2008 Berlingo stuck glow plug electrode

[Ian_99]

I got a tube of liqui moli "glow plug grease" that I am going to use for the new glow plugs, it wasn't too expensive. Hopefully I'll be able to actually use it though

[MattBLancs]

I used the white "ceramic grease" - not white lithium grease, but something that is supposedly for brakes now copper grease is falling out of favour. I put plenty on the glow plugs but equally wonder if most HDi engines would see need for a third glow plug change!

[Ian_99]

Praying to the glow plug gods did not work as the second one is now out completely as well, without the tip...


This one didn't come out as clean as I wished for, this is how it looks inside the engine block:


I may try to fish out this other metal wire first with some tweezers, don't have any pliers small enough to fit inside there. Letting it shoot out like this might damage something along the way I'm afraid.

Edit: My tweezers are too big... I might need a surgeon for this.
I also measured the depth and I can't go further than 72mm. It should still be clear from the engine head, I'll turn it over manually, very carefully, before starting it properly if I can't fish this wire out at all.

[shtu]

You could try making a hook out of a welding rod or similar, or modify a pick tool like https://rolsontools.com/products/4pc-pick-hook-set

I wouldn't worry too much about the bits damaging anything if you do decide to try and blow them out under running, there's not much weight in what's left in there.

It's quite odd that it's the very tip that's failed in that way.

[Ian_99]

You could try making a hook out of a welding rod or similar, or modify a pick tool like https://rolsontools.com/products/4pc-pick-hook-set

I wouldn't worry too much about the bits damaging anything if you do decide to try and blow them out under running, there's not much weight in what's left in there.

It's quite odd that it's the very tip that's failed in that way.

Yeah I came up with some ideas to try and get that out, got some plastic tools as well so I don't need to be too careful about damaging something.
It looks very weird as the inside of the tip that's still there is completely hollow. The wires must be the heating element itself.

[MattBLancs]

It looks very weird as the inside of the tip that's still there is completely hollow. The wires must be the heating element itself.

Yes, that's my understanding: the tungsten wire = heating element of the glow plug itself, sat inside the shroud (material of which I can't remember!)

[Ian_99]

Tried to get the remaining wire out but it was not possible with my tools, with a thin iron wire I managed to pull it up but I couldn't get anything to grab onto it, it's such a tiny space!
So I decided to give it a go and put everything together, changed air and fuel (came with 2 big o-rings for some reason) filter while at it, and gave it a spin and it started in within a few seconds, no weird sounds!
Now it's the waiting game... I'll have all the tools in the car at the ready and hope it the 2 bits won't fly out on a drive to work

[Ian_99]

Good news! One of them shot out after just half an hour of driving. Luckily I had plenty of time to put a new glow plug in, thanks to someone letting me use their driveway to do that. Scared me at first as I didn't expect it to happen this soon. I'll see if giving it a good trashing can get the second one out, but that one seemed a lot more stuck...

[mickthemaverick]

Just a thought with nothing to back it up Ian but maybe a dose of a cetane booster, like the one in the link, may just get a bigger bang with more chance of blasting the other one out? https://www.diy.com/departments/redex-d ... 540_BQ.prd

[Paul-R]

Good news! One of them shot out after just half an hour of driving.

How big a dent did it put in your bonnet?

[Ian_99]

Just a thought with nothing to back it up Ian but maybe a dose of a cetane booster, like the one in the link, may just get a bigger bang with more chance of blasting the other one out? https://www.diy.com/departments/redex-d ... 540_BQ.prd

Interesting idea, but I'll try some high RPMs first, barely got over 3k with this short test ride.

Good news! One of them shot out after just half an hour of driving.

How big a dent did it put in your bonnet?

I got no clue( there's dents everywhere already ), the air box is in between it and the bonnet though. Couldn't find the glow plug piece anywhere or see much damage, it probably fell onto the road. The engine sounds normal so I think it's safe to say it didn't go into the head at least?