How can some diesel engines start “without glow plugs” ?
One of the biggest differences between diesel engines that can start without glowplugs and those that need glowplugs is the pre combustion chamber.This is a small chamber in the head of the engine, the diesel is injected into this chamber and ignition starts there. Engines that can start without glowplugs do not have this extra chamber and are called direct injection engines. Some direct injection engines also have glowplugs to assist the starting.Smaller car engines are normally of the sort that do need glowplugs but big truck engines and some industrial engines used for waterpumps etc do not have glowplugs. On some engines without normal glowplugs there is one glowplug in the intake manifold together with an injector. While the starter is operated this glowplug and injector is energised. This injector does not work like a normal one but is an electric device. This set up supplies the engine with some preheated diesel in the airsupply and helps the engine to start. You will find this
