Mango Bongo missed a beat when cold – Why?

[Taxiback]

I thought the glow plugs on a Bongo stayed on until the engine reached a certain temp or the revs reached 2000-2500rpm this is why they do not last as long as most other diesels.
I am on the same set that the Bongo came with and 30000 later they are still working perfectly. My friend has the lumpy starting and he has new glowplugs so it could be the glowplug relay.

[mikeonb4c]

I get confused by the glowplug on-off thing Taxiback - I recall reading the same as you about plugs staying on until engine warmed. Then another bit about the click when they go off (maybe they go off only if you havent started the engine after 30 secs or so to save the plugs from unnecessary heating and current drain?). We need a BF expert on this one!

[dandywarhol]

If you don't start the engine then they go off after around 15 second (click) - if you do start the engine then they stay on until the engine has reached a certain temperature - it's in the same wiring circuit as the auto gearbox lockup. The relay also goes out by an intake manifold vacuum switch which is controlled by the throttle pedal (which changes the vacuum)..........that's why you hear the "clicks" when driving in traffic on a cold engine (unless you've got the radio turned up to listen to Terry Wogan telling a Janet and John story

[mikeonb4c]

So there you have it. I suspected it was something like that (says he drawing on his experience with model airplane glowplug engines ) but Dandy actually knows, not guesses. Thats the difference