Glow plugs knackered

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Puds

Puds

Well-Known Member
My glow plugs in my old (2002) Shogun decided to give up at the start of the week and I’ve not had it going again since. I’ve got some replacements and need to get it down to the garage over the weekend to sort it out for me.
Am I right in thinking that a heat gun into the air intake will help warm things up and get it going, or is that a good route to knacker things up if it’s sat in freezing conditions all week?
 
I think the air filter would probably block most of the hot air.
if your new glow plugs work it should start no problem.
My Defender has sat for two weeks and started no probs this morning.
and it's forecast to get milder this weekend.
 
Husky said:
I think the air filter would probably block most of the hot air.
if your new glow plugs work it should start no problem.
My Defender has sat for two weeks and started no probs this morning.
and it's forecast to get milder this weekend.
Click to expand...
It’s starting it to get it down to the garage so they can fit the new plugs that’s the issue.

Hopefully she’ll fire up Monday when it warms up a bit.
 
If it's sat doing nothing, I'd be getting some penetrant/releasing fluid/WD-40 squirted all around the glow plugs. If not, and you do get it running, get it up to full temperature before you think about trying to remove a glow plug. Having drilled out many in a previous life, it's not something you want to need done.
 
If its just a one time thing, quick spray of starting fluid won't hurt it.
Hot air gun works great, but direct down the inlet tract, not through the air filter.

Neil.
 
If desperate throw money at the problem and remember heat rises. Back in the day my parents had what was Made in Britain and sold as "Peter the Heater".

Basically a long long length of electric cable with a plug and one end and a first sized, enclosed in a perforated metal "cage" heating element.

You popped the bonnet and using the thing's built in hooked hung it from the engine mount, radiator hose, whatever and dropped the bonnet. So trapping the warmth.

The thing was left plugged in overnight and kept the engine less damp and less cold that if you didn't use one. Nearest thing today might be a short tube style greenhouse heater?
 
Tip I learnt recently on a modernish diesel in the cold.

Turn the key, but do not crank - dashboard will illuminate.

When the yellow ignition light goes out, it means the glow plugs have been pre warmed.

Turn the key to off and then crank to start.
 
NoIDeer said:
All your glow plugs have gone together, that's a coincidence of mighty proportions. You do know the procedure that fish boy refers to? Turn the ignition to on and when the curly light goes out the engine is ready to start.
Click to expand...
Yep, I’ve tried that repeatedly & she won’t go. It got worse over about a week as the weather got colder to the point where the engine wouldn’t fire at all.
I’ve just given it another go and it’s not even coughing, just a quick grumble then straight to starter whirring. Hopefully it’ll be better on Monday in warmer temps.
 
Last edited:
Old building site trick....

I used to regularly start an old range rover, fitted with a 3ltr perkins, from a dumper truck. It was built with a preheat injector, but that didn't work.
I had removed the air filter hose (air filters are for wimps!) to leave access to the open inlet manifold.
I kept a bit of rag, tied to some wire, in a jar of derv under the bonnet. And a bit of wire, linked to the starter solenoid.
I could light the rag, then crank the engine by dobbing the wire onto the battery post, usually with the wire held in my teeth. Holding the rag under the manifold, letting the engine breath the flames.
After a few seconds, withdraw the flames, so the engine could get a bit of air and pull the throttle lever a bit.

Drove in that idiotic way for about 18months. Was great to see people's expressions when you did it in a carpark.
 
Is it the old indirect injection engine ? They're not bad at all to do glow plugs on. But that engine likely wouldn't start without a heat in this weather. Are you absolutely sure it's glow plugs, or have you checked to see if they are getting power? Definitely worth a blast of Easy Start, even if it is to get it going until it's just that 1/4 mile away (or to the garage).
 
Worth bearing in mind that glow plugs generally only work when the temperature gets low - in the 3 or 4 degree c area.
Most diesels will start with out glow plug use in the warmer months.
Most diesels will start with only 2 glow plugs working. (4 cyl)
The third one packs up then no start in colder temperatures. Generally speaking.
A heat gun should work. Maybe be better with one turning engine over and the other blowing air direct into the inlet.
IIRC the glow plugs are easy to get at on a shogun. Better to do it with the engine hot though.
 
Malxwal said:
Is it the old indirect injection engine ? They're not bad at all to do glow plugs on. But that engine likely wouldn't start without a heat in this weather. Are you absolutely sure it's glow plugs, or have you checked to see if they are getting power? Definitely worth a blast of Easy Start, even if it is to get it going until it's just that 1/4 mile away (or to the garage).
Click to expand...

It’s a 2.5TD, old rattly thing. I’ve not checked they are getting power, but as it got progressively worse as the weather got colder and took a lot of cranking to get going, I’ve presumed it is.
It only briefly tries to turn over now for a few seconds (not even coughing or struggling) before I hear starter whirr and nothing else.
I’ll get a can of Easy Start tomorrow and see if that does the trick.
 
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