4.2 TDi Glow plug (near) disaster
 

My 4.2 Tdi was struggling to start when cold.

VCDS confirmed 4 glow plugs wern't working.

As the glow plugs are on the top of the engine and reasonably easy to access, it seemed logical to replace all 8 as they're relatively cheap items.

Out of the 8, 4 came out ok, and were replaced.

1 left its thread behind in the head.

1 snapped the head off leaving the plug embedded in the head.

The other 2 we chickened out on.... +++


So, a number of phone calls later (I can't take credit, it was Maria actually) and most people said it was head off and drill them out, but we ended up being passed along to one guy who's only job in life (literally) is to remove stuck glow plugs and injectors from diesels heads....

Sadly I wasn't there, but we removed the (few in this case) items that were blocking his easy access to the plugs, he setup his mega expensive spirit level based equipment and drilled precisely down the middle of the glow plug with a counter threaded removal tool. I've used them before, you basically drill in reverse until it bits and forces the screw / bolt etc out, but this was done with millimetric levels of precision.

The result is the 2 failed ones removed, the snapped one removed, and using some other specialist tools he went into the hole and came back up cleaning out the threads for the last one.

Basically, good as new.

Pricing was something along the lines of £200 for the first one, £100 for the second and £50 each after that. Plus VAT, plus travel mileage.....

Not pocket change, but massively less disruptive than taking the heads off for sure....

The remains of the old ones. On the far right you can see the one that stripped its threads and left them behind in the head:

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1521150980

The newly created threads inside as a result of the extraction tools:

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1521150980

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1521150980

And this tub is full of all the metal parts - Nothing went in the engine, of this he was most certain and proud.....

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1521150980


Runs sweet as a nut now, starts from cold like its fully warmed up. Brilliant +++

Good stuff +++ I'm surprised how much swarf can be made from glow plugs!

Sheeesh! That’s scary. Dreading my one.

I've never seen anything like that, amazing work!

Bloody hell! Hear of this kind of thing but never seen the pictures.
What make are the plugs BERU? BOSCH? Not very impressive how they aren't strong enough to withstand being unscrewed after their life is up.

Quite often the same issue with lambda probes - the problem in both cases isn't helped by the harshness of the environment they're sitting in, the fact they won't be removed between new install and failure, their purpose is to provide heat so they heat cycle a lot.

Good to know people provide these services - I imagine it'd cost a fair wedge more down this neck of the woods!

A

Ian, as an aside, do you have piccy's of your 4.2TDI? I'd love to have a nosey! I am a real petrol head but there is something about big diesels I find fascinating! There is a V10 Touareg up for sale near me at the moment and I wish it would get sold! I can't imagine the torque :D

This much torque:

https://secure.i.telegraph.co.uk/mul...r_2905314b.jpg

:D

Holy moly!!Thanks MJ, I've never seen that pic before!+++

MJs photo was just a teaser. Watch the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmM-635RR6o