Pulling Glowplugs From Aluminium Head

[Bailes1992]

Something I haven't had a lot of experience with is removing glowplugs.

The only car I've replaced the plugs in was our Defender which after had a long term diesel leak from the porus leak off pipes. These practically fell out from being saturated in diesel for a few years.

I've got two cars that in the next few weeks need glowplug replacement. The first car is my Wife's 2017 Dacia Logan MCV with 105k on the clock and the other is my Aunties 2013 Vauxhall Corsa 1.3CDTi with 55k on the clock. Both cars have aluminium heads and the Logan has spent the first 3 years of it's life by the sea so there's a fair bit of surface corrision and I've already had to replace the radiator and condensor.

What's the best method to get these out with minimal issues? Hot engine, cold engine etc?

 

[oggb]

What's the best method to get these out with minimal issues?

Prayer, silent contemplation, thoughtful meditation, and a slide hammer.

See also: drill; thread insert.

I'd probably try it with the engine warm, not stone cold.

 

[Bailes1992]

Prayer, silent contemplation, thoughtful meditation, and a slide hammer.

See also: drill; thread insert.

Knew that one was coming.

 

[Trav]

The ones in the Corsa are prone to breaking off. Soak them with penetrating fluid daily for about a week, warm (not hot) the engine just before removal and apply light to medium pressure to loosen them. Do not ream on them, if they don't loosen heat engine again and repeat.
I would think the ones in the Dacia are similar.

These are thinner on the ends so there is no issues with them bulging and breaking off like the old MB ones, it is just the threads and carbon holding them. Assemble with copper never seize on the threads only.

 

[Motu]

I've done hundreds, and hundreds of glowplugs in Japanese diesels and never had one stuck or break. Euro ? My experience is everything you touch on a Euro car breaks.

 

[Bailes1992]

My Aunties Vauxhall Corsa is all done. I took the car out and got the engine red hot, sprayed each glowplug 'well' with Bilt Hamber Ferrosol and let the engine cool down hoping the glowplug would 'draw' in the Ferrosol as the engine cooled. They all come out without issue, new glowplugs were given a thin coating of ceramic grease and reinstalled. Engine management light went off as soon as the engine started.

Just hope the Dacia is as easy.