L2250 glow plug issue

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I have this problem. I know the glow plugs are in series. Is the indicator in series with the glow plugs or parallel to the glow plug circuit? My indicator is burnt out and Kubota no longer makes it. Do I need the indicator in working condition for the plugs to heat? If not, how long in seconds do I energize the plugs to get them hot?

John, I think somethings not right, a L2250 does not have a Glow Plug Indicator that can be burnt out, it has a light bulb.

 

[Dave_eng]

Hi Dave, one old guy to another-great answer. I posted a related question about this problem. Please help this old guy out. Does the glow plug indicator need to be operational for the glow plugs to heat? Mine’s burnt out and it’s a discontinued part.

Please post a photo of the item in question.
What part number do you think applies.
Dave

 

[John Arthur]

John, I think somethings not right, a L2250 does not have a Glow Plug Indicator that can be burnt out, it has a light bulb.

Part number is 17331-65950 confirmed with 2 different Kubota dealers. Picture of part is same as on tractor. No modifications.

 

[Russell King]

Part number is 17331-65950 confirmed with 2 different Kubota dealers. Picture of part is same as on tractor. No modifications.

What picture of the “indicator” are you referring to?
this is the glow plug indicator for a L185. Looking through the center hole you would see something like a wire that sort of glows when using the glow plugs

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

That's right there were 2 different options on these models, one with easy checker or non and yours is a non:
Here is one:

Products For Sale - 0 Listing | shop.haldemansupply.com

View ProductsFor Sale from Haldemen Supply. Get great prices, fast shipping, and excellent customer service when you Buy from Haldemen Supply.

shop.haldemansupply.com

 

[John Arthur]

Part number is 17331-65950 confirmed with 2 different Kubota dealers. Picture of part is same as on tractor. No modifications.

Nope. Talked to service manager about it. My L2250 has a glow plug indicator. Not the same is the one pictured for L185. He also confirmed that my glow plugs are in series like Dave has indicated and that the voltage goes through the indicator to the glow plugs. The indicator appears to be the same as those in parallel (red glowing wire) but it doesn't get hot the same way. When I look at the wiring diagram I see what appears to me to be a circuit going to the indicator separate from the one going to the plugs but I'm not sure if I'm understanding the diagram correctly. My tractor definitely does not have a bulb. I have it all torn apart and the part out but at my shop so not able to post picture. I will try to later. For the record, I substituted a different glow plug indicator into the circuit that is for parallel wired plugs and that melted within seconds of engagement (maybe 3 seconds). I did that because the correct one is no longer available from Kubota- discontinued part confirmed by very helpful Messicks parts guy.

 

[John Arthur]

That's right there were 2 different options on these models, one with easy checker or non and yours is a non:
Here is one:

Products For Sale - 0 Listing | shop.haldemansupply.com

View ProductsFor Sale from Haldemen Supply. Get great prices, fast shipping, and excellent customer service when you Buy from Haldemen Supply.

shop.haldemansupply.com

Yup, that is what I have in mine. Took too long to get to to put used part in. I'm going experiment at this point.
If there is a glow plug that I could swap in that is meant to be parallel wired I would do that in a heartbeat, would rewire the whole system. Anyone know if that is possible?

 

[John Arthur]

What picture of the “indicator” are you referring to?
this is the glow plug indicator for a L185. Looking through the center hole you would see something like a wire that sort of glows when using the glow plugs
View attachment 95523

Not on my L 2250.

 

[Dave_eng]

Part number is 17331-65950 confirmed with 2 different Kubota dealers. Picture of part is same as on tractor. No modifications.

The part number you provided seems to be available as shown below

You need to be more helpful, by that I mean some pictures so as a group we can understand which model of electrical system you have on your L2250.
In my copy of the electrical wiring diagram there are two types described as Type X and the other non type X.

Wolfman feels there may be a third utilizing an Intellipanel dash.

In the type X and the Non type X the glow indicator and wiring are the same.

Both Type X and Non type X have GP's wired in parallel. To my knowledge only a few models of older L series had series GP's. An L210 being one of these.

Rewiring your tractor does not make sense to me but if you have documents with other info you need to post them.

There are manuals on line, I found one today showing series wired GP's on a L2350. This is the wiring diagram in an Operators manual. This same diagram shows a glow indicator. This diagram is clearly wrong. If you are relying on some erroneous info like this you are heading off into the dark jungle

Dave

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

The glow plugs get power two different ways.
Key in preheat gives glow plugs power through the indicator.
Key in crank gives glow plugs power directly and not through the indicator.
You need the proper glow plug indicator to match the glow plugs or it will either not heat the glow plugs properly or it will burn them out.

 

[John Arthur]

The part number you provided seems to be available as shown below
View attachment 95517
You need to be more helpful, by that I mean some pictures so as a group we can understand which model of electrical system you have on your L2250.
In my copy of the electrical wiring diagram there are two types described as Type X and the other non type X.

Wolfman feels there may be a third utilizing an Intellipanel dash.

In the type X and the Non type X the glow indicator and wiring are the same.
View attachment 95606
View attachment 95607
Both Type X and Non type X have GP's wired in parallel. To my knowledge only a few models of older L series had series GP's. An L210 being one of these.

Rewiring your tractor does not make sense to me but if you have documents with other info you need to post them.

There are manuals on line, I found one today showing series wired GP's on a L2350. This is the wiring diagram in an Operators manual. This same diagram shows a glow indicator. This diagram is clearly wrong. If you are relying on some erroneous info like this you are heading off into the dark jungle

Dave

Dave,
Mine are wired in series. I Know that for sure. I was relying on the Kubota parts diagra

The glow plugs get power two different ways.
Key in preheat gives glow plugs power through the indicator.
Key in crank gives glow plugs power directly and not through the indicator.
You need the proper glow plug indicator to match the glow plugs or it will either not heat the glow plugs properly or it will burn them out.

Thanks that makes sense. Appreciate the info.
m you posted that you indicated is wrong. I didn't chase the wires on my tractor to see where everything went, figured that is what the diagram is for. I used the wrong indicator because the right one is discontinued per Messicks and my local Kubota dealer; burnt that up in a couple of seconds. i came to the site looking for help, not to get scolded. I made the mistake of posting in two different parts of the thread. Won't do that again. Found it very interesting that there were many different CONFLICTIng ideas on what I need.

Regardless, I figured out what I'm going to do. Best mechanic I was ever around told me "There is a big difference between actual mechanics and parts replacers". Going the mechanic route on this tractor. I have had it a long time and managed to get 11000 ( eleven thousand) hours on it so far. Thanks.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

John,
I don't think anyone, especially me is scolding you.
I just listed a used one to get you going, it would also give you a base to be able to get the OHMS and other specs off the winding (filament) so we could point you to where you could get another piece of nichrome wire with the proper length and size to work for you.

 

[John Arthur]

John,
I don't think anyone, especially me is scolding you.
I just listed a used one to get you going, it would also give you a base to be able to get the OHMS and other specs off the winding (filament) so we could point you to where you could get another piece of nichrome wire with the proper length and size to work for you.

I appreciated every part of your reply(s). I knew mine were in series before I initially posted. Most everyone that replied somehow "knew" they werent. Sarcasm. You gave me the info I was looking for. I appreciated it. I didn't know the temperament of the site but now I do. I also appreciated the time it took you to locate a used one, but I decided I didn't want to go that route. Updating to parallel wiring, indicator that is readily available, and much cheaper, new wiring and glow plugs is where I'm headed. Thanks

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

The glow plugs on that are not series they are parallel wired (same hot goes through a buss to the tops of all the glow plugs and the case is ground.
For them to be in series it would require the plugs to not be case grounded.
Only much older Kubota's used series glow plugs.
Where there was 2 wires ground and positive to the glow plugs.

But the glow plug indicator is in series, with the parallel glow plugs.
And like I said before there is a second circuit that feeds the plugs directly after the indicator that engages when you crank it.

On the models with easy checker they are strait wired, no glow plug indicator in the circuit.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

(This is an edit)
If you want it to work without the glow plug indicator.
Connect together the two wires that go to two terminals on the glow plug indicator to eliminate it.
Easy as that, it turns out that the non glow plug indicator tractors take the same glow plugs as the glow plug indicated models.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Well I just discovered what the OHM's of your indicator is, It's what ever the OHMs are of a new 17331-65510 glow plug is.
Sorry I don't have one of those handy at the moment.
But if you measure all the ohms of yours and get the average that would be it.

 

[sitric]

17331-65560 showed as glow plug cord, not plugs on my parts look up.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

17331-65560 showed as glow plug cord, not plugs on my parts look up.

Thanks for that!
You are 100% right
Retracted that false info

 

[Russell King]

I appreciated every part of your reply(s). I knew mine were in series before I initially posted. Most everyone that replied somehow "knew" they werent. Sarcasm. You gave me the info I was looking for. I appreciated it. I didn't know the temperament of the site but now I do. I also appreciated the time it took you to locate a used one, but I decided I didn't want to go that route. Updating to parallel wiring, indicator that is readily available, and much cheaper, new wiring and glow plugs is where I'm headed. Thanks

John,

In defense of the “knew the answer crowd” there are many Kubota wiring diagrams in many copyrighted Kubota manuals that are incorrect for the glow plug circui. I know that the wiring diagram on my L185 shows them in series but they are actually in parallel while the next wiring diagram for the L295 shows the glow plugs in parallel.

I believe that Kubota has copied the diagram and never noticed it is incorrect when making a new wiring diagram, since I have done the same thing at my job and would swear the diagram is correct.

and I have no idea how yours were wired since I have read too many back and forth in this thread but I imagine they are wired the way they work since you staTed they now work.

 

[John Arthur]

John,

In defense of the “knew the answer crowd” there are many Kubota wiring diagrams in many copyrighted Kubota manuals that are incorrect for the glow plug circui. I know that the wiring diagram on my L185 shows them in series but they are actually in parallel while the next wiring diagram for the L295 shows the glow plugs in parallel.

I believe that Kubota has copied the diagram and never noticed it is incorrect when making a new wiring diagram, since I have done the same thing at my job and would swear the diagram is correct.

and I have no idea how yours were wired since I have read too many back and forth in this thread but I imagine they are wired the way they work since you staTed they now work.

My apologies for my insensitive replies to all who replied. Through all the back and forth, I figured it out. Like most things, the detail is important. Reviewing the thread, I can see different part numbers than what I had posted and so forth which led to some confusion. Thinking back to my mechanic mentor-something else he often told me when I held up a repair manual, " John, sometimes the books leave a lot to be desired"; he was trying to teach me to think as a mechanic would. He's now long gone but this situation brought back those memories- thanks for that.
I appreciate all the other advice. Have a great day.