GLOW PLUG REPLACEMENT FREELANDER 2005 TD4

REDNAL3 · May 2, 2016

Hi , I had a go at this today but bottled it at very last minute when I found the plugs were absolutely solid.

I decided to soak them in wd40 for now and revisit the job at weekend.
I've been in the broken glow plug club before with Peugeot hdi and want to do everything possible to avoid a repeat.

Is it better to change these when engine is hot ?
Is there a recommended tool other than a deep 10mm socket ?
Are these prone to the tips breaking off and getting stuck in the head ?
Any tips welcome.

hd3 · May 2, 2016

post no.8 .. @ :
https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/td4-glow-plug-testing.297495/
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Nodge68 · May 2, 2016

I like to change glow plugs with the engine hot. It's a good idea to soak with a releasing fluid a week or so before attempting to change the plugs. Don't use to much force to release them, just in case it breaks. Also make sure you only rotate the socket and don't apply sideways pressure.

REDNAL3 · May 2, 2016

Thanks for this! I'm glad I chose to stop and revisit. Sometimes when you have gone to all the effort of stripping parts down its easy to get tempted to force the issue to justify the time spent.

Arctic2 · May 6, 2016

Change mine yesterday after taking the FL for a good run to heat up the engine, all went well the main thing is to use a good socket and a decent extension bar attached to a good decent ratchet I used a 20" one, as above make sure that the tool is aligned in straight line to the glow plug also the socket is a six sided one and not the multi splined socket.
Turn slow in a arch motion anticlockwise say from 3 to 12 and 12 to 9 on the clock always keeping the tool aligned, do this slowly you are not in a race feel that the glow plug is moving if not stop and use the soaking method, you will have to replace all the manifold etc and come back to it in a few days, lucky for me the glow plugs played nice but as I said the right tools help a lot.

REDNAL3 · May 6, 2016

Well despite best efforts I have joined the broken glowplug club

I followed all advice as best I could but one of the plugs is goosed and stuck in block.
I made sure engine was hot and carried out short turns in each direction whilst soaking in wd40 between turns.
The middle two plugs were fine but passenger side one came apart. I decided to leave the driver side one as suspect need 3 working plugs .That was the case with peugeot HDI.
Anyway how do I get this one out or what should I do now ? The electrode seems to have sheared within the plug and come apart. I have about 1 inch protruding from block. see pics

freelander fenit · May 7, 2016

REDNAL3 said:
Well despite best efforts I have joined the broken glowplug club I followed all advice as best I could but one of the plugs is goosed and stuck in block.
I made sure engine was hot and carried out short turns in each direction whilst soaking in wd40 between turns.
The middle two plugs were fine but passenger side one came apart. I decided to leave the driver side one as suspect need 3 working plugs .That was the case with peugeot HDI.
Anyway how do I get this one out or what should I do now ? The electrode seems to have sheared within the plug and come apart. I have about 1 inch protruding from block. see picsView attachment 100360 View attachment 100361 View attachment 100360 View attachment 100361

freelander fenit · May 7, 2016

Hi There,
I had the same problem some time back and what worked for me was to screw back in the top part of the Glow plug a few turns . After a few days of driving the pressure in the chamber popped up the remainder of the Glow plug.You will know when this happens because it will sound like a bit of a tractor.
The Glow plug will come out quite easy with a pliers and a bit of WD 40.
Hope this helps

Arctic2 · May 7, 2016

I think plus gas is better ?/ I have heard some people use coke/ pepsi on stuck nut and bolts not sure if you can use it on glow plug.
Can you not get hold of what's left with some mole grips and twist and pry it out, could be worth a shot

REDNAL3 · May 7, 2016

I was considering using coke earlier as I read that somewhere but wasn't sure if that would make a bad situation worse.
I did try to prise out gently but its not for budging yet. I'll keep using the car and soaking it with lubricant every few days in hope it loosens up or blows out.
Having the electrode there is helpful to pull on so dont want to force it and break that off.. Im wondering if its worth using some Lucas oil stabiliser as I believe it increases compression and may help blow it out. Clutching at straws here

REDNAL3 · May 21, 2016

Well two weeks later and it finally blew out.

I had stripped it down another 4 times in past fortninght and each time soaked with the Halfords shock unlock penetrating spray. Today on way home it blew out as I was accelerating. Heard the Pop and it started Puffing smoke from glow plug hole. Hopefully this helps any other members who find themselves in same situation

Arctic2 · May 21, 2016

REDNAL3 said:
Well two weeks later and it finally blew out. I had stripped it down another 4 times in past fortninght and each time soaked with the Halfords shock unlock penetrating spray. Today on way home it blew out as I was accelerating. Heard the Pop and it started Puffing smoke from glow plug hole. Hopefully this helps any other members who find themselves in same situation

Excellent news glad for you, when I did mine I was lucky and all removed safely

Paulontour · May 22, 2016

WD40 is no good for seized bolts. It's for water displacement on electrical parts (WD) it's also very good at lubrication but no good on seized parts. You need Plus Gas or any other product designed for seized and rusted parts.

Nodge68 · May 22, 2016

Paulontour said:
WD40 is no good for seized bolts. It's for water displacement on electrical parts (WD) it's also very good at lubrication but no good on seized parts. You need Plus Gas or any other product designed for seized and rusted parts.

Actually WD40 can be used on rusted parts, almost as well as Plus-gas. The only reason that all spray on release agents struggle to free glow plugs and spark plugs, is the fact that little or no release agent gets to the threads. The reason for this is due to the taper seat being on the open air side of the thread. The taper seat is designed to hold 1,000s of Psi in the cylinder, so it's going to keep a bit of oil out.

The only way to get any kind of lubricant into the threads, is to crack them slightly, to lift the taper off the seat before applying the stuff. Then leaving them to slowly wick there way down the threads. This is why I Plus-gas is slightly better than WD, it's slightly thinner, so wicks faster.

REDNAL3 · May 22, 2016

Yes in my case I was lucky that only the plug tip was left in the hole. The threaded part of plug and body was out so I was able to spray penetrating spray into hole.
I used halfords shock and unlock as few forums report that has better results than plusgas.
Not sure if anyone here has compared them or tried the new WD40 specialist penetrating version but suppose thats another thread

Nodge68 · May 22, 2016

REDNAL3 said:
Yes in my case I was lucky that only the plug tip was left in the hole. The threaded part of plug and body was out so I was able to spray penetrating spray into hole.
I used halfords shock and unlock as few forums report that has better results than plusgas.
Not sure if anyone here has compared them or tried the new WD40 specialist penetrating version but suppose thats another thread

Halfords release spray got 3 of 4 out last weekend, without a problem. The 1 remaining plug simply refused to turn, even a fraction. So to avoid breaking it, I left it in place.

Paulontour · May 22, 2016

Nodge68 said:
Actually WD40 can be used on rusted parts, almost as well as Plus-gas. The only reason that all spray on release agents struggle to free glow plugs and spark plugs, is the fact that little or no release agent gets to the threads. The reason for this is due to the taper seat being on the open air side of the thread. The taper seat is designed to hold 1,000s of Psi in the cylinder, so it's going to keep a bit of oil out. The only way to get any kind of lubricant into the threads, is to crack them slightly, to lift the taper off the seat before applying the stuff. Then leaving them to slowly wick there way down the threads. This is why I Plus-gas is slightly better than WD, it's slightly thinner, so wicks faster.

I'm not saying WD40 shouldn't be used, it's just not as good as products designed for releasing rusty parts. But if all you've got is WD40 then it's better than nothing. Plus gas and Halfords shock and unlock is my choice for penetrating oil.

pwood999 · Jun 25, 2023

Reviving this thread . . . . . Got exactly the same problem on my Son's 2004 TD4. Three of the glow-plugs came out easily. No.2 tip unscrewed easily, but left the tip inside the head. Have been spraying Normfest Injector Crack stuff into the hole since yesterday, but no luck yet.

Have even run the engine with manifold off a few times. I guess it might be worth doing a drive with the tip screwed a few turns into the hole & see if it shifts.

andyfreelandy · Jun 25, 2023

Can you clamp a mole grip on it and then pry bar against head ??

Not seen them go like that usually the hex turns and snaps.

They break at about 30 lb ft. So use a torque wrench set to 25 is a good tip. Beware, not all torque wrenches operate as torque on unscrew direction. Need one with a reversible drive.

pwood999 · Jun 25, 2023

Tried wriggling it with a small mole, but no luck so far. Gonna try the extended drive first. Really don't want to break the core & leave the tip in the head.

I also thought about making a mini slide hammer using a small drill chuck or mole together with a length of studding & nuts. Gotta dig around & see what I can find.

Maybe like this:

GLOW PLUG REPLACEMENT FREELANDER 2005 TD4

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