Drew Callahan · May 27, 2026
I’ve spent enough mornings elbow-deep in the engine bay of a Chinook Bayside that I could probably do this job blindfolded — though I wouldn’t recommend it. The glow plug on these units fails in a particular way: quiet at first, then your heater starts cranking for thirty seconds before it catches, then forty-five, then … Read more
Drew Callahan · May 27, 2026
Skip this repair and you’ll be sitting in the cold, watching your heater cycle and fail, cycle and fail—or you’ll crack and hand a dealer $400 to $600 for what amounts to swapping a spark plug. I’ve seen it happen too many times on Jayco Melbournes: the glow plug dims, the fuel pump starts misfiring, … Read more
Drew Callahan · May 26, 2026
I have a glow plug sitting on my workbench right now that I pulled from a Thor Dazzle last February—it’s blackened at the tip, corroded where it threads into the combustion chamber, and completely dead when I run voltage across it. That plug represents a frozen cabin at 2 AM in the Sierra Nevada, a … Read more
Drew Callahan · May 26, 2026
Hi, I’m Drew Callahan, and after logging over 80,000 miles across North America in three different rigs, I’ve learned a thing or two about keeping my Coachmen Galleria’s diesel heater running smoothly. Recently, I’ve received several questions from fellow Galleria owners about why their diesel heaters won’t light on those cold mornings. More often than … Read more
Drew Callahan · May 25, 2026
Hi, I’m Drew Callahan. After logging over 80,000 miles across North America in three different rigs, I’ve come to appreciate the nuances of RV maintenance. Recently, I found myself facing a familiar challenge with the Winnebago Ekko’s heater shroud removed, and I’m staring at the combustion head. The glow plug is corroded enough that I … Read more
Drew Callahan · May 25, 2026
Hey there, I’m Drew Callahan, and after covering over 80,000 miles across North America in three different rigs, I’ve learned a thing or two about keeping my diesel heater running smoothly. If you find yourself needing a diesel heater glow plug replacement on an Outside Van Aterra, you might get quoted anywhere from $180 to … Read more
Drew Callahan · May 24, 2026
As someone who has traveled over 80,000 miles across North America in three different rigs, I’ve faced my fair share of challenges. One of those challenges is dealing with diesel heaters on my Pleasure-Way Ascent. These systems don’t fail because of negligence; they fail due to the harsh conditions of cold, altitude, and extended boondocking. … Read more
Drew Callahan · May 24, 2026
What do you do when your Grech Strada’s diesel heater won’t fire on a freezing morning, and you’re staring at a fault code, unsure if you’re looking at a $40 part or a $400 repair? I’ve been in that exact situation more times than I can count while traveling over 80,000 miles across North America … Read more
Drew Callahan · May 24, 2026
Hey there, I’m Drew Callahan. After logging over 80,000 miles across North America in three different rigs, I’ve seen my fair share of diesel heaters acting up. It was around mile 340 of a high-desert loop through Nevada in February when I first noticed the Beast Mode’s diesel heater taking longer to kick in than … Read more
Drew Callahan · May 23, 2026
As Drew Callahan, I’ve spent over 80,000 miles across North America in three different rigs, and one thing I’ve learned is that when it comes to the Roadtrek Zion’s diesel heater startup issues, there’s a lot of misinformation out there. Walk into any RV dealer service bay, and you’ll hear, “Glow plugs wear out. Replace … Read more
