How do you know when you need knew glow plugs?

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Barbarian
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How do you know when you need knew glow plugs?

Post by Barbarian »

How do you know your glow plugs need replacing on a xantia 1.9TD? How long do glow plugs last anyway?
LeeDJC
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Post by LeeDJC »

From my experience of glowplugs, the car just gets more and more difficult to start from cold when the glowplugs are going. Eventually ending up with being impossible to start when the weather's cold.

It's def a good idea to get them changed, as to me, continually cranking the engine over when it's cold to get it to start can't be a good thing!

The glowplug life, I'd imagine, depends on a number of factors. ie, how many cold starts you do, weather conditions, engine condition etc. But I should imagine you'd get a good five-six years use out of them. It's nice when you've got new ones, the car starts almost instantly!
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Post by Peter.N. »

If you have one fail completely, you will find that not only is it more difficul to start but it will run very lumpy for the first few seconds as it will not be firing on the affected cylinder. If it starts reasonably , ticks over smoothley and doesn't smoke excessivly on start up they should be OK.
Barbarian
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Post by Barbarian »

yeah i had a hard time starting this morning and its summer, I guess a glow plug must need replaceing.
LeeDJC
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Post by LeeDJC »

It's worth doing all four while your there as it's difficult to determine which have gone. Access is the only issue!
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Jshodgson
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Post by Jshodgson »

buy decent plugs from GSF and prepare yourself for a day of swearing. I'd recommend that you place a rag in the gap in front of the plugs to stop tools, nuts, washers and the like dissapearing into an unknown area that never lets you have them back.... one of those long wands with the magnet on the end is also useful for retrieving bits.

If you search this forum you'll find LOADS of help in gaining access/making tools to fit etc.

Be strong my friend.
Had (Saxo VTR 1999 (T) LPG converted - do not ask!!!)
Had (Xantia LX TD 1995 (M) 144,000 miles)
Had (Xantia TD Estate (N) 147,000 miles !)
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Post by Harlequin »

3 of them are really easy to replace - just like spark plugs and really easy


the one behind the fuel pump is a real and total b***h to do.
dieselxantiaman
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Post by dieselxantiaman »

Been there, done that yesterday. I found a ring spanner had just the right amount of crank to access the plugs . If you strip away some of the pipework and bracketry the job's not too bad - just fiddley. The hardest part for me was trying to get the 8mm nuts back on without dropping them! I also replaced the diesel feed/return lines that run down the back of the engine. The old xantia now starts as soon as I turn the key and there's no more white smoke :D
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stevieb
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Post by stevieb »

Don't forget to use an air-line or similar to blow out the dust and crd from the wells around the plugs. You don't want that heading into the bores...

And while you're doing it - watch you don't get it in your eyes either. Who knows what nasty stuff lies in that there dirt...
mezuk04
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Post by mezuk04 »

And be very careful not to break that little 'thing' on the left hand side of the furthest left glowplug behind the fuel pump which has a wee pipe going into it as it will leak water thus ruining the cooling system for the engine :cry:

I know next time if i were ever to do them again, I would just pay someone to do it,
Volkswagen Golf 59' 1.6TD S :(
Jshodgson
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Post by Jshodgson »

if you do get stuck with that last plug like I did (twas rounded) I paid a mechanic to do it for £20 he also checked all the plugs were working. He likened the experience to putting his hands in a hot oven :oops: (rather him than me for £20!) so do remember to do it from cold if you do.

To get his ring spanner on he had to remove all the large black plastic pipe work. He said not to remove the small flexible pipe directly at the back of it (Mezuk4's wee pipe) as this can lead to you having to bleed air from the cooling system.

I have to say I have removed this one before now with a ring spanner that I heated on the cooker and bent with a lump hammer so that it had the right angle to get in without the need to move much. I couldn't use it this time as the glow plug was stuck fast and rounded. Might be worth a go if you have a cheap spare spanner handy!!!

[-o<
Had (Saxo VTR 1999 (T) LPG converted - do not ask!!!)
Had (Xantia LX TD 1995 (M) 144,000 miles)
Had (Xantia TD Estate (N) 147,000 miles !)
NOW GOT Picasso 2.0HDi (02) 96,000 miles
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Post by mezuk04 »

I always pride myself on using technical explanations :lol:
Volkswagen Golf 59' 1.6TD S :(
f00lzz
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Post by f00lzz »

Did I read in some earlier posts, that certain Xant's use different plugs that stay 'glowing' till the engine warms a little?
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Barbarian
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Post by Barbarian »

well it would'nt start at all this morning and i missed my work! Bloody citroens :roll: Im gonna go an see if i can get the glow plugs changed, could it be something else like the fuel filter, It was a cold damp morning but the car did'nt seem anywhere near starting I almost ran my battery dead trying.
mezuk04
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Post by mezuk04 »

Did it start coughing out clouds of white smoke?

I would get the glow plugs done first as its most likely them, 2 of mine were shot and struggling got worse and worse and worse including clouds and clouds of white smoke.
Volkswagen Golf 59' 1.6TD S :(
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