Thread: Broken glow plug - how to remove?

well, since no one else has had anything to say on this one

....and... I've fortunately not had it happen....

.... I would guess that the most efficient procedure would be to take the head off to work at the remains from the other side

........anybody ????

You could try an extractor/easyout (link)

Don't know that drilling would be recommended as any swarf falling in will mean you will need to pull the head of to retrive the swarf. You could try and tap the easyout with a hammer lightly to see if you can get some purchase.

A reverse helix drill will usually wind out broken studs.

Which engine? Generally speaking, in Australia, a 300Tdi doesn't need the glowplugs to work.

What motor is it?

Has the tip broken off and fallen into the cylinder (200/300Tdi) or the pre-combustion chamber (earlier rover diesel engine)?

Or has the threaded body stayed in the head?

If the engine is a 200/300Tdi, you shouldn't have had any issues with the glow plug because these engines are direct injection and don't need glow plugs for Australian conditions. So if the threaded body stayed there and did not loosen, it could be ok to leave it.

If the tip broke off and fell in, then if it is a 200/300Tdi, you may be lucky enough to get it out through the hole for the fuel injector. But most likely it will require the head to come off.

I don't like your chances of getting a broken glow plug body out with an ezi-out, it will more than likely make it worse. A reverse drill style extractor like Brian suggested will be the best. Here is some info of the type I have used.



I suspect it will be easiest/best with the head off.

BTW, glow plugs can be tested in situ by measuring their resistance using a multimeter on the Ohms setting.

Thanks for the suggestions. I've tried some, not others - I just don't like the idea of drilling out the plug because (a) it may introduce grindings and swarf into the cylinder head and (b) there is a good possibility of me damaging the threads for the glow plug in the process. And at least if I take the head off, I get the chance to see what condition it's in, and I know definitively that the head gasket was done on such-and-such a date.

As much as I'm not looking forward to it, I think it's time to take the head off....

A quick question for you all. I lifted the head off yesterday evening, and some coolant has obviously dropped down into the oil sump. Do I need to do a complete oil change, or will the coolant boil off? The reason I ask is that I only changed the oil last week

Change the oil. The coolant won't boil off. You shouldn't need to change the filter again.

BTW, which engine is it?