Well my project 2006 HSE decided to kick out at me by not starting unless the ambient temperature is above +4ºC! Anything lower and it struggles.
1st off in my thought process was my battery, when you buy a car you have no idea how old or knackered the battery is unless it is a new car or a car with a new battery that can be proven!
So a new battery came along but still it had issues starting in cold weather.
I took a look at the engine and I posted a photo, asking the question 'what is this'?
The replies all said it was a broken glow plug, which of course proved to be totally correct!
As the 1st glow plug on the N/S was sheared off at the head I decided to use skilled labour
Can I recommend OGS Mechanics of Finchley, London.
http://www.injector-removal-service.co.uk/...gLKcvD_BwE
Their claim (Justified) is they have near on 100% success with the TDV6 engine we know and love!
Now I live in Cardiff not London but they offer a mobile service and at just after 10.30 this morning 'My Man' turned up.
For once here in Cardiff it wasn't raining or snowing but it was bloody cold, so the car was left poking its bonnet out of the garage and 'My Man' set to work.
All the bits came off to give working access to the glow plugs, namely the throttle body, oil filter, and crankcase ventilation unit and the various pipes etc. Most of this was done whilst I made a cup of coffee for 'My Man'.
First off was the 'Bad News' bit! That bit of glow plug shown in the photo was just a bit the previous owner/garage/monkey had screwed in with a ball bearing to seal it, no less, between it and the remainder of the glow plug stuck in the head!
Oh well, let's see what horrors befall the rest of the glow plugs apart from the obviously sheared off one on the near side.
Well of the 4 left, one came out cleanly in one piece and looking at it has a date of 09/12 on it, so obviously a replacement which is why it came out in one piece.
3 left and these required the skill of 'My Man' to drill and tap them and extricate them in sections. This he did knowing he would succeed! Even that rear N/s one with limited access he got out without too much difficulty, it just took longer than the others.
So after a couple of hours I had 5 nice new ceramic greased glow plugs in.
Now it was time to devote his full attention to that no 1 O/S glow plug!
How does one get a ball bearing out of a glow plug, you can't drill it, too hard and too risky to drill.
We tried the 'let's see if the compression would blast it out if we started the engine routine!
Apart from every light and warning message come up getting the fuel through and the engine to fire, all we got was a lot 'chuffing' but no release of that pesky ball!
We let the engine warm up properly and 'My Man' tried to loosen the ball by inserting a tool to grip the ball and turn it.
More engine running this time revving it much more and then 'pop' the chuffing got much louder!
The ball had popped out but the rest of the glow plug was still in the hole, but it was now halfway up the shaft!
Pushing it down again, and another good rev of the engine, this time the whole bit came out, success!
The glow plug thread needed a helicoil but that wasn't a surprise, and 'My Man' quickly put one in.
The various bits of old glow plugs along with the one good one! The hex bolt is the previous persons attempt at welding a nut to a broken off glow plug! You couldn't make it up it was such a bodged job!
All back together again with copious cleaning to get rid of any foreign bits, and I now have 6 fully functioning glow plugs all nicely ceramicly greased in case I want to take them out again any time in the future.
I am now £900 worse off but the job was done incredibly professionally and the car will start at any -ºC you care to mention! Certainly cheaper by a large wedge to having to take the head(s) off or even a body off!
Why the use of 'My Man' well he was a charming Romanian whose name I am so embarrassed to say I can't remember let alone spell correctly! His knowledge and skill are exemplary and if he is forced to return to Romania because of Brexit, I will be following him!
If you have stuck glow plugs then do give these guys a call.
Pricey you may think it is but compared to a dealers price, who would probably use OCS anyway, it could be considered reasonably priced.
The kit in the van costs near enough 10 grand, that training and wages have to be paid for.
Best
Ian
6th Feb 2018 8:58 pm
Moo D3 Decade
Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 13912
Great story. Glad it all worked out. New Defender L663 110 SE (known as Noddy!)
Sold Volvo XC90 R-Design (known as Basil)
Sold - D4 HSE (Known as Gerty)
No longer the Old Buses original owner
231,000 miles and counting
05 S manual owned from March 2005
D4 Face lifted
Still original injectors and turbo
V8 Front brakes
BAS Remap, Allisport Intercooler and deCat
EGRs blanked
T-Max split charge
Hanibal Expeedition rack
Prospeed ladder
Duratrac tyres
IID BT
BAS FBH control
6th Feb 2018 9:11 pm
mid
Member Since: 13 Apr 2017
Location: midlands
Posts: 151
Thanks for that Ian I enjoyed reading it,well written too.
I must say it's nice to hear when something goes well,good luck to you and "your man"
6th Feb 2018 9:18 pm
Littlewill
Member Since: 14 Sep 2015
Location: Lincolnshire
Posts: 484
Glad to hear it was a success
7th Feb 2018 7:10 am
DiscoJeffster
Member Since: 27 Feb 2016
Location: Perth
Posts: 204
How did they drill/tap the thread to put the helicoil in without swarf ending up in the cylinder?
A dollop of grease which was suctioned out after drilling, tapping and helicoiling.
He then shone a very bright light into the hole to make absolutely sure nothing was left.
All very professional and someone who has done it many times before and knew what to do in every eventually.
The final thing he had to do was put the throttle body back on and guess what? That long bolt fixing it in from the top went crack and that was another helicoil into the head to fix that problem.
As I said a real professional with a quest to do the job properly.
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