Will This Run Of Bad Luck Ever End?

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FlatbedPilot

FlatbedPilot

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So I'm in the middle of rebuilding my engine after changing the bottom pulley and I thought I'd change the glow plugs while I had access to them.

Why, oh why, did I think this would be a good idea at this point?

I've managed to change two from the ones I took out of my spares car. The other two fell apart, leaving part of the plug stuck in the head. One of the ones I tried to take out of my car has done the same and I'm left with this:

DSC_0589 (2).JPG


Any ideas how I can get it out? It seems to be stuck fast. I've tried pulling it with pliers but I can only exert so much force while pulling and they keep slipping off.

I'm booked on a ferry this Friday for a trip to the mainland to see newborn family and I still don't have a serviceable vehicle. I'm beginning to self harm with the sheer bloody frustration of it all.
 
On our ZTT (same M47R engine) we had to have the cylinder head lifted and the darn glow plug removed at a machine shop. PITA.

Hopefully you have more luck than we did!
 
Slap it back together as it is, taping up the loose glow plug wires. The engine should still start on 2 plugs will run ok when it's warmed up a bit. As long as there is thread in the head, the broken bits will stay put.
You should be able to drive it just fine, leaving you to sort it out when there's more time. ;)
 
I put everything back together anyway and took it for a drive to see if some heat and compression would do any good. Nope. I can hear a loud hissing when driving it though and it's down on power so presumably I'm losing compression through it.
 
It's not uncommon for the glow plugs to snap like this. To remove then intact, they require patience, penetrating fluid and a hot engine too.
Once broken, they need the head removing to get the bits out.
 
Here's what came off versus a complete one. There's no thread on what's left in the head so I'm presuming it's just stuck in the hole near the bottom where it enters the combustion chamber.

DSC_0588 (2).JPG
 
DefenderPilot said:
I put everything back together anyway and took it for a drive to see if some heat and compression would do any good. Nope. I can hear a loud hissing when driving it though and it's down on power so presumably I'm losing compression through it.
Click to expand...
Ok. So it sounds the thread is out, leaving the hot tip in place. Don't drive it then, as the tip may fall into the cylinder, doing lots of damage.
Can you get Mole grips on it?
 
DefenderPilot said:
Here's what came off versus a complete one. There's no thread on what's left in the head so I'm presuming it's just stuck in the hole near the bottom where it enters the combustion chamber.

View attachment 131794
Click to expand...

Yes that's what has happened. They can get stuck in carbon deposits. You could try applying battery power to the broken bit in the head. Do it carefully though as it could be a dead short. Maybe use a multi meter to measure the resistance first.
If the plug does heat, it may burn the carbon off. Hold it with Mole grips before applying power to it.
 
My mole grips are too worn to get a grip on such a small diameter. I've had another go at getting it out with pliers and I've tried tapping the end with a drift to see if it will move inwards at all. It's not budging.

So I've put the threaded portion back in to see if it will make a seal again and bent the protruding end over to prevent it falling in if it does become loose. It doesn't look bent in the photo because of the angle of view. Trust me, it's got a 90 degree bend on it.

Going to put everything back together and go for another drive.

DSC_0588 (3).JPG
 
I don't know how to say this.

So I'll just come right out with it.

Good news!

The dodgy glow plug has made a seal and power is restored. I've been on a good test drive and all is well. As a precaution I'll be joining a recovery organisation before we go and transferring a sum of money from our savings into our bank account in case the worst happens while we're away so we can at least buy ourselves a cheap used car if we find ourselves stranded.
 
Don't worry about it. I snapped off one glow plug about 2 years ago and it's been running fine on three ever since.

For next time, a hot engine and several soaks of penetrating oil helps. Use a 1/4" ratchet and hold the head of it in your hand so you can't apply too much torque. Undo a little, more WD40, tighten up, WD40, undo a little more... Keep going back and forth and you should get it out intact.
 
guineafowl21 said:
Don't worry about it. I snapped off one glow plug about 2 years ago and it's been running fine on three ever since.

For next time, a hot engine and several soaks of penetrating oil helps. Use a 1/4" ratchet and hold the head of it in your hand so you can't apply too much torque. Undo a little, more WD40, tighten up, WD40, undo a little more... Keep going back and forth and you should get it out intact.
Click to expand...

This ^^^^ is the best method. ;)
 
Yes. We shall see what happens with our insurance claim. I foresee the insurance company begging us to keep the car after it's settled because it's simply too much hassle and cost to dispose of scrap cars here. There is no scrap market in Shetland. Not surprisingly they can't send an insurance assessor out.
 
DefenderPilot said:
Yes. We shall see what happens with our insurance claim. I foresee the insurance company begging us to keep the car after it's settled because it's simply too much hassle and cost to dispose of scrap cars here. There is no scrap market in Shetland. Not surprisingly they can't send an insurance assessor out.
Click to expand...
So you'll be able to negotiate a good payout then ;)
 
Hopefully. I'm not sure if your own valuation of the car is a legally binding upper limit but when I last renewed the insurance I just guessed at £2500 when I filled in the forms. Having looked at popular car selling sites I see that 2005 vintage Sport models seem to be £3000+. I paid £3500 for it two years ago and can't believe it hasn't depreciated at all since then. However, I will be arguing strongly for the best payout as I can't just nip into town and pick up a good used Freelander just like that. I'd need to get one from the mainland, with the attendant cost of ferry travel, and that's very expensive as there's only one ferry operator and they can (and do) charge through the nose.
 
A good 05 Sport in good condition and average miles is going to cost £3K plus to replace, more if it's an auto with the premium uplift.
So I'd be pushing for most £3K as a settlement if you can keep the salvage.
 
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