Glowplug life?

XantiaMan · Post by **XantiaMan** » 16 Apr 2008, 17:42

Just wondering what is a decent lifespan for O.E spec glowplugs? Mileage and age!

Gareth

Post by **myglaren** » 16 Apr 2008, 18:40

Only anecdotal I'm afraid but as far as I am aware, my Xantia still had it's original glow plugs at 6 years and 170,000 ~ish.
The C5 is still on the originals, again 6 years now and 120,000.

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » 16 Apr 2008, 19:30

I changed the previous ones at 118K though some were still working, and on the present one, as you've probably realised all four were dead @ 116K. I did find a locknut (nylon top thread) on the third plug and don't think it had been tightened sufficiently which might have contributed to the failures? I noticed one manufacturer gives a 12 month guarantee

Champion cannot answer this either...
http://www.southern-exhausts.co.uk/Champion.htm

jmd · Post by **jmd** » 16 Apr 2008, 23:25

Some can last forever & some can go after a few months. That is my experience. There seems to be no hard and fast rule as regards longevity- a bit like us humans

Post by **elma** » 17 Apr 2008, 03:11

Mine are 3 yrs old and very strong. (Bosch ones)
Shame the engine isn't, it be very dead now.

steelcityuk · Post by **steelcityuk** » 17 Apr 2008, 10:46

It can be worth removing them for a check. Just because they meter OK doesn't mean they are good as new. Also looking at the carbon build up can give some insight into injector health. A badly sooted one could be a sign of a partially blocked injector.

As some members have stated some can last years (Beru), others (cheap aftermarket crap) weeks.

Steve.

XantiaMan · Post by **XantiaMan** » 17 Apr 2008, 13:39

The reason i ask, i have a receipt for glowplugs from 2002, i dont know the make of them but they were supplied by a Citroen main dealer, they will have done 120k now. My car still starts fine but hunts for a couple seconds from cold but im pretty confident its a glow plug or two thats duff, i've checked everything for air leaks, replaced leak offs, checked the filter housing and all is fine.

jmd · Post by **jmd** » 17 Apr 2008, 15:47

If your car starts fine - you can rule out glow plugs. Have you checked the fuel filter, or your hoses (fuel line) seems like air in the fuel system, check first around the filter housing, any sign of fuel leaks. Prime the bulb om the fuel line till it gets solid, and see how it behaves then , when you statr it.

steelcityuk · Post by **steelcityuk** » 17 Apr 2008, 16:00

If you're unsure how about rigging up a bulb or LED that draws power straight from the glowplug 'rail' that you can watch (fastened to the scuttle). With an inline fuse it would be safe enough and you should be able to tell if the plugs are being energised after starting or not.

Steve.

Post by **elma** » 17 Apr 2008, 18:21

XantiaMan583 wrote: My car still starts fine but hunts for a couple seconds from cold

Considering you use veg oil hunting for a couple of seconds is actually very good.

Try diesel only, bet it goes away and theres no air leak.

XantiaMan · Post by **XantiaMan** » 17 Apr 2008, 18:31

elma wrote:
XantiaMan583 wrote: My car still starts fine but hunts for a couple seconds from cold
Considering you use veg oil hunting for a couple of seconds is actually very good.

Try diesel only, bet it goes away and theres no air leak.

Nope its still the same on pure diesel, ran a tankfull just to try.

My feeling is that a couple have gone and even though it starts well (its always been excellent from cold) it doesnt fire properly on 1 or 2 cylinders until there's a bit of heat. We shall see when i get a chance to test them!

Priming the bulb till its hard has zero effect, and the fuel line from filter to pump has no bubbles in it at all, i replaced the original leak off's but that made no difference. Apart from the glowplugs which are unknown i can think of nothing else. It's definatly not running on 1 cylinder from cold, rather than being lumpy and uneven like you get when on high % of veg.

Gareth

lexi · Post by **lexi** » 17 Apr 2008, 19:01

Injector spray pattern can have an effect on glow plug life. Funny how the Ngks aint rated highly . On Jap trucks etc they are standard fitment and perform well. Maybe it`s a French thing . I might try Ngks with loads of Garlic on them

Alex

falling-out-with-my-car · Post by **falling-out-with-my-car** » 18 Apr 2008, 12:25

Mike-T,

Bosch Plugs Mike around eight years before failure.

regards nigel.

Post by **elma** » 19 Apr 2008, 02:45

XantiaMan583 wrote:
elma wrote:
XantiaMan583 wrote: My car still starts fine but hunts for a couple seconds from cold
Considering you use veg oil hunting for a couple of seconds is actually very good.

Try diesel only, bet it goes away and theres no air leak.
Nope its still the same on pure diesel, ran a tankfull just to try.

My feeling is that a couple have gone and even though it starts well (its always been excellent from cold) it doesnt fire properly on 1 or 2 cylinders until there's a bit of heat. We shall see when i get a chance to test them!

Priming the bulb till its hard has zero effect, and the fuel line from filter to pump has no bubbles in it at all, i replaced the original leak off's but that made no difference. Apart from the glowplugs which are unknown i can think of nothing else. It's definatly not running on 1 cylinder from cold, rather than being lumpy and uneven like you get when on high % of veg.

Gareth

Sounds like glow plugs or injectors then,
you havent got any diesel weeping from any injectors have you?
Have you changed the fuel filter recently too?
Sometimes on veg they last well, sometimes they don't.

If you can get hold of the plastic cartridge type instead of the paper funnel ones they work a lot better. Delphi do them, but very hard to get hold of now.

XantiaMan · Post by **XantiaMan** » 19 Apr 2008, 08:40

elma wrote: Sounds like glow plugs or injectors then,
you havent got any diesel weeping from any injectors have you?
Have you changed the fuel filter recently too?
Sometimes on veg they last well, sometimes they don't.

If you can get hold of the plastic cartridge type instead of the paper funnel ones they work a lot better. Delphi do them, but very hard to get hold of now.

Nope no weeping at all. Fuel filter was changed recently as it was overdue (15k) but only had normal amounts of dirt. I find when a filter is first changed the car is very flat until its fully soaked with diesel/veg and self-bled, a fast run does this a treat and within 5 miles it was back to its perky self. No change though!

When i ran diesel through it last week i did put some injector cleaner through the system, apart from an intermittant flash of the EML thats the only difference i saw and its been running great otherwise, with 45mpg still!

It's something i'm going to live with for now, when the weather does get truly warmer (over 15 C) it should improve as the need for glowplugs lessens.