Glowplugs (Xantia TD)

Yes, place your time and money saving tips here.Nothing illegal or dangerous please!Motoring related only please.
RichardW
Forum Treasurer
Posts: 11537
Joined: 07 Aug 2002, 17:12
x 1175

Glowplugs (Xantia TD)

Unread post by RichardW »

Just changed the plugs in the Xantia, so thought I'd post a few hints and tips. This is based on my 97 car, which has the tubo pipe bolted onto the turbo outlet flange - some cars have the pipe fixed on with a jubilee clip, which is better, as it's much easier (possible?) to remove. Arm yourself with a good 12mm cranked ring spanner - the deeper the offset the better (mine wasn't quite deep enough and I had to bend it to get on No 4 plug past the injector pipes)! An 8mm cranked ring wil help too, but not as essential. When removing/refitting the 8mm nuts, wedge a piece of cloth under the plug -this will catch the 8mm nut when you drop it!

1. Only use BERU plugs, they are only £5+VAT each from GSF - you might as well change the lot.
2. Remove the intercooler to engine pipe, and its associated bracketry. If you can, remove the turbo to intercooler pipe also (I couldn't manage this easily, I just disconnected the I/C end, and then propped it up as high as it would go.
3. Remove the oil filler to air intake breather tube.
4. Remove the 8mm nut from Nos 2 and 3 plugs, pull the wire back and remove the plugs (these are easy and give you a good confidence boost!)
5. Undo the pipe clip for the coolant tee piece over the engine mount - this gives a bit more room. You should now be able to reach around the injection pump (just!) and undo the 8mm nut on no 4 plug. You might want to tie the spanner to the car or your wrist - I dropped mine and it took ages to extricate it from behind the alternator! Undo the 8mm nut on no1 plug and remove the wire from the car.
6. Remove no 4 plug - if you have not refitted no3, then once you have cracked the plug you will be able to reach in behind the injector pipes to get finger tips to the plug to unscrew it - go very carefully when cracking the plug if the spanner slips or you overcook it you can break the coolant pipe stub off where it comes out of the engine - not good! Fit the 8mm nut to the new plug loosely and fit the new plug.
7. Change no1 plug, and fit the new no 2 and 3 plugs.
8. Snip a section out of the ring on the wire where it connects onto no 4 plug - so that you can just slide the wire in behind the nut (thanks to Dave Burns for this cunning tip!). Refit the wire to the car, tightening no4 last - otherwise the wire spins around and won't reach the other plugs.... Don't forget to reconnect the power feed to no 2 plug.
9. Refit all the turbo piping.
10. Drink lots of beer whilst nursing all the scratches you will now have one your hands!

Starts cleanly first time from cold now though!
Richard W
User avatar
CitroJim
A very naughty boy
Posts: 51641
Joined: 30 Apr 2005, 23:33
x 6866

Unread post by CitroJim »

If ever there was a harbinger of winter it is we Cit and Pug owners putting new glowplugs in :roll: :D

A useful guide Richard and it goes to show that with a bit of thought and lateral thinking it is not really the difficult job it is made out to be. The tip about the cloth to catch the nuts is an absolute gem! As you say, a good cranked 12mm ring spanner is essential. Those "special" ratchet spanners you can get for glowplugs are not up to their hype.

Something I do is to check the voltage at the plugs when they are heating to see if there is any appreciable voltage drop anywhere. On some PSA vehicles the glowplug controller terminals are a bit exposed to the weather and can suffer corrosion which shows as as a voltage drop at the plugs.
Jim

Runner, cyclist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
BrianM
Posts: 196
Joined: 15 Jan 2004, 17:29

Unread post by BrianM »

Did mine 2 weeks ago too !. Only 2 of them gone but one frosty morning turned over too long for my liking - signs were there before - hunting for a few seconds after starrtup. On plug gone still starts ok - two plugs gone a bit longer. The earlier Xantias were alot friendlier to the DIYer for the likes of this job !

Brian
97 Xantia TD
(93 Xantia TD & 95 Xantia TD - trying to find time to make 1 out of 2 !)
alan s
RIP 2010
Posts: 2542
Joined: 26 Jan 2001, 16:53
x 6

Unread post by alan s »

Just to ad to this excellent posting, a bit more info on testing from the Citroen forum.

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... hp?t=21140

Our thanks to the poster.

Alan S
Last edited by alan s on 24 Jan 2007, 05:32, edited 1 time in total.
RIP Sept 19th 2008.

She said "Put the cat out" She didn't mention it was on fire!!
User avatar
Ross_K
Posts: 1055
Joined: 18 Jul 2004, 22:26
x 110

Unread post by Ross_K »

alan s wrote:Just to ad to this excellent posting, a bit more info on testing from the Citroen forum.

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... hp?t=21140
Our thanks to the poster.

Alan S
Err, is something up with that link Alan?

All I get is "You are not authorised to administer this board"

Cheers


[Edit/]

See how that goes.
:wink:

Alan S
ImageImage
RugbyPete
Posts: 42
Joined: 12 Jan 2008, 22:07

Unread post by RugbyPete »

Done it - phew!

Took me 3 weeks ofputting it off but got around to it today,
All but plug number 4, after much swearing the cold set in and I gave up, love to know how you got leverage?? I could see how it wiould work if i took he coolant pipe off but that was melted on fast. Putting the 8mm nut back on was the least fun.

The other 3 though, piece of piddle really, took me just over an hour... sure it was raining, but when you've got your face in the injectors you really dont notice it. Most of the things i took off looked like they had been done a few times, some nuts were left off here and there from a rushed mechanic i no doubt

back aches, long bath required. Starts and runs wonderfully, very smooth.