2555 glow plug light questions?

StAngerSandman · Jun 3, 2020

So far I love the 2555, and have put more hours on it in a few months than the original owner did in 3 years...

I have a question though:

when I start the tractor, the "glow plug" (my understanding is it is more of a heater?) light turns on when the key goes to the on position, and stays on for ~45 seconds. No big issue, but when I turn the key to the "glow plug" direction, it doesn't seem to do anything. Now comes the odd part: when I start the tractor, the glow plug light stays on for ~45 seconds again.

This happens no matter what weather (it was high 80's this weekend and same behavior as what I observed in February at 20 degrees).

is something just wired wrong here for the glow plug indicator? Is this damaging anything? Do I need to wait until the light turns off to do anything? Surely the heater isn't running when it is 80 degrees outside?

I'm confused.

James

JerryK · Jun 3, 2020

The glow plug [ actually a central grid heater and not a glow plug for each cylinder ] is cycled each time the key is turned from Off to On. You have no manual control of it by turning the key to ' glow plug '. The keyswitch setting is probably a hold over from olden times when we had to manually cycle the glow plug. Just my take... I have not looked into it to see if it is controlled by a relay with a built in timer, but it probably is controlled by the MCRD engine computer along with just a boot everything else on our 2555. The tractor is built by TYM, and they probably use the same key switch for tractors they build without a Mahindra MCRD engine, and maybe used to cycle the startup heaters for those diesels. The 2555, being a direct fire diesel, will probably start 95% of the time without the heaters. But with today emissions standards, they do not give you that option.

StAngerSandman · Jun 4, 2020

Does yours behave the same way then? Do you just ignore the light for the most part then? I have been, but don't want to break anything being negligent...

JerryK · Jun 4, 2020

StAngerSandman said:
Does yours behave the same way then? Do you just ignore the light for the most part then? I have been, but don't want to break anything being negligent...

Yup. Every time I start it it cycles the glow plugs. I start mine at idle. Once the computer idles it down to 800 or so for a few seconds [ give the computer time to find idle ], then I raise it up to about 1250ish. And let it run at that RPM for awhile to start to warm up. Open up the barn door, raise the blower up, take the blocks out from underneath the blower, then jump back in and run it outside to finish warming up.

3gunr · Jun 4, 2020

My 2538 is the same way. i quit worrying about it after a couple months, It always starts right up no matter the temp.

StAngerSandman · Jun 4, 2020

3gunr said:
My 2538 is the same way. i quit worrying about it after a couple months, It always starts right up no matter the temp.

That makes me feel better, but it still feels weird watching that light sit there for about a minute every time I start the tractor. Sounds like this is just how it is, and I shouldn't worry to much about it.

Thanks!