Broken Glow Plug

ukguy

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 27, 2004
Location
Manchester, UK
TDI
VW Golf MK6 1.6 TDI Bluemotion Match
Hi all,
I am hoping someone can help with the following predicament I got myself into. I have a Golf MK5 1.9TDI with engine code BKC.

Vagcom through up a fault on a cylinder glow plug so I thought I would go ahead and change it (done it before so know how easy it 'should' be).

Easily got the old glow plug out. Triple checked the fit on the new glow plug but something went disastrously wrong.
Torqued up the new plug to 15nm and noticed the plug wasn't fully seated in the cylinder block. So tried turning the driver anti-clockwise so I could start again. Half way round the pressure became too much for the new plug and it broke about half a cm up from the head
. The electrode is intact, but the shaft just below the nut bit on the plug is broke, meaning the nut now turns with no force. There is no visible leakage when I start the car though...at the moment. You can see the damage just below the nut (shiny arc) in the pic below.

I hate the fact the plug is broken and am wondering if anyone else has had this problem and has successfully extracted the plug in this position without taking the whole head off?

To clarify, there is about half a cm of thread from the glow plug visible above the cylinder head, but how would I get a good bite on that to extract the plug? Would an easy out type tool work or would there be a big chance of the electrode end falling into the combustion chamber once I snap the nipple off (in order to drill). I read about a guy trying in the following thread unsuccessfully but his plug had snapped flush with the head, mine is a little proud which I hope will help a little more. http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=238640&highlight=glow+plug+broke

I am too scared to break the electrode off right now and try to extract the remaining plug, as there is a large possibility I will make things 10 times worse. I can see that people have had problems with stripped threads from Glow Plugs but can not see anyone that has been in my predicament. The new glow plug never got fully seated so I know there is some nice thread down below if I can just safely get the broken one out.

Anyway, please let me know your valued thoughts before I make the big decision as to what to do. Pictures of the offending plug are below. Thanks.







 
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JB05

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You might want to PM Frank06. He is the head expert here and could give you step-by-step instructions. Is this a PD with ceramic GP's? Just curious.
 

ukguy

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 27, 2004
Location
Manchester, UK
TDI
VW Golf MK6 1.6 TDI Bluemotion Match
JB05 said:
You might want to PM Frank06. He is the head expert here and could give you step-by-step instructions. Is this a PD with ceramic GP's? Just curious.
Hi JB05

Just tried to PM Frank06 but user does not exist?

It's a stainless steel OEM glow plug made by Beru. Here is a pic of the old one which shows where the new one is stuck. If I drill into the thread centre from the top, I am scared the bottom electrode might fall off leading to total disaster.

 
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MRIBOB

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TIJUANA MEXICO
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Confirm with someone that knows more then me.
I am guessing in the end you will need to have the tip broke off and then dill and extract it with a Ezout or other type of extractor.
I have done stuff like that before but would also be worried on this engine.
I would be concerned if you break the gp the lower half may split and fall into the piston. I am not sure since it is not just a std bolt like I have done in the past.


I have a old glow plug I just changed a few weeks ago. If I can break the top off around where your broke I can will see if there is any chance the lower half can come apart.
It looks like the lower heating element is welded to the threads.
 
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MRIBOB

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Apr 21, 2003
Location
TIJUANA MEXICO
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The guys I can think of that may know are: MOGOLF , DRIVBIWIRE or HERM
You may email them and ask if they don't see your post.
 

ukguy

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Joined
Jul 27, 2004
Location
Manchester, UK
TDI
VW Golf MK6 1.6 TDI Bluemotion Match
Thanks for the reply. You share my thoughts exactly. I have some hss drill bits on order in case I go ahead with this. I think the drilling and tapping is the only option (apart from leave 'as is'). But there would always be that thought at the back of my mind if I just left it, 'what if it fails one day'.

I don't think I want to take that risk...not with the way I look after my car :rolleyes:

I hope the guys in the know see this post, I am sadly thinking about this most of the day.
 
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Curious Chris

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Jun 11, 2001
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Pineview GA
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Jetta Wagon 2003 RIP Rockford IL
ukguy said:
Hi JB05

Just tried to PM Frank06 but user does not exist?

It's a stainless steel OEM glow plug made by Beru. Here is a pic of the old one which shows where the new one is stuck. If I drill into the thread centre from the top, I am scared the bottom electrode might fall off leading to total disaster.

PM franko6 you did not find him as you thought it was frank06

Oh I found franko6 repair thread: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthrea...d+OR+otherwise+damaged+threads+of+a+glow+plug
 
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JB05

Top Post Dawg
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Location
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My bad, sorry about the misprint. I always thought frank was numeric 0, but I see it is an alph o as in oops.
 

ukguy

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Joined
Jul 27, 2004
Location
Manchester, UK
TDI
VW Golf MK6 1.6 TDI Bluemotion Match

Keith_J

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Apr 12, 2007
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West
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2000 Jetta MT
The GP will not fall apart if the top breaks or you drill past the threads. Just sacrafice an old one and section it to see what the ID is...they are hollow. Remove the spring and wires, then use a fluted extractor of correct diameter...http://www.mcmaster.com/#bolt-extractors/=sy6dy

What happened? Stainless steel and aluminum. Galling. SS has a thin, tough layer of chromium oxide and aluminum has a layer of aluminum oxide. The chrome is harder and it galls on the aluminum. You didn't use an antiseize on the threads, did you? Drip some penetrating oil with MoS2 around the threads and let it soak.
 

MOGolf

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2001 Golf GLS TDI Reflex silver, rough road suspension and steel skid plate, 2004 Passat Variant, Candy White, rough road suspension and geared balanced shaft module, and much, much more. 2016 LR RR HSE TD6, 2019 Jaguar I-PACE
I don't know if you can find tools such as the ones pictured in http://forums.tdiclub.com/showpost.php?p=636204&postcount=9 or if the appropriate small size will fit in that space. I have used these to get a broken bolt out of Land Rover once that had a mere two threads exposed. GPs come out of warm engines easier than cold engines too.
 
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ukguy

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Jul 27, 2004
Location
Manchester, UK
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VW Golf MK6 1.6 TDI Bluemotion Match
Just an update to my predicament. Tried drilling though an old plug to about 1cm, the lower electrode didn't fall out. On this basis, drilled a small hole in the stuck plug, used an extractor....and it didn't go according to plan.

The plug turned counter-clockwise after a bit of an effort, and now it just turns freely without coming out of the block. So at least partially stripped thread in the block/plug! And the plug won't pull out. So it will mean block out now I guess. :mad: Thanks anyway guys!
 
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