Snapped Glow Plug at Tip

[sterion75]

Thought I would share this information for anyone else who suffers the problem. If you ever change glow plugs on a car make sure the engine is hot first and always be aware if the plug is "stretching" when your undoing it. If it is then back it off a 1/4 of a turn and carry on

Obviously there are a few options to remove a glow plug that has snapped off at the tip but before you take off the head try this

First try running it for a few miles at 4k revs. Then spray in an amount of WD40 into the hole leave overnight and then take out again at 4k. At this point ours still hadn't shifted. We then went to an engineering firm to get some silver steel(cut to an ok length). One with the thickness of the shaft and one with the thickness of the tip.

Warm the engine first and then get to business. If the tip is above the lower recess(the hole gets smaller down the hole where the tip goes into) then try tapping it with a hammer using the larger silver steel drift. Make sure to measure the depth of the drift before hand and tap until the tip moves only 1/8 of an inch is needed, otherwise use the smaller drift. All we are trying to do is to attempt to move the tip slightly. Once it has moved spray down some more WD40 and take it for a drive again taking the engine to 4k. If it isn't out yet repeat the procedure move the tip no more the 1/8 of an inch at the time. Eventually when you start the engine it will shoot out at high speed

Hope this is helpful to someone

Robbie

[Malcolmd]

Originally Posted by sterion75

Eventually when you start the engine it will shoot out at high speed

Malcolm.

[sterion75]

Better out than in as they say

[davidireland]

Only one cure for that, don't break one in the first place.

You have to be massively careful!

[sterion75]

Even Peugeot technicians break them main stealers quoted for head off additionally as coincidental price if a glow plug broke when replacing them.

I personally think it is a bad design for injectors the ceramic isn't up to the job

[davidireland]

True. It only seems to happen on engines with 16 valve heads.
I use a combo of 5w/30 engine oil and spray oil. Twist in/out tiny bits until the plug comes out.

[jmkent]

Dealers got them all out of mine without breaking them, and thats a 16v engine too
Bit of a job though apparently due to where they are on the engine.

[davidireland]

Originally Posted by jmkent

Dealers got them all out of mine without breaking them, and thats a 16v engine too
Bit of a job though apparently due to where they are on the engine.

I did five sets of them last week. Couple of 407's a c4 picasso and a dispatch. All came out ok.

[Gibbo]

I'd have thought changing plugs when hot would be a recipe for disaster - everything is hot and metal expands when hot.

[davidireland]

Originally Posted by Gibbo

I'd have thought changing plugs when hot would be a recipe for disaster - everything is hot and metal expands when hot.

The contrary. The heat burns the carbon off the ends of them. The carbon on their tips is what makes them stick in head.