Glow plugs or Battery

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kiwi
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Glow plugs or Battery

Post by kiwi »

Have reached a dilemma with the Diesel Turbo Estate I now have.

The battery is clearly fubar being over 7 years old and does not hold a charge overnight with the cold winter weather about to come its going to have to go, I realise that part.

Now the question is really about glow plugs! I never dealt with these before and they do look simple enough to replace. After getting the leaky boost valve sorted out the mechanic mentioned a couple may need replacing. I am thinking replace the lot as I dont have testing gear but am I also correct in thinking that the battery may be contributing a lot to this?

When I jump the car from another vehicle (typically the other Diesel) it starts first time or maybe second if I dont let enough charge hit the battery.

This cars turning out to be a nightmare! Just as I get one leak sorted another appears. Theres a small Oli leak around the area of the clutch housing which I am holding out hope its a Sump gasket or another easy fix but also the Diesel Fuel Tank decided to spring a leak at that awkward location on the top of the tank where the tank vent pipe comes out (nearside for us non euro types.

One step at a time the glow plug v battery which one first?
1991 BX19 TZS 04/01/91 (Deceased)
1990 BX19 TRS 27/10/89 (Reborn)
1992 BX19 TXD (Ex UK - K 744 SDF) 15/06/92
1990 BX19 TZS Auto 06/11/1989
1992 BX TZD Turbo Estate (Ex UK) 1/07/91
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ken newbold
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Re: Glow plugs or Battery

Post by ken newbold »

Battery for sure.

The glow plugs are so easy to test, you can do it with them in situ, but if you wanna be sure, take them out one at a time and connect them to a 12v battery supply, there should be a spark when you connect then they will get hot and glow red, take care! if they don't glow they're knacked.
If it starts from a jump, I'll be surprised if any are gone. Normally if one is down, they're a pig to get started.
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Re: Glow plugs or Battery

Post by rutter123 »

Glow plugs are relatively cheap at less than £20 for a set of 4 and easy to change, my t/d had cold starting issues a few years back, i replaced the battery and glows and all issues were sorted and still good to this day, up until then i was using damp start to get it going some mornings. My theory was at 200k's they were prob knackered and due a change anyway.
Your leak around the gearbox housing could well be the crankshaft oil seal or driveshaft seals or poss from the hyd pump running down the back of the gearbox, had all these to do as well .
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kiwi
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Re: Glow plugs or Battery

Post by kiwi »

I switched the battery to the one from my other diesel and it started first time. It was a bit rough so a later investigation on glow plugs will be done.

I can exclude the hyd pump as part of the suspension issue from that I can say it is certainly diesel oil. If its the crankshaft seal how much of a job is that?
1991 BX19 TZS 04/01/91 (Deceased)
1990 BX19 TRS 27/10/89 (Reborn)
1992 BX19 TXD (Ex UK - K 744 SDF) 15/06/92
1990 BX19 TZS Auto 06/11/1989
1992 BX TZD Turbo Estate (Ex UK) 1/07/91
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ken newbold
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Re: Glow plugs or Battery

Post by ken newbold »

Crankshaft seal, not good, gearbox out and new clutch for peace of mind
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kiwi
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Re: Glow plugs or Battery

Post by kiwi »

Just the gearbox out? How easy is it to replace the seal though?
1991 BX19 TZS 04/01/91 (Deceased)
1990 BX19 TRS 27/10/89 (Reborn)
1992 BX19 TXD (Ex UK - K 744 SDF) 15/06/92
1990 BX19 TZS Auto 06/11/1989
1992 BX TZD Turbo Estate (Ex UK) 1/07/91
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Re: Glow plugs or Battery

Post by rutter123 »

You should be able to pick the old seal out once the flywheel is off.
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kiwi
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Re: Glow plugs or Battery

Post by kiwi »

Thats good to know so basically my mechs who will be doing this job have already had practice on gearbox removal from the TXD should be able to do this quicker than last time....yea right...A least I have an idea of labour cost.
Are these seals reasonably priced or some stupid price?
1991 BX19 TZS 04/01/91 (Deceased)
1990 BX19 TRS 27/10/89 (Reborn)
1992 BX19 TXD (Ex UK - K 744 SDF) 15/06/92
1990 BX19 TZS Auto 06/11/1989
1992 BX TZD Turbo Estate (Ex UK) 1/07/91
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Re: Glow plugs or Battery

Post by Defender110 »

Peanuts
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Re: Glow plugs or Battery

Post by rutter123 »

Sure mine cost less than £10 UK money, its a pretty standard size so you should be able to obtain one easy enough. Whilst the box is out i would be inclined to stick a new clutch in as well, false economy not to unless its reasonably new, check for oil contamination on the clutch plate friction linings.
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Re: Glow plugs or Battery

Post by KevR »

You can check the glow plugs in situ - disconnect the wires, then run a test lamp between battery positive and the terminal on the glow plug. if it lights up, the plug's probably ok (but may not be 100% good). If it doesn't light up, you know for sure it's a dud. Usually when one goes you hardly notice in normal weather - it's only when it gets cold or the battery's a bit weak that it's an issue.
As far as I remember, the one at the cambelt end is an absolute sod to get at on cars with the Bosch injector pump. No problem on Lucas-CAV versions.
1990 BX TZD Estate ('the grey one', 1991 BX TZD Estate ('the white one'), 1982 2CV6 Charleston (in bits), 1972 AZU Serie B (2CV van), 1974 HY72 Camper, 1990 Land Rover 110 diesel LWB, 1957 Mobylette AV76, 1992 Ducati 400SS, 1966 VW Beetle, 1990 Mazda MX-5, 1996 Peugeot 106D, 1974 JCB 2D MkII, 1997 BMW R1100RS, 1987 Suzuki GSX-R1100, 1978 Honda CX500A, 1965 Motobecane Cady, 1988 Honda Bros/Africa Twin, 1963 Massey Ferguson 825, and a lot of bicycles!
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