GLOW PLUGS 1.9 TD

WELSHVIKING · Unread post by **WELSHVIKING** » 26 Mar 2006, 15:05

Hi,
What is the best way to attempt to change the glow plugs on a 1.9TD 1996, it seems like that 2 of them are impossible to get at, any ideas of what to remove before i attempt to put new ones in....Thanks

AndersDK · Unread post by **AndersDK** » 26 Mar 2006, 15:40

AFAIR there is a small plastic distribution pipe outlet near the one plug. This has a real nasty habit of snapping when your wrench is slipping - during first attempts

Better remove it first in one piece - than later in several pieces

Otherwise it may be necessary to remove 1 or 2 of the injector pipes. They undo rather easy from both ends as its the old type "brake flaring" pipes.

If any comfort - the glow plugs will last at least some 60K miles

Unread post by **Peter.N.** » 26 Mar 2006, 16:45

Seconded.

davethewheel · Unread post by **davethewheel** » 26 Mar 2006, 17:38

i changed all of mine in my lunch break at work i bought a cheap spanner and bent it in the vise to get at the awkward ones

AndersDK · Unread post by **AndersDK** » 26 Mar 2006, 17:50

davethewheel wrote:i changed all of mine in my lunch break at work i bought a cheap spanner and bent it in the vise to get at the awkward ones

Some just have the luck - others dont

On my BX TRD with the CAV pump - there is easy access to all 4 plugs. Believe me - they were like welded into the cylinder head

I was really scared I'd break some of the plugs in the process - leaving a drilling messy job

So I'd be really carefull just relying on an angled spanner with limited leverage

citroenbx · Unread post by **citroenbx** » 26 Mar 2006, 20:54

I did the same and used a ring spanner it will be fingers and thumbs....A realy good tip is to get a piece of stiff wire and bend a slight hook on the end,just as the nut and locking washer are at the end of their tread,touch the end of the Glow plug with the hooked end..The nut and washer will fall onto the hook and not get lost down the engine......This is a real pain if happens.

Use the reverse after fitting the new plugs....Good luck
Dont buy any other Plug but BERU ones there the best you can get them from GSF.

Kowalski · Unread post by **Kowalski** » 26 Mar 2006, 21:31

Only one of the plugs is nearly impossible to get at, one is difficult and the other two are easy. If you've got a 1/4" socket set with a flexible drive shaft or a universal joint you should get on OK.

On some 1.9s, at the left hand end of the engine, behind then injector pump there is an aluminium block which a rubber pipe connects to it. The rubber hose is exactly in the right place so that when you slacken the left most glow plug with any "normal" spanner, the spanner will snap this little pipe off. The part isn't generally kept in dealer stock and a couple of people off here have managed to break it off so be careful.

Luckilly enough, I couldn't get any of my spanners onto that glowplug, so I bought an offset ring spanner which not only fits on, but it misses the little pipe that is so easy to snap off.

reblack68 · Unread post by **reblack68** » 27 Mar 2006, 06:25

My mate has a spanner specially designed for the job. It's a 12mm at one end, 8mm at the other end and cranked at just the right angle. I'm not sure where he got it but it's definitely a tool worth having.

A quick search has turned one up on Screwfix but I'm sure others are available.

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=30736

mezuk04 · Unread post by **mezuk04** » 27 Mar 2006, 09:01

On some 1.9s, at the left hand end of the engine, behind then injector pump there is an aluminium block which a rubber pipe connects to it. The rubber hose is exactly in the right place so that when you slacken the left most glow plug with any "normal" spanner, the spanner will snap this little pipe off. The part isn't generally kept in dealer stock and a couple of people off here have managed to break it off so be careful.

Very true Kowalski....unfortuantly it was me who did it so i couldnt yell at me' mate

....this just prolonged the job of changing the plugs which were keeping us busy for quite a while...fortunatly we managed to get that replacement bit from the scrappers, just a pig to get it back in without losing the bolts down the enginer, and ive got slim fingers and hands and i struggled something chronic

davethewheel · Unread post by **davethewheel** » 27 Mar 2006, 10:58

i didn't have too much of a problem getting the old plugs out it was getting the nuts back on the top of them that gave me the most trouble

citroenbx · Unread post by **citroenbx** » 27 Mar 2006, 11:25

Thanks for the spanner advice...Didn't know there was such a thing..Just bought mine today from GSF for £9.50 along with other bits of course.

: davethewheel see my tip (above) about the hooked wire help alot when popping the nuts back on.