Glow plug conundrum

Timooo_23

Hi guys, advice or help appreciated.

I have a 2011 Mini Cooper SD that I bought 6 months ago.

It needed a fair bit of work when I got it, but now has cost me more than I think is worth it.

Now 2 of the glow plugs are giving up the ghost and were throwing DPF fault codes and very Smokey starts.

The car is currently in my garage with 4 glow plugs snapped off in the head. I’m having a nightmare trying to get them out. I spent all day yesterday milling out a broke EZ out from one

There is a specialist remover in my area but he charges 500 for the job. Anyone had any experience taking them out themselves without pulling off the head and bringing it to a machine shop?

Cheers.

CoBo55

Timooo_23 wrote: »

Hi guys, advice or help appreciated.

I have a 2011 Mini Cooper SD that I bought 6 months ago.

It needed a fair bit of work when I got it, but now has cost me more than I think is worth it.

Now 2 of the glow plugs are giving up the ghost and were throwing DPF fault codes and very Smokey starts.

The car is currently in my garage with 4 glow plugs snapped off in the head. I’m having a nightmare trying to get them out. I spent all day yesterday milling out a broke EZ out from one

There is a specialist remover in my area but he charges 500 for the job. Anyone had any experience taking them out themselves without pulling off the head and bringing it to a machine shop?

Cheers.

Give your man 500, simplest in the end. Has much stuff fallen into the cylinders?

Toyotafanboi

Would actually agree. Big money at €500, i've seen lads doing it for much less than that but still be the best money you spend to get the job going and get them out with the head in situ. If you are going to go cylinder head off, which it sounds like is on the cards for you you wont be long about spending that kind of money.

Timooo_23

Nothing has fallen into the head so far. I have magnets and a tube vacuum in case anything does, but the outer jacket is still in the head, the electrodes are taken out.

My dad has a milling machine, so I can take the head to him if it’s off, and I am competent to remove and install the head myself. It’s just a lot of effort, and my dad lives at the opposite end of the country though... no problem in normal times but now it’s far from ideal.

What I’m asking is really; has anyone used the cheap removal kits to any avail? Are they worth €80 and a good go at it, or are they useless?

Thanks for the replies so far.

Stoolbend

I used to put the piston up to the top of the cylinder and tap the piece in to the combustion chamber. Move the piston half way down and fish it out where the injector goes in with a tiny magnet.

Very risky but I must've done it 50 times without fail.

I had nothing to lose though. It was head off if I couldn't remove them.

mosii

I saw a guy once ,tap a tri sided file into the glow plug until it was fairly wedged in, started turning and up she came out. true story, might be worth a go to save 500 euro. :let us know.

CoBo55

mosii wrote: »

I saw a guy once ,tap a tri sided file into the glow plug until it was fairly wedged in, started turning and up she came out. true story, might be worth a go to save 500 euro. :let us know.

Be better to take the handle off and tap the tang into the remains. The tang wouldn't be as hard so there's less chance of it snapping off, if it does it will be easier to remove.

CoBo55

Stoolbend wrote: »

I used to put the piston up to the top of the cylinder and tap the piece in to the combustion chamber. Move the piston half way down and fish it out where the injector goes in with a tiny magnet.

Very risky but I must've done it 50 times without fail.

I had nothing to lose though. It was head off if I couldn't remove them.

You'd need to make sure the piece that ends up in the cylinder is magnetic.

Timooo_23

Well that cheap tool kit from Amazon is definitely worth the money. Made the job feel easy. Took just over an hour to replace all 4 plugs.

Best £40 I’ve ever spent! Drill out the old ones, magnet to pull out any swarf. Re tapped the hole to clear the old housings threads.

Saved myself a lot!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00A7PX2HQ/ref=cm_sw_r_fm_api_fabc_HGVKQR3YD37KNA0QVC4Q

CoBo55

Timooo_23 wrote: »

Well that cheap tool kit from Amazon is definitely worth the money. Made the job feel easy. Took just over an hour to replace all 4 plugs.

Best £40 I’ve ever spent! Drill out the old ones, magnet to pull out any swarf. Re tapped the hole to clear the old housings’ threads.

Saved myself a lot!

That's a brilliant result. Would you have a link to the kit you got?



Sorry just saw your link there now....

Lewis_Benson

Here's a question, why are glow plugs so difficult to remove in the first place?

Spark plugs thread in and out easily....

Timooo_23

Lewis_Benson wrote: »

Here's a question, why are glow plugs so difficult to remove in the first place?

Spark plugs thread in and out easily....

Apparently soot builds up at the bottom of the threads and welds them in. They’re a lot more fragile than spark plugs too. Thinner metal.

CoBo55

Lewis_Benson wrote: »

Here's a question, why are glow plugs so difficult to remove in the first place?

Spark plugs thread in and out easily....

Obviously you never encountered Henry Ford's brilliant idea years ago, the tapered plug seat, now that was a joy to behold...