Xantia eats glo-plugs

BigMac · Post by **BigMac** » 20 Jan 2004, 05:14

My 94 Xantia 1.9D is devouring glo-plugs (2 lots of 4 in 3 months, *and* the right Beru ones). I suspect the glo-plug relay but before I start dismantling can someone please point me to the right place in the engine bay?
TIA

arry_b · Post by **arry_b** » 20 Jan 2004, 05:27

How about rigging a lightbulb from glowplug + feed to earth and runing it inside the car. You'll be able to see when / if the relay is supplying current to the 'plugs, then decide if you need to delve around with the relay.
Remember the Citroen Owners mantra - Cheapest thing first!

blueboy2001 · Post by **blueboy2001** » 20 Jan 2004, 07:58

Classic symptom of a failed plug relay - leaving the plugs permanently switched on. Another common symptom is it takes 3/4 turns of the key to get the glow plug light to come on.

BigMac · Post by **BigMac** » 22 Jan 2004, 04:57

Thanks, arry b and blueboy2001. There is definitely feed to the plugs altho I dont know how long it lasts. Suspect blueboy2001 is right and they are on permanently. But *where* is that relay??

davey · Post by **davey** » 23 Jan 2004, 03:44

bigmac,
the glo plug controller is a little black box bigger than a relay forward of the battery mounted on the inner wing. every one i've come across so far has had bad corrosion on the ext power connections and internal cct board - shorts in there will cause you probs. they can be dismantled easily you may have to clean inside with alcohol & toothbrush and rework any bad solder joints. failing that new unit!

BigMac · Post by **BigMac** » 24 Jan 2004, 05:35

davey, thanks - on my '94 1.9D the relay seems to be a Valeo "prechauffage" unit immediately behind the battery with an additional black connection box beside it attached to an angled bracket. I plan to take them both out tomorrow if it stays dry and clean them up. Then its time to spend more cash buying yet another set of Berus from GSF....

Robin · Post by **Robin** » 24 Jan 2004, 22:12

While on this subject of eating glo plugs, I fully follow the line of the failed relay control but in addition it is also possible that a bad injector or injectors that are no longer delivering in the right pattern can direct fuel onto the injector tips and cause glo plug failure this way.
This problem usually only burns out one or two plugs and the same ones of course.
Best wishes, R

BigMac · Post by **BigMac** » 25 Jan 2004, 05:55

Robin, thanks for the idea altho Im not sure I follow the logic of what you say. Will check out the injectors later - first, lets see if a relay clean-up and new glo-plugs makes any difference.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 25 Jan 2004, 13:53

I think a bad injector would show up as poor starting, uneven running and smoke emmissions.
Jeremy

BigMac · Post by **BigMac** » 26 Jan 2004, 06:04

Jeremy, thats what I thought - but since my car runs smoothly *except at start-up* and produces very little smoke, I'll try to sort out the glo-plug side first. Mind you, the injectors could probably do with a once-over given that they've done 164,000+ miles.