Back into Cox Vans after 40 years. A battery question.

I found my son a 1977 Cox .049 Van exactly like the one I had as a kid. It's blue with a remote control. It's new in the box and did not come with fuel and a battery pack. I ordered the fuel and went to the Battery and bulb store where I purchased a small "N" size 1.5 battery. We tried to start the engine, but it did not fire. I quick internet search lead us to the 2 "D" size batteries. Not having "D" size, we notice "C" sizes are also 1.5 volts. We made a mistake of taping the two "C" batteries in series and hooked up 2.8 volts (meter tested) and made the glow plug turn orange while it was off.

Once assembled, the motor fired two brief seconds and went dead. I'm pretty sure the glow plug is toast. I have a spare parts van (1975) with what looks like the exact same glow plug. Can someone help the noob out with a brief fix and proper set up to get a nice glow (and maybe a replacement plug?

Thanks!

Vanning Mike

Welcome to the forum.

You can buy COX replacement glow heads as well as COX glow clips and battery holders from Cox International (www.coxengines.ca) or from Ex Model Engines (http://www.exmodelengines.com/home.php?cat=250). You may also need COX wrenches to remove the glow head unless you have them with your 2nd Van

COX glow heads take 1,5 Volts that will heat the filament to orange, visible with the piston at bottom dead center.

Good luck.