where on earth are they?

[vantastic]

hiya folks,
I hope not to be a single issue poster in here but my big issue at the moment,
Dispatch not happy in the cold weather even less so in very cold weather like most desiel's.I've replaced the battery but am thinking the glow plugs may need a change? She is a 2002 you know...
question is where are the glow plugs?
some say under the engine some say on top
I am a dufus with engines but willing to have a go...
many thanks
Chaz

[Lighty]

Would help if you said which engine, guessing its a DW8, if so they are under the plastic inlet manifold, if you are a "dufus", I wouldnt attempt it, they can be tricky

[vantastic]

Thanks Lighty yep DW8 that I do kno..LOl!
hear they can be tricky but think it needs doing and the local garage syas it will take a day and 1/2 labour plus costs of plugs..think I can do it a lot cheaper my self TBH!

[myglaren]

Thanks Lighty yep DW8 that I do kno..LOl!
hear they can be tricky but think it needs doing and the local garage syas it will take a day and 1/2 labour plus costs of plugs..think I can do it a lot cheaper my self TBH!

I'm sure you can do it quicker and cheaper than that.

I was at a friends garage and suggested that the glow plugs on a 306 D-Turbo were buggered.
He pulled them (10 minutes), checked them (2 minutes) sent someone out for replacements and installed the new ones in about 20 minutes and had the car running again a few minutes later.

Guy wrote the car off the following week

[artdjones]

Book time is 0.8 hours for the glowplugs on a DW8.It could take a bit longer if the plastic manifold is a bit sticky but around an hour to an hour and a quarters labour would be fair.

[Monkeyfeet]

If you've got to the stage of wanting to do the job and posting here then you're obviously up to the job of changing the glow plugs!

Post some photos if you're not sure which engine you have, there's lots of people on this forum with knowledge and willingness to help. Mind you it's pretty cold outside at the moment but you could save some pennies and learn a bit about your motor if you do go ahead.
Personally I've changed quite a few Citroen glowplugs over the years and if I can do it anyone can..............

[citroenxm]

DW8 plugs are sooooooooooooooo much eayer to do then XUD plugs as they are ABOVE the injectors, facing upwards!!!

They are quite long too... undo the plugs heater link wire on the right side and remove the plactic inlet manifold.. Two 10mm bolts at the front in the inectors area, and two up the rear holding the top half (plastic) to the lower half metal.. then release the EGR clip from the EGR recirculate pipe.. remove the upper manifold..

Youll see the plugs facing up at you with the link wire that powers them linking them.. 8mm for the small nut, and 12mm for the heater plug itself..

[red_dwarfers]

This thread might be worth a read, some good pointers in there.

[citroenxm]

DW8 engines are by NO means hard though Kev.. I think Peugeot saw how hard XUD plugs were to do and so moved the plugs ABOVE the injectors... So theres no need for strings, cloths, or magnets! Just lift the old out and drop the new in!! EVEN the one behind the pump is simple. Its a shame the XUD should of had that from the off...

[red_dwarfers]

Even better, he's got no excuse now

[ecohouse1]

I was wrestling with my XUD Glow Plugs on Saturday in horiziontal sleet and cold - lovely.

Turns out it was the 2nd one in from the cambelt that was a dud - NGK - didn;t look athat old.

Access on these was awful! The magnetic tool is a cracking aid though - especially puting the 8mm nut down and holding it to the end of the GP - you can just get your finger tips in to start it on the thread.Luckily the plugs came out with finger tips once they had been "cracked" - Only replaced the duf one though - not that much of a glutton for punishment!

My plugs were showing 1.2 ohms working and the duffer was open circuit.

My old BX plus were 0.8 ohms and chunkier. I replaced the duffer with one of these,

Nice smooth cold start with no stuttering and smoke - Nice!

[Monkeyfeet]

Something I try and check with glowplugs - after doing resistance checks and getting ok readings it can be worth doing a further health check: I've stuck the plugs across a battery and found that sometimes only the tip glows, as opposed to an even glow for the length of the plug. Swapping them out made a noticeable difference to cold starts.
PS. Wear gloves and use decent jump leads if attempting this

[Rhothgar]

He pulled them (10 minutes), checked them (2 minutes) sent someone out for replacements and installed the new ones in about 20 minutes and had the car running again a few minutes later.

WHAT?

He obviously didn't change the one behind the pump! That one alone takes me about 2 hours on a Xantia. You'll be aware Steve, I changed mine after doing only the other 3 and left the one behind the pump for a rainy day (9 months later).

After I'd got it out, it was bloody well working! Well miffed after all the effort. Then Jim slagged NGK's off and I still have a cold start issue.

[myglaren]

He pulled them (10 minutes), checked them (2 minutes) sent someone out for replacements and installed the new ones in about 20 minutes and had the car running again a few minutes later.

WHAT?

He obviously didn't change the one behind the pump! That one alone takes me about 2 hours on a Xantia. You'll be aware Steve, I changed mine after doing only the other 3 and left the one behind the pump for a rainy day (9 months later).

After I'd got it out, it was bloody well working! Well miffed after all the effort. Then Jim slagged NGK's off and I still have a cold start issue.

Yep, he had all four in the office and tested them on a battery as described above.
Only one was a Beru, only two worked at all and they were poor and glowed halfway up the stem.

He isn't a 'professional' mechanic but rather like Jim is a very capable chap.
A bugger for losing car keys though

He does all the family's cars now except little odds and sods that I do when caught unawares.

[Rhothgar]

I know where to come when I'm up in T&W and need a glow plug change.

Of course, if he charges £200 an hour...