each plug terminal. Good plugs will light bad ones won't. If they are all good take a jumper wire and connect it to battery positive then touch it to one of the plugs through the back of the connector for approx 5 secs then crank the engine it should fire and run. If it doesn't you have other issues. Oh make sure they're all connected up before applying the voltage manually. And never use starting fluid on a glowplug engine. You could damage it or yourself. Let me know. On the Ford's and chevy they usually screw into the cylinder heads near the valley cover. They have a spade terminal and usually have a 10 Mm wrench size bolt face

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Sorry bud, but on the T444E the glow plugs are under the valve cover, they need to disconnect the valve cover wiring harness and check power there. One can start at the glow plug relay first to see if the relay is even good, they fail.
The GPs only stay on upto 2mins then they are cut off depending on what the ECM determines based on intake air temp.
RIGHT NEVER USE STARTING FLUID ON THESE, that is a great way to bust a ring or rod. I've parted out several 7.3 powerstrokes because of stupidity, I call starting fluid "idiot spray". LOL.
The connector on the glow plug is round, not a spade.

On these 7.3s there is a wiring harness built into the valve cover gasket, they can also become damaged and leak oil through the connector burning out connections which sometimes causes them to run like crap because injectors are likewise on the valve cover and wiring of them is in the same harness with the glow plugs.

I have several videos on 7.3s my YT is "Patrick Baptist" but I've yet to make bus videos but the engine is the MOSTLY the same as the T444E.

Eventually my bus videos will wind up there, I just haven't had to do anything to mine yet, it's a 04 IC RE with the T444E and mated to a Allison MD3060.
But if you check my YT I have a video on changing the glow plugs.
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Old 07-23-2019, 07:56 PM   #8
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You have a battery or battery connection issue.
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