*SOLVED* 2004 1.4 HDi glow plug removal, how difficult?

[avamotor]

Hello FCF,

I have recently had the "anti pollution fault" on the display and having read the codes with a "generic" code reader it points to the glow plugs (as i didn't do anything from last time that is) so I have decided to "bite the bullet" and try to change them. As with anything I have tried to read up on the internet how to do this successfully without snapping the glow plugs as there are a few site where people say they have snapped/sheared them off and ended up having to remove the head in order to rectify them.

Is it best to run the engine until hot and then proceed to burn my hands trying to get the glow plugs out or is WD40/gas oil the best way forward? I have removed air box and EGR valve and found that i have to work blind as they are at the rear of the engine but has anyone had one snap or are they more resilient to snap as claimed on other websites? I dont fancy taking the cylinder head off for a laugh

[Lighty]

These are good, but expensive

http://www.sykes-pickavant.com/08590000 ... fault.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[avamotor]

That does look good, whilst i would love to sell everything that belonged to "er indoors" to fund this essential piece of kit, I am sure there would be some downside somewhere where she cant justify spending on this.

Failing that i guess its a case of try carefully, pray lots, hope they come out without shearing off and if they do, look at the inside of my cylinder head and spend a vast fortune putting it right !!!

[Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur]

or pay a garage to do it, then they're obliged to get 'em out without issue.

Glowplug removal falls very much into the 'rather not' category for me as obviously a snapp-age is a bit of a disaster; thankfully I've never yet needed to change a set.

[Zutalors]

I would also recommend finding a local independent to do it for you....just had mine done on my 1.6HDi and the duff plug was swelling up; if it had got stuck it would have been a head off job - as it was it only cost £115 for the job including parts and got it back same day. The place I used was an engine specialist so they would have the best experience.

[avamotor]

Hello All,

I have read some good advice about how to do this but decided to have a go tonight

Unfortunately my careful excitement soon disappeared on removing the 3rd glow plug, when there was a "crack" shortly followed by easy turning of the glow plug

At that point i pulled out what i thought was a complete glow-plug and it turned out to be missing the tip of the plug or at least 23mm of it!

http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg5 ... 181841.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As its the glow plug closest to the gearbox, other websites have claimed that starting the car up "should cause the tip to come out at the speed of a bullet!" however as i dont wish to replace the windscreen too through bullet/glow plug riddled missiles leaving the engine, could i confirm if:-

if the glow plug tip is carefully "drifted" back in (already sprayed in WD40) could the injector be removed very carefully and the broken tip removed from the injector "orifice" using a magnet?

If so, how do you remove the injector without shearing that off too!!!!

suggestions gratefully received!

[Hell Razor5543]

I wouldn't drift it in, as you cannot guarantee you will be able to recover it through the injector port. I can see why 'starting' it would blow the tip back out, as the compression cycle should do it. However, to stop it heading off in the direction of something expensive I would try to use something to catch it (like, for example, a cheap loaf of bread), and raising the front of the car (and leaving out all of the glow plugs), putting the car in gear, and turning the engine over by turning a wheel (which should allow the pressure to build more slowly, which should mean that the tip would come out with less force).

[avamotor]

Well tried soaking it in plus gas all night, turned the engine over by hand but no movement on the broken glow plug tip as yet!

Would "thermal shock" aid its removal, i.e. using freeze spray (as used by central heating geezers) to attempt to shrink the broken tip by microns tap it back towards the piston by 2 or 3 mm use a bit of plus gas and the turn it over the engine by hand again to see how good a bullet the broken tip can be? or by use of gas blow torch aimed at the hole and again turn over engine by hand????

Tried tapping carefully earlier but couldn't seem to get it to move, maybe i should try brute force otherwise it is cylinder off and i did want to avoid doing that, also is it easy to remove an injector from the 1.4 hdi?

Tonight i are'll mostly be:- soaking the glow plug "billet" it in vinegar to try and help soften the carbon build up in the fond hope that it could be encouraged to get out of my engine.

Clever people please help!

[uncle buck]

So what eventually happened, did you get it out or what ?

It's nice to have an ending to a thread as it helps others.



Cheers.

[avamotor]

Hello Uncle Buck,

Sorry for the delay in replying but 2016 has proved to be a difficult year! glad to see the back of it.

Please see post :-

https://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/ ... =4&t=44462

Mission accomplished!!!!!!!