glow plug follow up

[dieselboy]

i did my glow plugs today
well all 3 of them...

the one on number two cylinder broke off on the tip.. so now i need help :/

it came out nicely and steady as i was being careful, then i heard a crack.. when i tried to remove the plug the coil was holding the two pieces together.

i had the idea to crank it over with nothing in the hole to try and blast the end out.

so i turn the key and it fires up like brand new... and idles pretty much fine!
at this point, i have two old plugs in, one brand new one, and half of one.
once we stopped laughing, i gave it some revs but it hasnt come out yet.

so now i have 3 good plugs in, all connected up. and a hole.

im hoping that driving it round today it will eventually pop out. then i can pull over and put a new one in
otherwise i'll need tonyN!!

so how much tony?

[MattF]

Far as I know, if it ain't made horrid noises from that cylinder by now, there's a good chance it either broke up ages ago or has practically disintegrated by now. It's only a ceramic? tip, so don't think it would cause any major damage.

[dieselboy]

well ive been driving it home, and about to go up do meet joker, then over to kent...
there is nothing screwed in the hole where the glow plug should be, and it doesnt miss fire or blow anything out which means its still plugged.

apparently this sort of thing happens on mercs, and they get left because they still run fine once they started up.
the mers ends cannot go into the bore, and i looked at my tip and it looks tapered. but im hoping if it comes loose, its when the cylinder is under 22:1 pressure so it comes out instead of going in.

when this happens it should sound like the exhaust manifold has fallen off and i can pull over and wack a plug in.
i really hope i dont have to take the head off.

this sort of thing always happens to me: as soon as i manage to save a little bit of money, i have to spend it and more :/

i hope im lucky today.
thanks for the info matt

[dieselboy]

started the truck this morning.
50% veg mix, 10c outside..

i waited for the light to go out only.
cranked over, and started without any problems. then mis fired like a HT lead had been left off, for about 10 seconds and then idled fine after that...

how queer...

i reckon i could use more than 50% mix now i have decent glow plugs in..

ps. i still havnt blown the tip of the oldplug out yet.
im thinking of running it low on fuel, then topping up with reddex and diesel to clear any carbon build up around that plug.

[plumb bob]

ips. i still havnt blown the tip of the oldplug out yet.
im thinking of running it low on fuel, then topping up with reddex and diesel to clear any carbon build up around that plug.

Can't hurt

[dieselboy]

Can't hurt

its stupid. there is nothing holding it in apart from dirt. ive been driving it around all day and night, did half a tank of juice without anything like a hic-up..

i bet its like this for a year! :/

[surfenstein]

its stupid. there is nothing holding it in apart from dirt. ive been driving it around all day and night, did half a tank of juice without anything like a hic-up..

i bet its like this for a year! :/

try squirting some penetrating oil /carb cleaner down the hole.and leave it overnight,

[The Lang-Shankit Scunner]

its stupid. there is nothing holding it in apart from dirt. ive been driving it around all day and night, did half a tank of juice without anything like a hic-up..

i bet its like this for a year! :/

Have you tried a metal stick or like of a coat hanger with super glue on the end, and holding it till set and leave it to strengthen, then give it a godd pull later?

Just spitballing, not tried and tested

[dieselboy]

try squirting some penetrating oil /carb cleaner down the hole.and leave it overnight,

good idea, i havnt thought of that! i will do this next week. i dont drive it during the week anymore so it gets parked up until next weekend. then i will have some time and daylight to try this
cheers!

[dieselboy]

Have you tried a metal stick or like of a coat hanger with super glue on the end, and holding it till set and leave it to strengthen, then give it a godd pull later?

Just spitballing, not tried and tested

hmm, im worried about poking things down there in case it goes in the bore. then i got a fkd engine!

im hoping tonyN will read this and explain what the head is like, and if there is any chance it can fall in once its loose??

[BUSHWHACKER]

try squirting some penetrating oil /carb cleaner down the hole.and leave it overnight,

Then you'll wake up screaming, run outside and tear the broken plug out with you bare hands!



See Matron afterwards for some ointment.

[TonyN]

im hoping tonyN will read this and explain what the head is like, and if there is any chance it can fall in once its loose??

How much is left in there? If there is any taper on the bit thats left it won't fall in.

If it falls through, it'll land in the pre-combustion chamber, then if its smaller than the hole out to the bore then it do one of the following... get stuck under a valve and bend it (worst), get mashed up between piston and head/valve faces (not so bad if its thin enough) or swept out on the exhaust stroke (best and harmless option).

In all honestly you're best bet is to leave alone if its not leaking compression and just run on 3 glowplugs, it'll be fine.

If its just a tiny bit, you may find it'll get spat out once it starts to free due to the compression.

If it was loose enough to fall in, it wouldn't have broken off, if the truck still runs fine, it must still be jammed in there.

Time will tell.................

[dieselboy]

cheers tony.

if you look at a glow plug, you see you have the metal bit and the ceramic bit with the coil in. well, it broke off few mm from the metal end. so its almost the whole of the ceramic bit thats in there.

the truck is running fine as usual. i dont think its loosing compression, i think i would hear it otherwise. next weekend ill get a bit of paper and light it so it smokes and see if the smoke gets blown or sucked. then i will try the lube down the hole .

so the glow plug goes into the pre combustion chamber? i would have thought it would go directly into the bore.. learn something every day

just out of interest, would you PM a price (if you would do it) do remove the head, knock the tip out, and put it all back with new belts on (power steering etc, cam belt already been done so dont need it)

i will most probably leave it if it doesnt cause any problems

thanks mate!

oh and on a seperate note, how much to do the body lift? dave said mines looking a bit low haha

[dieselboy]

Then you'll wake up screaming, run outside and tear the broken plug out with you bare hands!



See Matron afterwards for some ointment.

did anyone understand this?