200tdi Glow Plug - Snapped

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AH-4x4

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98
Location
Braintree
The day is not going that well :(... replacing my glow plugs and one snapped inside, the thread section came out but the rest was left inside the block. Do I need to take off the head to retrieve the broken end?

Any pointer on the best head gasket to get if i need to take the block off?

Last, why the block is off any other good jobs i should do why its off?
 
Valve check/lap worth while while head off.
The proper way for the glow plug tip is to remove head. However some have had success with just starting the motor and blowing it out [ safety first, sack or similar over motor ] Others have even driven their trucks for a while before the thing lets go. Some say you risk damage if the tip goes in the cylinder but as it is a turbo engine there is positive pressure in the cylinder most of the time.
When 200tdi owners say they are going to change the plugs because they think they should I say leave it until the head is off for another reason because broken tips are common. They start well enough even if not working at all in normal conditions.
 
Last edited:
Valve check/lap worth while while head off.
The proper way for the glow plug tip is to remove head. However some have had success with just starting the motor and blowing it out [ safety first, sack or similar over motor ] Others have even driven their trucks for a while before the thing lets go. Some say you risk damage if the tip goes in the cylinder but as it is a turbo engine there is positive pressure in the cylinder most of the time.
When 200tdi owners say they are going to change the plugs because they think they should I say leave it until the head is off for another reason because broken tips are common. They start well enough even if not working at all in normal conditions.
Smile, should have asked the question first and would have left the glow plugs alone. Oh well... lesson learnt.
 
Never had to do it with a glow plug tip but once when getting stuck injector out of my TD I forgot about the catch sack. Still have injector shaped hole in the roof.:oops: Another lesson learned.
Someone who has done a tip blow out may be along and let you know details. Cheers.
 
Lifting the head off is pretty easy. If nothing is broke. I wouldn’t bother getting loads of things done unless you have excess money burning a hole in your pocket. Probably worth changing the head gasket. But that should be about all.

btw - a Tdi will start well in cold conditions even without glow plugs. Started mine in minus 5 C no probs without glow plugs.
 
I would try driving it first to see what happens!
I have changed loads of 200 glow plugs, and not once had an issue, yet!

Elring head gaskets are decent
 
The pressure inside the cylinder will be greater when the fuel ignites on the power stroke, so the tip is most likely to be blown out when you run the engine than sucked in. The heat of a running engine may help loosen things up as well.
I don't know if you warmed the engine, but glow plugs come out easier if the engine is hot.
 
Hi,
Got the cylinder head off in the end... trying to knock out the broken glow plug but its not moving. I may be not hitting it hard enough but don't want to damage the head. Do i give up and buy a glow plug removal kit or just give it a big hit to try and to knock it out????
Any advice......
 
Cast iron head

200tdi? the head is cast aluminium;)

as to stuck glowplug, are you sure that its all of the threaded section that has unscrewed not most of it? if its all out the stub should drift / hammer out...
if so try el-cheapo diet cola (contains phosphoric acid) to 'eat' the diesel soot thats holding the gp stub

or a week caustic-soda solution BUT be carefull using caustic on aluminiumo_O

^^ at own risk obviously:cool:

Rich.
 
Taking the head off My 200tdi to remove a snapped plug resulted in a full engine strip down and rebuild For me
You can count the holes on existing gasket as above Elring very good
I think I used something like a 6 inch nail to tap out with end filed down
 
Do yourself a favour and bring it to an engineering or engine place, for future reference there are a lot of mobile injector removal people who will come and do it for you, we used to have a geezer from london come up to Suffolk to remove stuck injectors, it cost a couple of hundred quid but was much better and easier than faffing with them ourselves.
 
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