Glow plugs

[mbev51]

hi
my transit is a 2001 2.0 tddi 100bhp fwd. I've stripped it down so that I can see the glowplugs and have given them a good squirt of 3 in 1 penetrating spray. I intend to do it again before attempting to remove them. One of the glowplugs is hiding behind two of the injector feed pipes. Do you have to disconnect these two pipes at the injector end and force them to one side to get access to the glowplug?

Also will a 1/4 drive socket set do to withdraw the glowplugs? I'm not sure I have a long 1/2 inch socket to fit. I've done a few sets of glowplugs mainly on citroen xud engines and a vw tdi, without incident, only had one really tight one which had to be backed of a bit. Are theseford ones any tighter than normal and more prone to snapping? I think as I'm getting older my bottle is going, I just used to lay into jobs without worrying.

what is the garage job time just in case I put it into the ford garage. Thanks for any advice.

[ake]

There are some stories on here about them being prone to snapping, personnally if I could't get one out I would just leave it in and disconnect it from the supply, A duratorq should start without glowplugs anyway, so will certainly start with 3 working

[psv-hgv-flt]

test it first, if you put a live from batt to golwplug, (if it gives a small-light spark) when touching wire to it then it is ok. if no small spark at all then it is f***, if you need to remove then do it when hot.

[mbev51]

hi
thanks for that tip about checking the glowplugs.

[mbev51]

hi
just finished the job, actually did it on a stone cold engine. To be honest I was overly concerned about how difficult a job it might be. I soaked them on three separate occasions before attempting to do the job and they came out fine with the half inch drive socket. Had to disconnect one of the pipes to an injector, worst part was dealing with the small nuts on the ends of the glowplugs. A good hex socket is a must.

I will monitor early morning starting when the temperature is low. Will be putting in a new set of engine batteries soon so that might help as well.

[ake]

Have you tested that they get power, ie that the fusible link is ok

[mbev51]

Not sure where the fusible is, the relay clicks and power is getting to the busbar terminal. I tested the resistance of each old glowplug without getting any reading, the new ones each gave a reading around 1.5 ohms. The batteries are well over 8 years old now, they may be struggling a bit now when its cold.

[MrMPuk]

Nothing wrong with your glowplugs then.

[AndyG]

Sound like they were open circuit to me

[mbev51]

Mrmpuk, do you mean the old glowplugs or the new ones?

[mbev51]

hi
just an update. It was about -4 C ish at 8.30 and it started first time. Before I started it I checked the batteries and the voltage was 12.45v, which according to haynes is a bit low. I could soldier on with these original batteries, I'm tempted to buy two new alphaline tin calcuim batteries as we are off on a holiday to morocco in the next couple of weeks.