Xantia's extra glow plugs

jonnydrumm1967 · Unread post by **jonnydrumm1967** » 28 Dec 2010, 16:13

Apologies if this has been covered before,for i'm sure it has..

My Xantia SX Hdi has 4 glow plugs in a plastic housing that's in the heater hose at the bulkhead.Just noticed them today

What is their function?
Thanks.

imperial21 · Unread post by **imperial21** » 28 Dec 2010, 16:19

It warms the coolant on the supply side of the heater matrix, to give you heat in the car faster, helps for clearing the windscreen etc as the HDI engine does nt warm as quick as the petrols. (so i have been told ! )

jonnydrumm1967 · Unread post by **jonnydrumm1967** » 28 Dec 2010, 16:23

Thanks for the quick reply!
I'm pretty sure they don't work then,will have to pull them out and test.
Cheers.

Unread post by **xantia_v6** » 28 Dec 2010, 16:53

How well do these things work (when they are working)?
What are they controlled by?
What would be the logistics of fitting them to a petrol Xantia?

DickieG · Unread post by **DickieG** » 28 Dec 2010, 19:02

Their purpose is as Imperial states to heat the water entering the heater matrix, they are controlled by the engine ECU via two green relays located either side of the pink headlamp washer relay within the fuse/relay box behind the battery.

The unit comes into operation a couple of minutes after starting the engine and remains on until the coolant temperature reaches about 80°c.

Removing the unit is a complete pain in the you know what as it is secured by two totally inaccessible Torx screws to a metal bracket held onto the bulkhead by two 13mm headed bolts which are located under about six metal hydraulic pipe's.

How do I know all this? Well the unit on my HDi is leaking in the joint between the two halves of assembly so I've managed to remove one from a HDi in a breakers yard which was a right old palaver.

You could potentially fit one to a petrol car but I'd wonder why you'd want to, apart from the additional wiring and water pipe adaptations you'll also need to upgrade the alternator to the 120 amp one fitted to HDi's fitted with this unit.

Having now owned a later HDi Exclusive with the Eberspacher diesel burning heater and now one with the glowplug heater, comparing their heating performance, the glowplug one gets going quicker but once underway (it takes the best part of 5 minutes) the Eberspacher one produces more heat to get the engine temperature up to operating temperature, ultimately swings and roundabouts.

spider · Unread post by **spider** » 28 Dec 2010, 19:34

There would be little point fitting to a petrol engined car apart from extreme (really extreme!) cold climates.

As has been said its to provide some warmth as the HDi does not warm up very quickly in cold conditions.

Xsarahdi · Unread post by **Xsarahdi** » 28 Dec 2010, 20:49

Would a Xsara HDi 110 have these?

Unread post by **citroenxm** » 28 Dec 2010, 20:52

Likely, as the HDi is soooo slow at warming up...

Look at the heater hoses, at the back of the engine bay! You wont miss it if its fitted!

Paul