Hello, how could I check whether any one out of three glow plugs in auxiliary heater works properly w/o removing it?

What I did so far is removing feeding cable, check for +12 - affirmative. Check conection to earth - affirmative. Plug resistance - checked - 11 Ohms with a cheap chinese multimeter. Shouldn't it be no more than 700 miliohms? The plug is rated 200 watts according to FIAT Bravo/a Service Manual. Is it working or is it not, what do you think?

What I also know is FIAT's original number: 71713981
BERU's Product number - 0 100 226 376
KAGER's (Poland) Product code - 65-2026

Still have not found any importer here in Bulgaria. My only alternative is second hand ones, in case of all three not working.
Could you give me a price in euros for your country, if you find this spare part?

Be our guests at fiat-bg.org, we'll help with all we can Greetings !

an oscilloscope is a more powerful tool for diagnosis

see example instructions here: http://www.mavericktechnology.co.uk...cktechnology.co.uk/pico_advanced_glowplug.htm

or you could remove them and watch

I do the watching method.

Thanks guys. That link was useful to me! Unfortunately, I do not have access to neither a oscilloscope nor a current clamps. (Or "I have no access to either ...or..." was the correct way to say my thought? With my poor english... sorry! )

Further information: Finally I have found three dealers offering these plugs. Tomorrow I'll have them removed and checked by a technician. I have also found a "second hand" ones, is this a good idea, what's your oppinion?

neither nor is just as correct and either or


second hand plugs are fine if you get them cheap. if it wont cost much more to get new ones then that would be a better option because they will come with a guarantee and should last longer.

I've found those 3 all at the price of one brand-new - 25 Euros or 50 Bulgarian Leva. But...

Latest: A technician checked them for free and surprised me with word "You have all three glow plugs working!" So, what might be the problem... One of the connections to the plugs (here we call it "tobbaco-pipe" due to its shape, not sure how to tell it in English) is totally melted (mean burned, like a fuse), but the others look to be fine and there is +12 on them. Earth has been also checked - correct. But still no change in time before temp. reaches 90 degrees. Should be faster, I think... Currently temp grows by 10 degrees in three minutes exactly, that equals 27 minutes from Ignition to Termostat Opening, according to current weather conditions (-5 at Ign.).

Anyway, I am going to diagnostic test on Thursday, at "AUTO ITALIA" - BULGARIA. Will keep you in touch.

the plugs have nothing to do with the speed at which your engine heats up, all the plugs do is make it easier to start the engine, if you do not have a problem starting your engine then the plugs are fine. the plugs do not do anything else.

But still no change in time before temp. reaches 90 degrees. Should be faster, I think... Currently temp grows by 10 degrees in three minutes exactly, that equals 27 minutes from Ignition to Termostat Opening, according to current weather conditions (-5 at Ign.).

Click to expand...

that is normal. if you drove the car it would take less time, but at idle that is normal.

Excuse me jug, I think you don't understand what I'm talking about. You mean ignition glow plugs, but I mean AUX Heater Glow Plugs. AUX HEATER is something completely different than Ignition Glow plugs. It heats up engine coolant, but not the combustion chamber, until antifreeze reaches up to 70 degrees, thus helping engine to reach higher temp"s quicker. And when this system works fine, engine reaches 70 degrees much more faster than if AUX HEATER does not work, less than 10 minutes for sure. This is approximately three times faster , . More information is available at FIAT Bravo/a Service Manual Vol_3.pdf -> Auxiliary Units 98 -> Auxiliary heater, pages 27-29.

Those plugs are not too different than Ignition Glow Plugs, by the way, so I appreciate that you tried to help me, by giving me useful links! Greetings. As I said, will keep you in touch.

oh right! you mean the coolant preheating system.

in that case you need to test the temp sensor on the hose supplying the heater.

Yeah, that's what I mean. So, where is this sensor exactly, do you know? 'Cause what I only was able to see is the earth connection and 3 plugs. Probably I haven't seen it, but I know it must be there. I am now going to check the elapsed time from ignition to coolant heated at 60 degrees, with feedin cables detached (unplugged) to see if there is any difference, mean slower heating up

follow the pipe that feeds coolant to the preheater, the sensor is on that pipe.

have you considered that your thermostat may be stuck open? the coolant preheating system is designed to only heat the coolant around the engine, with the thermostat closed. it cant do it with the thermostat open because there is a lot more coolant to heat.

Yeah I've considered that, and the thermostat is working properly, the pipe that goes out of it heading toward the radiator, remains cold all the time during the car is heating up, and when it reaches about 90 degrees, that pipe begins heating up too - that means thermostat opens at that point, right?

yes that sounds like the thermostat is working as it should.

With cables detached/unplugged;

Ambient temp - 4 degrees, Elapsed time until 80 degrees, according to the device on the instrument panel - approximately 24 minutes, +/- 15 seconds; Ventilation and heating were both off all the time.

Latest:

I cleaned those "tobbaco-pipes" with some contact-spray or wire-drier, as written on its label, attached them to the plugs, but still no change in heating-up-time - it is exactly 12 minutes until 50 degrees. Thermostat remains closed, as it should be.

I did it!!! I have all three glow plugs working! All I have to do now is to replace those "tobbaco-pipes" , and it will be fine! Due to some bad connections there was a loss of voltage. I made a direct connection to the battery, and having two working plugs, the coolant reached 50 degrees in just 7 minutes, and 60 degrees in just 9 minutes! Amazing, for me at least! With all three working, heating up to 50 degrees will be just a game, I think! Thanks to all, I have nothing to add to this thread, for now. Consider it solved!

well done

its amazing how many problems are due to bad connections.

It is finally done! I have all glow plugs working properly! Just made new connections using some 2.5 sq.mm cable and now I am happy 'cause my car heats up faster than ever! It reaches 50 degrees in just 7 minutes, 60 - in another 1 and a half minutes, and overall 90 degrees in less than 15 minutes, at a place, non-driving. Thanks jug for all your suggestions! that's all from me, for now.