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replacing glow control unit + plugs

Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 5:30 pm
by x555
As a few may know I posted on here a while back that my car was showing codes for all my glow plugs being faulty bar number four.
Since then the x has been struggling to run once started. By this I mean it would start almost straight away but then cut out. So to get around it I was pre heating the car with the webasto and then it would start and I would leave it tick over for a while.
I obviously couldn’t carry on like this so along with advise from pvr I presumed the glow control module to be at fault or faulty as well so I ordered the 6 new glow plugs and the module as I didn’t fancy having to do it all over again for the sake of a £100 or so.

Here are the parts with code numbers…..

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I started by pre wd40ing all the bolts/parts to come off and then taking of the parts in the way similar to the job I did when changing the oil breather and filter which ended up looking like this……

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I then had to remove the inlet manifold by un doing the 10mm bolts on the left side and the 11mm bolts on the right side …why a different size I don’t know :roll:
A bit fiddly but once the attached brackets and plug under the rear side were unclipped and also the egr valve bracket it came of with a bit of pulling…..

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Leaving the ports open and me now 100% sure that I had no swirl flaps :yeah: …..
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Then was the even more fiddly task of removing and replacing the glow control unit which was buried underneath just about ever pipe and wire on the car :headbang: …….
This is it here sorry about the pic but awkward to take :oops: …….

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I’ts here ….

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Then onto the plugs and I was bricking it after someone on the forum said to be care full because if they snap of the head needs to be drilled out so after plenty of wd40 left to soak they reluctantly came out (very tight) :|
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Then with one more plug left to change I made a school boy error and dropped the socket end down into the bowels of the engine bay :headbang: and after about 20 mins pissing around I fished it out with some strong magnets and a long piece of wood. It was either that or take all the plastic under tray of below.
Here are the plugs new and old together…

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It was then a case of putting everything back together starting with the manifold here it is ready to go back on….
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And here is a pic all done with a quick clean of the engine cover to finish :D …….

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Just had to fire it up then to test the x……….and would you believe it it started on the button a very chuffed me. :yeah:

I was very impressed with the 1.4.0 scanner that Lez has lent me as well :thumbsup: .I initially checked the codes with my peake code reader and then tried Lez’s to confirm the problem and sure enough it said glow control unit and plugs 1 2 3 5 and 6 and fair play when I took them out this is what I found………the plugs are in order from 1 to 6 and as you can see plug 4 isn’t covered in black so the code reader was pretty accurate with the diagnosis.

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So I was a very happy bunny last night and celebrated with a few beers and sat smugly in front of the tv telling mrs x555 what great mechanic I was …………………………however it was short lived as a new problem has developed :cry: .
I took the car for a spin to get some oil to top up the car as it was a little low and half way into the journey and to my horror I had an error message FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM flash up and I lost power as if it had gone into limp mode.
I was getting this message before but thought it may be to do with the glow plugs etc.
Instead of starting straight away now and then cutting out like before (glow plugs etc have now fixed this) it is now turning over/cranking for longer and struggling to start but when it does start it runs fine.

So I guess it’s back to the drawing board for me then my first thoughts are injector/injectors as I diagnosed a very similar fault for someone else on the forum and his was the injectors. I’m keeping an open mind at the moment though as it could be a simple sensor or fuel relay possibly.
Here’s hoping it’s not too expensive to repair.At least it's starting ish now and we can use the car :roll:
Sorry about the long winded post by the way just thought I would share my experience good and bad.

I would also like to thank Nige for posting his pics when he had a cracked manifold as these helped me to research how to do this and visibly see how the manifold came of etc….cheers Nige

Re: replacing glow control unit + plugs

Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 5:42 pm
by fenj66
great write up x555! well done.
the scanner tells me that my glow plugs 1,2,3 are faulty. however mine always start fine on first turn of the key, even in sub zero temps. so im not in a rush to replace them yet. although i do get a plume of white smoke on cold startup though.

Re: replacing glow control unit + plugs

Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 5:47 pm
by pvr
Excellent detailed write up. That is going too far for my liking for a DIY :D

Re: replacing glow control unit + plugs

Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 5:51 pm
by x555
I had the same on mine mate a long while back i think i had a couple show up and never had any probs so wasn't too concerned.Probably left it too long in the end :oops: but i suppose i have done them all together now in one go :D .
I'm still not 100% as to weather it was the glow plugs or the control unit (looking at the plugs i'd say them) but it saves me having to re do the job for the other one now hopefully.

Re: replacing glow control unit + plugs

Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 5:55 pm
by x555
[quote=""pvr""]Excellent detailed write up. That is going too far for my liking for a DIY :D[/quote]
I agree mate but it was that or leave it sit on the drive and have mrs x555 upset :D especially with the stealer prices for repairs :o I did have my BIL on speed dial just in case :rofl: (he's a mechanic) and partly why i am confident in taking on these jobs.......that and i just love taking stuff apart :rofl:

Re: replacing glow control unit + plugs

Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 6:08 pm
by fenj66
would you say the control module could be replaced alone without stripping off the top end?

Re: replacing glow control unit + plugs

Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 6:30 pm
by AW8
:happyclap: Wow...................Very impressed.

Once again thanks for sharing....................even if I dont own a 3.0d.

Shortly after pvr had problesm with his I connected my Peake to his car. We found codes with the various plugs but I cant recall now whether the Peake actually highlighted the glow control module or not.............I seem to think not but perhaps pvr will be able to refresh my memory. In fairness to the Peake I was in a bit of a rush to scan the codes as we were a little pushed for time when I used it.

How did you find the Peake accuracy in diagnosis relative to the 1.4.0. scanner Lez leant you ?

I hope you sort the other issue. I was wondering if you may have knocked something whilst doing the other job - maybe a hose ?? That said it seems you may have had similar issues before. Hopefully it wont need new injectors. I can't advise you other than to say that before pulling stuff apart again I'd probably have a pop at adding a good injector cleaner additive first...........I would probably research to see whats best product available for sensible money.

Whilst I genuinbely repect yur efforts thus far you need to be careful to avoid forking out for & replacing bits that are fine. A new set of injectors could be a costly waste of cash if the problem stems from something further up the process supply chain.

Re: replacing glow control unit + plugs

Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 6:54 pm
by pvr
No, the Peake only gave us faulty injector 1,3,5,6 or something like that.

The dealer readout gave the control box as faulty. It also gave me the history of the right front indicator bulb faulty, which I had replaced some time back.

Re: replacing glow control unit + plugs

Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 6:55 pm
by pvr
[quote=""x555""]it was that or leave it sit on the drive and have mrs x555 upset :D [/quote]

You are not running out of oil soon again as well, are you? :poke: :x

Re: replacing glow control unit + plugs

Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 8:48 pm
by x555
[quote=""pvr""][quote=""x555""]it was that or leave it sit on the drive and have mrs x555 upset :D [/quote]

You are not running out of oil soon again as well, are you? :poke: :x[/quote]
Wondered what you were on about for a moment there ...then realized what oil you meant :lol:

Re: replacing glow control unit + plugs

Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 8:59 pm
by x555
[quote=""AW8""]:happyclap: Wow...................Very impressed.

Once again thanks for sharing....................even if I dont own a 3.0d.

Shortly after pvr had problesm with his I connected my Peake to his car. We found codes with the various plugs but I cant recall now whether the Peake actually highlighted the glow control module or not.............I seem to think not but perhaps pvr will be able to refresh my memory. In fairness to the Peake I was in a bit of a rush to scan the codes as we were a little pushed for time when I used it.

How did you find the Peake accuracy in diagnosis relative to the 1.4.0. scanner Lez leant you ?

I hope you sort the other issue. I was wondering if you may have knocked something whilst doing the other job - maybe a hose ?? That said it seems you may have had similar issues before. Hopefully it wont need new injectors. I can't advise you other than to say that before pulling stuff apart again I'd probably have a pop at adding a good injector cleaner additive first...........I would probably research to see whats best product available for sensible money.

Whilst I genuinbely repect yur efforts thus far you need to be careful to avoid forking out for & replacing bits that are fine. A new set of injectors could be a costly waste of cash if the problem stems from something further up the process supply chain.[/quote]

Agreed i could have disturbed something like a sensor at the end of the rail etc so i will start there and then see before shelling out for injectors etc as the code reader isn't specific as such like it was with the glow plugs.I'm getting the warning 'Plausibility rail-pressure volume regulated' from the scanner and have had 'Rail pressure monitoring at engine-start' aswell before.
Hopefully it's an easy fix :roll:
As for the peake vs the 1.4.0 they are both equally as accurate and diagnosed the glow plugs etc great.It's just the 1.4.0 does more than just the engine codes which is why i have sold mine to fund a replacement.

Re: replacing glow control unit + plugs

Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 10:16 pm
by AW8
Thanks for clarifying - Good Luck

Oh & I get oil domestic oil delivery Monday.......empty & been so since New Years Eve after getting through 500 litres in 3 weeks ! ...Rental so not my useless heating system I must add.

Re: replacing glow control unit + plugs

Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 10:31 pm
by pvr
Seen the oil prices? went from 42p in early november to 94p now :(

Re: replacing glow control unit + plugs

Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 10:12 am
by x555
[quote=""fenj66""]would you say the control module could be replaced alone without stripping off the top end?[/quote]
Sorry mate i missed this one last night.
Yeah i would say it's possible and maybe even the plugs too :thumbsup: .........i had to take the manifold of in order to see what i was doing as i hadn't done this before and it was really difficult to see let alone get to the parts.once the manifold was off it was quite easy the hardest part was unpluging the unit and actually removing it with all the tubes/pipes in the way :headbang: and also trying not to drop nuts/bolts down into the engine bay (or even a socket extension :oops: :lol: )

which reminds me is there a magnetic socket set available ? as something like this would be great on certain jobs :) i know my cordless drivers i use in work have magnetic bit holders and these are invaluable at times.

So to answer your question i would say yes but bloody awkward to do ;)

Re: replacing glow control unit + plugs

Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 10:21 am
by pvr
My dealer took mine off, so I assume it is the easier option as well.