Diesel glow plug removal
Discussion
ds, there is no in-between! 
Penelope Stopit said:
How about warming up the engine before doing the job or is that creating a burnt hands problem
Not on a modern diesel 
It's one of those jobs that you either take a risk on, or take it to a Pro with the right equipment and pay them. They are expensive things to pull though, circa £100 per glow plug or injector at some places, but then what price is being able to drive in at 9am and drive back home at 5 knowing the job has been done properly V trying yourself, the top breaking off and being left with no car.
Penetrating oil is useless, it doesn't reach to places it needs to, alot of garages don't even bother trying themselves any more, they just get the expert in.
227bhp said:
Penelope Stopit said:
How about warming up the engine before doing the job or is that creating a burnt hands problem
Not on a modern diesel It's one of those jobs that you either take a risk on, or take it to a Pro with the right equipment and pay them. They are expensive things to pull though, circa £100 per glow plug or injector at some places, but then what price is being able to drive in at 9am and drive back home at 5 knowing the job has been done properly V trying yourself, the top breaking off and being left with no car.
Penetrating oil is useless, it doesn't reach to places it needs to, alot of garages don't even bother trying themselves any more, they just get the expert in.
Penelope Stopit said:
227bhp said:
Penelope Stopit said:
How about warming up the engine before doing the job or is that creating a burnt hands problem
Not on a modern diesel It's one of those jobs that you either take a risk on, or take it to a Pro with the right equipment and pay them. They are expensive things to pull though, circa £100 per glow plug or injector at some places, but then what price is being able to drive in at 9am and drive back home at 5 knowing the job has been done properly V trying yourself, the top breaking off and being left with no car.
Penetrating oil is useless, it doesn't reach to places it needs to, a lot of garages don't even bother trying themselves any more, they just get the expert in.
If I was to start the job from scratch with no knowledge I would have done as you suggested, only I would have taken it a step further and hit it with some freeze spray before acting quickly, I'm told it doesn't work though.
There are plenty of experts countrywide doing it now, this lot up North have an interesting home page (despite being about 3 miles long) http://www.injectorsremovals.co.uk/
Prices and the levels of desperation are evident and the last few pics are quite funny.
You can see the makers name on the equipment, trace that to their website and Youtube too for more info.
Take the engine for a run and get it warm, it does help.
Then spray copious amounts of Plus Gas on them (do NOT use WD40, its a water displacement spray NOT a release agent) and then go have a cup of tea.
Then do the job. Take note of the torque when you put them back in and make sure you have a low numerical value torque wrench. On the BMW its 20nm (from memory) and it feels like piss all when you tighten it, but that's the value and don't go above it.
I've done literally hundreds of glow plugs and never snapped one yet. I did a set at the weekend in fact on a Volvo D5 (8nm torque, soft soft head casting) It's not hard just be mindful of what you are doing.
Then spray copious amounts of Plus Gas on them (do NOT use WD40, its a water displacement spray NOT a release agent) and then go have a cup of tea.
Then do the job. Take note of the torque when you put them back in and make sure you have a low numerical value torque wrench. On the BMW its 20nm (from memory) and it feels like piss all when you tighten it, but that's the value and don't go above it.
I've done literally hundreds of glow plugs and never snapped one yet. I did a set at the weekend in fact on a Volvo D5 (8nm torque, soft soft head casting) It's not hard just be mindful of what you are doing.
227bhp said:
It was a sly swipe at the fact that modern diesels are notoriously cool runners, I think you'd be unlucky to burn your hand on one
If I was to start the job from scratch with no knowledge I would have done as you suggested, only I would have taken it a step further and hit it with some freeze spray before acting quickly, I'm told it doesn't work though.
There are plenty of experts countrywide doing it now, this lot up North have an interesting home page (despite being about 3 miles long) http://www.injectorsremovals.co.uk/
Prices and the levels of desperation are evident and the last few pics are quite funny.
You can see the makers name on the equipment, trace that to their website and Youtube too for more info.
Very entertaining. You can almost hear the rising panic in those that did some of the bodges!If I was to start the job from scratch with no knowledge I would have done as you suggested, only I would have taken it a step further and hit it with some freeze spray before acting quickly, I'm told it doesn't work though.
There are plenty of experts countrywide doing it now, this lot up North have an interesting home page (despite being about 3 miles long) http://www.injectorsremovals.co.uk/
Prices and the levels of desperation are evident and the last few pics are quite funny.
You can see the makers name on the equipment, trace that to their website and Youtube too for more info.
227bhp said:
Penelope Stopit said:
227bhp said:
Penelope Stopit said:
How about warming up the engine before doing the job or is that creating a burnt hands problem
Not on a modern diesel It's one of those jobs that you either take a risk on, or take it to a Pro with the right equipment and pay them. They are expensive things to pull though, circa £100 per glow plug or injector at some places, but then what price is being able to drive in at 9am and drive back home at 5 knowing the job has been done properly V trying yourself, the top breaking off and being left with no car.
Penetrating oil is useless, it doesn't reach to places it needs to, a lot of garages don't even bother trying themselves any more, they just get the expert in.
If I was to start the job from scratch with no knowledge I would have done as you suggested, only I would have taken it a step further and hit it with some freeze spray before acting quickly, I'm told it doesn't work though.
There are plenty of experts countrywide doing it now, this lot up North have an interesting home page (despite being about 3 miles long) http://www.injectorsremovals.co.uk/
Prices and the levels of desperation are evident and the last few pics are quite funny.
You can see the makers name on the equipment, trace that to their website and Youtube too for more info.
That Website you posted a link to has 20 Mb of images on the front page and nearly burnt out my CPU
Only just seen this so sorry if it's too late. Best way to avoid snapping them is to undo with a torque wrench. If you search online the manufacturer of the glowplug actually state a snapping torque, stay below this and they shouldn't snap in theory. If the torque wrench clicks apply more heat/penetrating fluid and try again until it frees within the required torque.
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