Repairing glow plug insert threads in cylinder heads and extracting broken glow plugs.

This is the Forum for all your Citroen Technical Questions, Problems or Advice.

Moderator: RichardW

User avatar
CitroJim
A very naughty boy
Posts: 49531
Joined: 30 Apr 2005, 23:33
Location: Paggers
My Cars: Bluebell the AX, Polly the C3 Picasso, Pix the Nissan Pixo, Propel the duathlon bike, TCR Pro the road bike and Fuji the TT bike...
x 6160
Contact:

Re: Repairing glow plug insert threads in cylinder heads and extracting broken glow plugs.

Post by CitroJim »

Excellent :D Just seen this... It may come in very handy soon as I believe Gabriel has a bit of a duff thread on one glowplug...
Jim

Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
Finguy
Posts: 20
Joined: 01 Feb 2017, 15:22
Location: Finland
My Cars: Citroen C5 2.7Hdi
x 14

Re: Repairing glow plug insert threads in cylinder heads and extracting broken glow plugs.

Post by Finguy »

CitroJim wrote:Excellent :D Just seen this... It may come in very handy soon as I believe Gabriel has a bit of a duff thread on one glowplug...
Gabriel may become friends with Time-Sert... :D
User avatar
CitroJim
A very naughty boy
Posts: 49531
Joined: 30 Apr 2005, 23:33
Location: Paggers
My Cars: Bluebell the AX, Polly the C3 Picasso, Pix the Nissan Pixo, Propel the duathlon bike, TCR Pro the road bike and Fuji the TT bike...
x 6160
Contact:

Re: Repairing glow plug insert threads in cylinder heads and extracting broken glow plugs.

Post by CitroJim »

Finguy wrote:
CitroJim wrote:Excellent :D Just seen this... It may come in very handy soon as I believe Gabriel has a bit of a duff thread on one glowplug...
Gabriel may become friends with Time-Sert... :D
I think that is very likely ;)
Jim

Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
User avatar
Old-Guy
Posts: 1798
Joined: 11 Sep 2008, 12:08
Location: Gloucestershire
My Cars: 2011 Grand C4 Picasso VTR+ 1.6HDi in Kyanos Blue
1995 Xantia Estate SX 1.9TD in Vert Vega "The Green Lady" - now owned by XanTom
1998 Xantia 2.1 VXD Estate in Mauritius Blue - R.I.P. (terminal tin-worm)
x 17

Re: Repairing glow plug insert threads in cylinder heads and extracting broken glow plugs.

Post by Old-Guy »

Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur wrote:A seriously impressive account.

A quick leaf through the various Glow Plug threads and I find myself wondering whether someone can point me to a post detailing how to give oneself the best possible chance of not snapping 'em in the first place, most of the posts seem to deal with the 'aftermath'.
I can't claim great experience of XUD glowplugs, BUT:
I salvaged the fairly new glowplugs from the 2.1 VSX without any real problems; PlusGas-ed several days in advance. IIRC, the one that had to be wound all the way out with a socket was slightly swollen (but not coked) at the end of the body, suspect it had been overtightened when fitted. Probably the one that has now failed!
Subsequently swapped them all into the Green Lady for: 1 completely dead, 2 with dead tips, and #4 (behind the injection pump) OK. All the old, factory original, ones came out without any problem at all, but they had been PlusGas-ed a week before (and the car used several times) then PlusGas-ed again the night before. Quick blast with an airline before removing, to blow away any debris lurking in the recesses.

I'm not a fan of using copper-grease anywhere other than on brake callipers and C-I or steel exhaust joints. The copper powder in it, that makes it a good heat-conductor, could cause galvanic corrosion especially with light alloys. So I use ordinary HMP grease anywhere hot-ish like the cylinder head. White grease for locks, hinges, suspension linkages, etc.
2011 Grand C4 Picasso VTR+ 1.6HDi in Kyanos Blue
1995 Xantia Estate SX 1.9TD in Vert Vega "The Green Lady" - after 11 years now owned by XanTom
1998 Xantia 2.1 VXD Estate in Mauritius Blue - R.I.P. (terminal tin-worm)
Malcolm
Posts: 154
Joined: 01 Dec 2002, 15:01
Location: Sherburn in Elmet. UK
My Cars:

Re: Repairing glow plug insert threads in cylinder heads and extracting broken glow plugs.

Post by Malcolm »

Great post. I've done plugs on Pug 205, 405 and Xantia without any snapping. Got job to do on Trafic and one suggestion I've read is engine at normal operating temperature. Then snap electrode and squirt in electronic cleaner, Maplins, which will cool plug significantly to 'break' the fusion on threads. Haven't tried as yet but principle sounds good.
Malcolm
'98 Xantia Estate LX - RIP 13/08/16
'08 Renault Trafic 115dci
User avatar
CitroJim
A very naughty boy
Posts: 49531
Joined: 30 Apr 2005, 23:33
Location: Paggers
My Cars: Bluebell the AX, Polly the C3 Picasso, Pix the Nissan Pixo, Propel the duathlon bike, TCR Pro the road bike and Fuji the TT bike...
x 6160
Contact:

Re: Repairing glow plug insert threads in cylinder heads and extracting broken glow plugs.

Post by CitroJim »

Maybe try a can of electronics-grade freezer spray for an even better result perhaps.
Jim

Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
ekjdm14
(Donor 2020)
Posts: 1810
Joined: 19 Jan 2015, 17:42
Location: Congleton
Lexia Available: Yes
My Cars: '95 Xantia 1.9D automatic - 109k one of two remaining
'03 206 GTi180 - 97k in pieces being brought back up to snuff
'03 206 1.9TD - home-built veg-fuelled B-road bruiser
'99 306 SE 2.0i cabriolet - 92k awaiting service work ready for next summer
'97 306 XS 1.6i 3 door, Bianca White, from dead 12 years & seized solid to road legal in 7 days
x 212

Re: Repairing glow plug insert threads in cylinder heads and extracting broken glow plugs.

Post by ekjdm14 »

Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur wrote:A seriously impressive account.

A quick leaf through the various Glow Plug threads and I find myself wondering whether someone can point me to a post detailing how to give oneself the best possible chance of not snapping 'em in the first place, most of the posts seem to deal with the 'aftermath'.
I don't think the XUD heads are particularly prone to snapping of plugs, certainly all the ones I've had cause to remove have done so without issue. Only swears that were said were down to the #4 being restricted for access behind the pump, as long as you use tape/blu tack or similar to hold the terminal nut into the socket there's nothing to it though :)
'95 Xantia LX 1.9D-auto, Black, 109k
'03 206 GTi180 94k in surgery
'03 206 1.1S XUD9TE/veg project :mrgreen:
'99 306 2.0SE cabriolet 95k summer toy
'97 306 XS 1.6i 99k sat 12 years, fixed in 7 days, 150mile maiden voyage :rofl2:
Post Reply