The light is controlled by #1 glow plug as far as it comes on or not.
If #'s 2 to 5 go dead, the light will blink after you start the engine.
If #1 goes dead, the light is dead.
The BEST way to test them is with a remote starter button, a long thin
screwdriver, and an ammeter that reads up to at least 50 amps.
Disconnect the large plug on the glow relay behind the drivers h-lamp.
Connect one end of the ammeter to positive on the battery.
Connect the other end of the ammeter to one end of the remote button.
Connect the other end of the remote button to the screwdriver shaft.
Touch the end of the screwdriver to #1 glow plug.
Press the button and watch the ammeter. It should go to about 40 amps and
then drop to 15-25 amps in about 5 seconds.
Does not move? Glow plug is open.
Starts low and climbs? Glow plug is shorted.
Do this for all 5.
Just using an ohmmeter is totally misleading. It will only tell you when one
is open. With age, the glow plugs melt and they short out.
> > Does your 79 have pin type glow plugs or the large series style?
> >
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> Finally got around to checking, and mine are the pin type, so far as I
> can tell--one wire per.
randallbrink@mac.com - 25 Oct 2007 04:32 GMT
> The light is controlled by #1 glow plug as far as it comes on or not.
> If #'s 2 to 5 go dead, the light will blink after you start the engine.
[quoted text clipped - 40 lines]
> > Finally got around to checking, and mine are the pin type, so far as I
> > can tell--one wire per.
Thank you very much. I will add this to my document collection for MB
systems checks--better than all of the manuals I have collected over
the years.