hi guys/girls


stuck here thinking what is my best option,,,,at the moment I only see one light at the end of the tunnel,,,none the other end


anyway,,get my oil changed regulary in my van(10-15k kilometres) due to her having the timing chain.its something you feel good about doing and I can get the oil,filter and change done for 57 euro.you would spend more on a night out...I have being using different mechanics and spread it around abit..the one lately thou,i just don't know if I will go back as I seem to walk out with a job to be done after a job being done,,got the oil changed months ago and he hinted at me that the great little engine was misfiring on a plug or 2,,some one like me who takes care of my motors automatically said to myself I will buy four in the next service


anyway that day came around,,got my oil changed and the plugs where next,,,,the first two came out and I tought I was on a roll,,little did I know I was wrong,,the next 2 would not.after cracking them lets say,,,the were very soft in screwing out,,getting stiff then like getting soft,,he put a grips on them and they would not budge.,,i think they might have being wrong threaded in by the last so called mechanice and sit was not getting the thread to come out,,i was gutted.i would of settled for 3 plugs


anyway they were left in and she stared ok but the plug light on the dash now comes on after every start up for 30 seconds and then goes off


I just don't know what to do now,,,im dreading on thinking what she will be like to start in the thick of the winter


I work away for 3 weeks and she does be lying up till I get home for my week off


any help or options would be an early xmas present


she's a brilliant little van,,the best ive ever had,,,an 08 fiat doblo cargo with a sweet 1.3mjtd engine and clocking up 240,000 kms and going strong


b

A misfire on a diesel would be very lumpy indeed so it might be that its not misfiring at all, especially as you say its sweet and going strong. Misfires are more common on petrol engines when the ignition system has an issue, a misfire on a diesel which is compression ignition would be more about not enough compression/injectors it would not be going strong with a misfire.
Basically as long as you have one functioning glow plug it should start when the compression cycle hits that cylinder. Speed of turnover when cranking ie the faster the better, also affects how well it will start. Unless you live in the arctic it may well be ok.

thanks a million john for reading my post...I acknowledge you,,,i have her tied up at home now for 3 weeks as im working in the uk,,should I give her 2 heats now before starting her,,im sorry now I heeded his advice on misfiring,,,wat can I do to get the heater plug light off the dash


cheers brian

No great need to give it two heats before starting unless you want to/it makes a difference.

The only way to cure the light is to work out which glow plugs are faulty and replace them. That can be done by measuring the resistance of the plug from the terminal end to the body/block. It should be about 1 ohm. If there is high resistance then its burnt out and needs to be replaced.

Your mechanic should not really be using grips on them, a proper 11mm socket is needed if they are that difficult to turn otherwise they'll just end up mangled. A good soak with penetrating oil, a proper turn with the correct socket.

cheers john....I don't think il ever get the two faulty ones out or one,,,they are threading a small bit out but then lose the thresd,,they might be wrong threaded,,,i know more this Thursday night as im home as to wether how she will start,,,some one here today was telling me that I can get the light off the dash by rewiring the plugs by link the main feed to a good plu,,,which will tell the computer its ok