The early Export CRDs such as I have use 11 volt glow plugs.
Very basic system, the ECU determines how long they should be switched ON for depending on ambient temperature, ECU powers up two large relays....each relay powers two of the four glow plugs. After the determined time the relays drop out. No such thing as a glow plug module fitted anywhere!
The reason they used 11 volt glow plugs is that they know that at least one volt will get dropped over the relay contacts and connector contacts.
The ECU does not test at all whether the glow plugs are actually doing anything....you could disconnect them and the ECU will not post a code.....just rough stating up! The ECU only detects that the relay coils are not shorted out or open circuit.
I do not believe that these glow plugs have an "afterglow" period as stated.....the relays are either ON or OFF and it is a straight connection from +12 volts, through the relays, to the glow plugs. I read a post somewhere where the poster had scoped the current 2.8 CRDs and saw that the "afterglow" on these plugs was actually a Pulse Width Modulation waveform!
I have had no problems with my glow plugs but then again I live in a very warm climate....even winters come nowhere near to freezing.
I have read some posts on one of the KJ forums from someone in Austria where it seems that converting the newer system back to the 11 volt system is pretty popular....usually using NGK plugs. There obviously must be some way of fooling the ECU to ignore any errors coming from the conversion.
