Qube O said:

How did it go changing the glowplugs ?? Cheers....

Click to expand...

Getting the cables uncoupled proved worse than the actual unscrewing of plugs with mine.

The 'shielding' of the cap meant any penetrating lubrication struggled to get in there..

I posted in the tech. Section.
With the job on the 57 reg grande. Dead plugs meant non starting in winter..

Will do the 07 this summer.. has a glow warning flash on occasions.

Charlie

Hi, Yept, I am concerned that one of the little 'bleeders', will shear off on me in the head, or worse still the 'heater end' may become detached and fall into the combustion chamber, either way a disaster waiting to happen.............have spoken to a couple of garages/repairers, including my normal (non franchised) Fiat expert, and the are unhappy about taking the work on..........so do I keep the car or chop it ?? That is the question..... Cheers Qube O.

What!!

Qube O, are pondering wether to change the plugs or scrap the car??
I may have missed something,

It's really quite an easy job, I'm sure you can do it,

Hi, Yept you heard right.....apparently Fiat used two different kinds of Glowplugs, first has a 'bit of meat' to its body, the second which I have is the size of a standard lead pencil, with the heat tip on the end like the lead...........hence even the Fiat Dealers are giving warnings about what may happen should they try and change them.......possible head off job. Jury is out at moment..........Cheers.

Qube O said:

Hi, Yept you heard right.....apparently Fiat used two different kinds of Glowplugs, first has a 'bit of meat' to its body, the second which I have is the size of a standard lead pencil, with the heat tip on the end like the lead...........hence even the Fiat Dealers are giving warnings about what may happen should they try and change them.......possible head off job. Jury is out at moment..........Cheers.

Click to expand...

I think you are right to be wary. My experience of glow plug renewal is that they either come out relatively easily in which case it is a quick and quite easy job to do. Or they don't and you rapidly reach the stage where you wish you hadn't started and are holding back the desire to hit everything with a very big hammer!

The older engines I used to work on were usually not too bad with 8 valve heads and short "fat" plugs. Modern 16 valve heads tend to use much longer and thinner plugs which makes them a pain when they corrode or seize in place. Lots of releasing oil and gentle working to and fro sometimes works and I think - if it's an alloy head - doing it with the engine hot helps as the ally will expand slightly more than the steel of the plug? However, if it snaps, taking the head off is really the only satisfactory way to deal with them. Unless someone knows better? I see several manufacturers are now selling mini impact guns specifically for this job but far too expensive for the average man at home in his garage. I do wonder if an electric screwdriver, wound up to max on it's torque limiter, might work?

On much the same subject, getting injectors out of some of these modern diesel engines is equally difficult for much the same reason - they are much longer and thinner than the older designs - and a steel injector in an ally head? just asking for a nice case of electolytic corrosion! There are providers now who have specialist hydraulic jacking equipment who will come to you to remove "impossibly stuck" injectors at, I believe, anywhere up to £1,000 a time!! The old J2's I first worked on would come out with a "tap and a tug" - didn't realize how lucky we were in those days.

Uhh, I think fiat should give you the right type of plug that is used for car after you give them your VIN number, then you can opt for the more or less expensive,
Also if you took it to a dealer or other mechanic, any work they stuff up on your car is their fault and they should fix it, unless you sign some hidden waiver,

Why does it sound like people are weary of doing glow plugs anyway? I mean I had never changed them on a fiat before and my first time I did change them was simple,

Just take your time, plus I think if you're willing to scrap the car (is a little bonkers to me - sorry), you should give it a go, or take it to a shop,

Also if you can get one out, take a photo of it,or if you have a friend or another car, drive to an auto shop and show them the glow plug and see if they can sort you out

The ones in my GP's 1248mj

Were skinny things compared to the old JTD plugs.

And YES I did take great care to NOT have an issue..

Soaking for days.. then practicing removing
Airfilter..etc.

So they could be removed HOT.

Only got 2 out easily.. so more soaking..and did others a week later.. once HOT of course.

1 had a dead short.. so car was BAD for cold starting ( 1.5 volts to each plug.. )

Those plugs the totally f*****d,

I just had a thought,

Trying not to sound like a waste of money by the way,

What if you buy two sets of glow plugs and rotate between them in small ish intervals, like change the current set at 40k or 60k to the other set, so they get too hard or risky to change, and vice-a-versa until you can't be bothered to do it anymore....

Maybe

llamallama said:

Those plugs the totally f*****d,

I just had a thought,

Trying not to sound like a waste of money by the way,

What if you buy two sets of glow plugs and rotate between them in small ish intervals, like change the current set at 40k or 60k to the other set, so they get too hard or risky to change, and vice-a-versa until you can't be bothered to do it anymore....

Maybe

Click to expand...

Or simply remove, test and refit them during the yearly service, no need to buy a second set, just get one spare in case one gets bad ...

BRs, Bernie

If someone here helped You fix -or better, understand- your issue, hit the thanks icon @ bottom right corner, it's free and makes us feel helpy ;-)

Or that,

Bernievarian said:

Or simply remove, test and refit them during the yearly service, no need to buy a second set, just get one spare in case one gets bad ...

BRs, Bernie

If someone here helped You fix -or better, understand- your issue, hit the thanks icon @ bottom right corner, it's free and makes us feel helpy ;-)

Click to expand...

Thats valid for these motors.. where access is good.

My old 1905jtd plugs were impossible to do in less than an hour

I got the impression these plugs were factory fit...2007 !!

hello, we have gone off subject a bit but at the same time its been interesting reading about glow plugs!

a further question

in terms of how they drive, whats the difference between the 65 and 90 hp variants, on the road?

I think versions are 90 or 75, not 65 ...

Not sure,
I've only owned the 90hp

Mine drives quite well,
If I take it easy on the highway and in town I can usually get up to 850km - 1000km almost on one tank of diesel

When everything is maintained and looked after, they're zippy and economical,

Definitely make sure all hoses are tight as some hose clamps may have come loose over time which can affect power efficiency and driveability too, amongst other......

Maintained and looked after.....

I guess like most vehicles and other possessions

Bernievarian said:

I think versions are 90 or 75, not 65 ...

Click to expand...

doh, I have referred to the 65 before as well, dunno where I got that from!

I am nearly there with saving money for a Punto 1.3 dizzle

looking up various cars on totalcarcheck, how come that some of them [all 1.3 diesel] are £30py tax, and some £125?

levemircento said:

I am nearly there with saving money for a Punto 1.3 dizzle

looking up various cars on totalcarcheck, how come that some of them [all 1.3 diesel] are £30py tax, and some £125?

Click to expand...

Quite possibly the difference between the manual and automatic.

The auto box on these older grandes is still slightly less efficient than a good old manual box and so the CO2 figures are slightly higher.

Weirdly my 1.6 multijet Diesel Punto Evo is also £30 a year to tax.... but then so is my 2015 2.0L tdi golf Cabriolet which weighs about 400kg more than the punto. (Non dieselgate model as it’s a Euro 6)

As Andy said, different Euro specs . May also be due to DPF or not ...

BRs, Bernie

I have been to see a 2006 Grande Punto Dynamic 90 today, 1.3 diesel

I didnt get chance to test drive it as I didnt have the time for that on this occasion, however the car is up for £900 and its very clean inside and out, the only real blemish on the front is a small scratch on the lower bumper, these do have a long nose so I bet its common, bumper was solid.

The engine was running really nice, but its top cover was broken at each of the ends where it presses down onto the rubber mounts/clips, so that was loose as it was just held by the push in clip at the back behind air filter.

I didnt get any pics.

The interior was like new, I tried the front windows, ok. I tried the AC but although the switch light came on, there was no "click" at the engine as the pump engages, and no cold air - might just need a re-gas but are failures of any other kind common on these?

It only had the one key, I have had cars with just one key in past with no issue but are these easy to duplicate?



I noted it had alloy wheels, and rear parking sensors, its the 90 so has a 6 spd box.


Before I get back to them, I could do with knowing about the AC, I dont mind trying a regas, I am going to price up an engine cover, cos if I buy it then it has to be right.

I reckon I could get it for £800 based upon those faults.