I'll reply to the last round of posts here...
I know the part is available online but I couldn't wait for shipping so it was only availble from the dealer on short notice. FWIW, the install is as simple as they get. Make sure you have a little bit of coolant to refill with. According to the dealer they replace 5 or 6 of these a week. They stock 50 and reorder at 10 to 15!! I now carry a spare sensor, o-ring, clip and coolant and added the tools to my fuel filter swap kit.
I'm done talking about the need for glow plugs, I think we all got it by now. I understand (and did before this) very well they are not needed but rather help. That doesn't mean they don't have some effect on operation.
I'm filling up mostly on B100 but use name brand diesel when I need it. I don't have a favorite other than high volume stations. Before I get asked - the difference in MPG between D100 and B100 is about 1.5.
Huweth, the metal making up the chamber doesn't get as hot as the actual fluids IN the combustion. The coil in the plugs can get hotter than the surrounding metal since it requires less energy, due to less mass of course, to change temperature. A great example of this is engines used in model aircract/boats/cars etc. The element in the glow plug is much hotter than the surrounding metal of the chamber, piston and head. It glows a very bright red hot. If the rest of the material followed suit there would be hell to pay! Anyway, points made and we can't measure it so I consider it closed.... unless someone can actuall measure it. I wonder if we can measure resistance in the coil to determine temperature.... probably....
Maybe it isn't a closed topic!
Thanks for the input everybody. FYI, the sensor didn't end up being the whole problem. The pickup line in the fuel tank was closed off since the flapper valve got jammed.... It ran better after the sensor was replaced but didn't run well until I pulled the fuel level sending unit.