Glow plug harness help

Diesel_Man

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 2, 2018
Location
Dayton, Ohio
TDI
2005 Jetta TDI Wagon 1.9l BEW, 5 spd Tiptronic
Changing out my glow plug harness. I am a little confused as to which wires I need to cut. I think I know, but need confirmation.

It looks like wire 7, 8, 9, and 10. There is one wire, red on black that is in the no. 2 spot that looks like the one at no. 7...........

Help

Diesel Man........
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
That only applies to late ALHs, he has a BEW.

The four glow plug wires are all black, but with a colored tracer. Red, blue, yellow, and green IIRC (I do not have one in front of me). You just splice into the engine harness wherever it is convenient to make a good connection. I only use the specified heat shrink crimp tube connectors (the dealers sell these, but they are widely available elsewhere). You should use the correct tool for proper installation. I use a ratcheting type, works great. And of course a heat gun to seal them up. The cheapo wire crimpers do not work.

I usually just splice in right near the fuel temp sensor, where those wires come out of the harness. But if yours has been previously worked on and there is simply not enough left to attach to, you'll need to pull out some of the harness to gain clearance, and unwrap some of it to expose these wires. The new bridge gives you plenty to deal with on that end. You can even go all the way to the glow control unit in the cowl if you really have to, and make your own overlay harness, and tuck it in alongside the main harness.
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<snip>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> You can even go all the way to the glow control unit in the cowl if you really have to, and make your own overlay harness, and tuck it in alongside the main harness.
If you're up to pulling the battery and the air box, this would be the best repair. When I did my '99.5, they had to be spliced.
Repeat- Cheap crimp tools don't work good.
 

joep1234

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2014
Location
NC
TDI
former '04 Beetle TDI, now 2x '15 Audi Q5 TDI's, 2007 Dodge Ram 4x4 6.7
My son found me a near new one at a pick a part in Greensboro a month ago. He matched the wires with the tracers and it worked fine. He also got a set of good BEW injectors and tandem pump off the engine. Sad thing was the car was in good shape and ended up at the junk yard because the tandem pump went bad and the previous owner gave up on it.
 

wonneber

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 12, 2011
Location
Monroe, NY, USA
TDI
2014 Jetta Sportwagon,2003 Jetta 261K Sold but not forgotten
My son found me a near new one at a pick a part in Greensboro a month ago. He matched the wires with the tracers and it worked fine.
The problem with my harness was the terminals that plug into the glow plugs were a loose connection.

Not sure if the BEW has similar or if it has the newer ones that VW upgraded the ALH harness to.

Can't go by looks.
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
There is a simple metal connect inside the boot, simply squeeze the thing so it fits tight.
My son found me a near new one at a pick a part in Greensboro a month ago. He matched the wires with the tracers and it worked fine. He also got a set of good BEW injectors and tandem pump off the engine. Sad thing was the car was in good shape and ended up at the junk yard because the tandem pump went bad and the previous owner gave up on it.
Never owned a PD, but I read a lot of threads. The PD is a very misunderstood platform.
 

wonneber

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 12, 2011
Location
Monroe, NY, USA
TDI
2014 Jetta Sportwagon,2003 Jetta 261K Sold but not forgotten
There is a simple metal connect inside the boot, simply squeeze the thing so it fits tight.
Tried that a few times on mine a few times when it was out of warranty.
Still got a CEL a few times.
New harness helped, never got the code again.
 
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