not exactly!!

...rough from cold(for the first ~ minute or so)...and its only in the cold weather and its only since the glowplug light started flashing.
I havent investigated the glowplug light flashing...it maybe that none of the plugs are getting power, it maybe that one or 2 are shot, but i do think they serve some purpose in providing a smoother running engine from the off, particularly in colder conditions.
It was really noticeable literally from the day the light started flashing that the engine was rougher from cold...even the misses said to me she noticed she was stalling it a lot moving it out of the yard.
Anyway...ill rectify the issue and ill report my findings!
Marty.

Weird happenings.... After over a year of a flashing Glowplug light it has stopped flashing!!
I had the car in for NCT (Irish version of your MOT).. Which it sailed through .. And when I started it this evening no flashing light!!
Now I just need a cold morning to prove/disprove my theory that they do actually do something positive!!
Unlikely I guess tho that this intermittent fault will stay gone!!
Marty.

Our Multi runs rough when it's minus outside.
I usually park it up until March once the weather gets bad.

All diesels in particular start and run differently in the winter. Most diesils compared to petrol units are overcooled anyway. No 'pla' is automatic and so needs no gearbox oil cooler rad in front of the engine rad.

The megga amount of forced air is really not necessary in the winter, my old 'grey colour pla' never really warmed up in the summer and the winters needed a little intervention in the way of 'winterising'. Different people do it different ways, for myself two pieces of this at 99p a piece cut to fit over two of the 4 [50% less air ram] lower vents was enough to bring the car to temp quicker and maintain a more comfortable cabin temp.

You are doing about 30% less miles per gallon until the engine block reaches working temp, that can take about 5 miles in the 5°C winter and 15 miles at 0°C. Diesel's unlike petrol are [high] compression units and a high of 60-70% of annual friction wear is at this cold engine time.

NOTE : I used to cut enough lengths [they expanded to 35mm when on] to obscure 1/2 to 2/3 of the bottom RAM air radiator grill in the winter. It worked very well, they needed no 'fixing' and never came off, were not worth stealing by toe-rags and were cheap enough to throw away, did not 'wick' water and immediately pull-offable' in a time of need [never needed to] next year another £1:98 and using this set as a template, I made new ones - worked for me !

QinteQ said:

for myself two pieces of this at 99p a piece cut to fit over two of the 4 [50% less air ram] lower vents was enough to bring the car to temp quicker and maintain a more comfortable cabin temp.

Click to expand...

Brilliant idea, thanks

:slayer:

Hi glow plug a great thread my wifes bug has had the glow light flashing for ages so i got some bosch ones to put in, then i looked at it & shut the bonnet & said i would get the garage to do them when it has it next service, after asking them to do the job i got a phone call from them saying they did not want to do the glow plugs as the inlet manifold etc etc would have to come off.so i still need to do them, my only problem is the tool you used i cant find it on ebay only full sets. do you have the item number or the seller, so i can order one, shame you live so far away would of ask for help, thanks very much.

QinteQ said:

. . . Different people do it different ways, for myself, two pieces of this, at 99p a piece cut to fit over two of the 4 . . .

Click to expand...

I blanked off all four on mine last Winter, kept the temp gauge up at four bars nicely.

My temp gauge only ever seems to reach 2 bars, even with the pipe insulation on! I've seen 3 bars a couple of times after more spirited driving, but it seems 2 is the norm for me, even in summer. My old jtd 110 used to run at 4 bars, so maybe my thermostat is not working?

Just had glow plugs changed, 2005 Multipla, same situation as other post above. Flashing plug light went out after 20 seconds or so after starting, but wouldn't start from engine on, had to take it from ignition off and then straight through to starting.

Garage told me two plugs easy to change but other two more difficult to access. £47.20 for set of four plugs

Hope this helps

Thanks for this - made the job a lot easier today. I have a Mk 2, but very similar process. Only thing I didn't remove were the oil breather pipes.

Very pleased with the home made tools I concocted using a box spanner (10/11) and an unused hex bit (long M10 one fitted into the M11 box spanner, creating a nice clean hex head to attach a socket to). Photos attached. For the right hand plug I used a 1/4 inch extension bar plus adaptors at either end as this fitted in the gap formed by the pipe immediately above the plug.

Photos show home made tools ready for application of torque wrench!

Just wish someone had mentioned the glow plugs are angled into the block. Convinced myself I had stripped the threads several times.