Seized Glow plug

[ianselva]

Hi Guys , although I have deserted the ranks of BX owning I still have a Citroen 1.7 D camper. It only starts on 3 on cold mornings so I went to change the glowplugs. However number 3 seems to be stuck, mainly due to the engine being totally dry with no oil spills running down it.
I have rounded off the flats using a 12 point long reach socket. Anybody got any ideas how to remove it without removing the head?
I thougt about welding a bigger nut to it , freezing it with plumbers freezer spray, making a little dam to hold penetrating oil round it for a few days.

Cheers

Ian

[jeremy]

At the end of the day it starts! In south UK they seem happy starting on 3 and will start a bit reluctantly on 2.

What you have mentioned seem good options. There are some extreme tools like

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/produ ... extractors

but the risk is you will break the head off.

I had a similar one on my TD when I got it - I managed it get it to move by winding forward and backwards and it took most of the thread out of the head with it. What had happened was that it had been crossed and on looking at it it was clear it wasn't sitting quite straight. There was just enough thread at the bottom of the hole to grip a new plug screwed in carefully by hand and tightened to the correct torque which isn't very tight. It held.

[DavidRutherford]

Before you go welding stuff to it, and potentially shearing it off, try this:

Run plenty of diesel / penetrating oil / wd40 etc. into the threads for several days. Then, with the engine HOT, use a 6-side deep socket on what remains of the flats, and try and unto it. If this fails, try using a very small pair of pipe-grips on it to break the "stick" of the threads.

The engine should be hot, as the aluminium of the head will expand more than the steel shroud of the glowplug.

Best of luck!

[RichardW]

Go very steady with stuck glowplugs. I broke a large chunk off the cylinder head on my Sister's ZX D at Christmas Fortunately we were able to get the plug to hold, and added some chemical metal to hold it all together. Has held OK since then. Fingers crossed.