Vec c glow plugs

[Bren]

I want to replace the glow plugs on my cdti - access is pretty good but I have heard horror stories about them seizing/snapping in the head - they will have to be done because cold starts are becoming an embarrassment.

 

Any advice / experience?

[Forty-two]

I always found tight awkward to release items benefit from being worked both ways. Undo a touch, do back up, undo, back up again. Before you know it, it's out.

 

Soaking in plus gas when something really won't move also helps.

[twosmoke300]

Soak in plus gas . Take it for a thrash so it's as hot as poss. Oh and work them back and forward as previously mentioned. Good luck

[scooters]

Are you sure the morning fog is the glow plugs? They are pretty tough these days. I would take them out and bench test them...

 

Bench test glowplugs,

1/ attatch jump leads to battery

2/ attatch positive lead to terminal,

3/ ensure glow plug is somewhere it cand destroy with fire

4/ touch negative lead to the collar of the plug

5/ if it glows red hot in 3 seconds or so it is good

 

If the glow plugs turn out ok then you should look at the starter motor, whilst the car can still start, it is often a lazy starter that causes thus if flow plugs are ok. You need to inspect the motor carefully looking for water ingress and also checking the state if the main earth cables, most modern cars are built on the cheap so you can find little or no petroleum jelly has been applied to earths, or to keep the starter nice and dry.

 

I've seen this on about 50% of the 20 or so cdtis we have fixed for customers, white, uncombusted diesel fog on start. Glow plugs ok. In the case of Ford's the starter motor actuator ring and points have been encrusted in road salt due to blocked drain holes...solution, if it isn't too bad, remove, take your wifes best saucepan and boil for an hour on the hob, I sometimes add some vinegar. This breaks down the chlorides enough to allow you to re use the actuator ring and saves the cost of a new one and hanging around for Woods to deliver one.

 

My theory why this happens is on ford sourced cdtis, the motor is exposed but also behind the plastic splash guard, rather than protecting the engine bay from moisture these things tend to trap it and stop the natural flow of air from keeping everything nice and dry. Far better to remove this and use Vaseline to protect the lectrics. Old ways is best ways...

 

Not done a vectra before but did an astra with similar and it was the starter motor.

 

Worth also checking the egr valve and inlet manifold for clag and also the fuel filter especially if you have been using supermarket diesel. Inlet slag plays havoc with the ecu causing too much fuel and cheap diesel sitting in the filter diesnt have the detergent in it to ensure that bacteria hasn't formed, easy check is to open the filter, if it is full of really nasty snit and grollies then bin and replace and ensure every 3rd tankful is posh stuff. FYI posh diesel has soap and detergent added to keep bacteria and slag down to a minimum. The bacteria eats the hydrocarbons and shits out water, again causing all sorts if problems with readings and eventual faliure if the injectors which on a cdti shitter are so expensive to replace, they write the car off. Horrible bloody things cdtis.

 

But check the plugs first, then the inlet manifold egr and filter, good idea to clean them out. Then the starter motor.

 

If they all check out ok then next stop is the DMF which is tricky and expensive to sort....

 

Buy a 1.6 petrol car or an old tdi!

 

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[scooters]

The predictive text makes me sound like the live child of Herr Flick and the English Gendarm

 

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[scooters]

Love child ...even

 

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[Bren]

Does any body know if you can get a box spanner on them? I figure they are more likely to break if you are using a spanner on them.

[alf892]

Not sure if these are the tiny ones like on the 1.3cdti if so no wonder they break off! 8mm spanner size and really spindly little buggers? I've got a set to do on my mums corsa.....looks like a 1/4 drive drive socket would do the trick. Like someone else said do them on red hot engine and pray.