Time for new glow plugs ...

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superloopy
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Time for new glow plugs ...

Post by superloopy »

Just about managing to start her up on these cold frosty mornings. Whats 'best advice' to follow on changing her plugs .... engine warm or cold, blutack to catch errant nuts, that sort of thing. I've got a set in the shed I think, will have a look tonite. It's becoming an embarrasment having to crank her for so...ooo...ooooo long these mornings [emoji20]

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Last edited by superloopy on 06 Feb 2017, 16:59, edited 1 time in total.
Mike

Xantia Activa Dante Red MK1 (96) 121k - SORN, to be broken
Xantia Activa Silex Grey MK2 (98) 120k -SORN, ditto
Xantia V6 Silex Grey MK2 (98) 95k - non-runner
Xantia TD Storm Grey MK1 (95) 95k - non-runner
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Re: Time for new glow plugs ...

Post by CitroJim »

Warm head definitely Mike and I'd soak them in Plus Gas too...

Then invest in a good 12mm cranked ring spanner as that's the only tool I know that will access them easily...

Blu-tak is perfect to catch the 8m electrical bus nuts and washers. I put a lump of it on the spanner to hold the nuts...

Also, wrap some soft iron wire around No.3 and No.4 so that if they do try to make a bid for freedom and hide behind the pump they can be easily fished out again...

You'd never believe how many glowplugs I've found hiding behind pumps in the past...

Go easy undoing the old ones as they can be very tight and can thread-strip or break lumps out of the head... Having the engine warm will definitely help...

Be careful when replacing the electrical wiring that you don't accidentally install it such that it's shorting to earth on the head. Also, don't do the 8mm nuts up too tight either or you can damage the plug...
Jim

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Re: Time for new glow plugs ...

Post by white exec »

While you're at it, clean up all the glowplug eye-connectors back to bright metal, and do the same with the connections at the glowplug relay.
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Re: Time for new glow plugs ...

Post by RichardW »

Snip a piece out of the ring on the end of the wire - this means you can fit no 4 plug with the 8mm nut already on, and then just slide the wire in and nip the nut up. If you've got hands the size of Jim's so much the better - I haven't and it hurts! And unless you want to do it again, fit only BERU plugs.
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Re: Time for new glow plugs ...

Post by superloopy »

Thanks .... all good stuff, just what I need [emoji106]

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Mike

Xantia Activa Dante Red MK1 (96) 121k - SORN, to be broken
Xantia Activa Silex Grey MK2 (98) 120k -SORN, ditto
Xantia V6 Silex Grey MK2 (98) 95k - non-runner
Xantia TD Storm Grey MK1 (95) 95k - non-runner
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white exec
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1992 BX19D Millesime hatch LHD
previously 1989 BX19RD, 1998 ZX 1.9D auto, 2001 Xantia 1.8i auto
and lots of Rovers before that: 1935 Ten, 1947 Sixteen, 1960 P5 3-litre, 1966 P6 2000, 1972 P6 2000TC, and 1975 P6B 3500S
x 1752

Re: Time for new glow plugs ...

Post by white exec »

One more vote for BERU.
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Re: Time for new glow plugs ...

Post by CitroJim »

And another vote for BERU ;)
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Re: Time for new glow plugs ...

Post by ekjdm14 »

BERU for the win here, but if you can't locate them just AVOID NGK at all costs and you shouldn't go too far wrong lol previous owner made the mistake of fitting NGK from Euro's in the ZX and we ended up replacing them a couple of months down the line...

+1 on the cutting #4 ring terminal into a horseshoe as well, I went through 3 old top nuts before I got the thing sorted & IIRC there were a couple of whole glowplugs I could stick a bit of metal & rattle round behind the pump but not recover! Must have been some blue air in that workshop that day...
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Re: Time for new glow plugs ...

Post by CitroJim »

Yes, I never found NGK to be very good in a 2.1TD... I could not and still can't work out why but the fact is they don't seem to agree with an XUD engine...

Odd...
Jim

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Re: Time for new glow plugs ...

Post by superloopy »

All taken onboard ... shame it's hissing down up here today though!
Mike

Xantia Activa Dante Red MK1 (96) 121k - SORN, to be broken
Xantia Activa Silex Grey MK2 (98) 120k -SORN, ditto
Xantia V6 Silex Grey MK2 (98) 95k - non-runner
Xantia TD Storm Grey MK1 (95) 95k - non-runner
superloopy
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Re: Time for new glow plugs ...

Post by superloopy »

Just checked ... they are all genuine CIT plugs. Copperslip them on replacing or not?

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Mike

Xantia Activa Dante Red MK1 (96) 121k - SORN, to be broken
Xantia Activa Silex Grey MK2 (98) 120k -SORN, ditto
Xantia V6 Silex Grey MK2 (98) 95k - non-runner
Xantia TD Storm Grey MK1 (95) 95k - non-runner
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Re: Time for new glow plugs ...

Post by RichardW »

It appears to be a little over 10 years since I last did a Xantia....https://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/ ... 11&t=20675

Did my Sister's NA ZX after that - and managed to rip a lump off the head :shock: Fortunately there was just enough thread to get it back in, so I didn't have to decapitate it and fit another head!!!
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Re: Time for new glow plugs ...

Post by CitroJim »

xantiamanic wrote:Copperslip them on replacing or not?
A light smear would be a good idea Mike...
Jim

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Re: Time for new glow plugs ...

Post by superloopy »

Thanks ... and an excellent 'guide' from 10years back. Wow ... thats nearly 4000day retention [emoji6]

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Mike

Xantia Activa Dante Red MK1 (96) 121k - SORN, to be broken
Xantia Activa Silex Grey MK2 (98) 120k -SORN, ditto
Xantia V6 Silex Grey MK2 (98) 95k - non-runner
Xantia TD Storm Grey MK1 (95) 95k - non-runner
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CitroJim
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Re: Time for new glow plugs ...

Post by CitroJim »

xantiamanic wrote:Thanks ... and an excellent 'guide' from 10years back. Wow ... thats nearly 4000day retention [emoji6]
There are posts in this forum going right back to the year dot.... 2001 to be precise - when the forum first started ;)
Jim

Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
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