Zafira A 2.0DTI - Snapped off glow plug

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
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Tue 9 Jun 2015 18:10
Zafira A 2.0DTI - Snapped off glow plug - stuartl

I bought this car three weeks ago. It isn't easy to start from cold so I bought a set of glow plugs and when I went to change them today I realised that the nice person who sold it to me was even more dishonest than I previously thought. A glow plug has been snapped off. Question is, if I give it a good soaking in WD40 is there any chance I can get it out with an easy-out? I know it's a long shot but I have to try it before I start dismantling the top end.

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Tue 9 Jun 2015 18:26
Zafira A 2.0DTI - Snapped off glow plug - old-school-tech

if it was mine i'd change the remaining 3 and leave the broken one alone..very slim chance of getting it out without drilling or removing the head..it should still start ok-ish with 3 good plugs.

has it put the EML light on?

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Tue 9 Jun 2015 18:32
Zafira A 2.0DTI - Snapped off glow plug - stuartl

The car with vertical spanner symbol shows up every so often and one of the fault codes was glow plugs. Little suprise as obviously the broken one wasn't connected. Done a bit of research and this seems to be a common issue on the Zafira A's. I was told by my trusted mechanic that the GP's on these not only help with cold starting as normal but with the emissions as well.

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Tue 9 Jun 2015 18:42
Zafira A 2.0DTI - Snapped off glow plug - gordonbennet

OST has it spot on again, change the three if you can, leave the other be.

Fiddling with it could end up with it holed, then you're absolutely snookered.

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Tue 9 Jun 2015 19:17
Zafira A 2.0DTI - Snapped off glow plug - Railroad.
I agree with the above, leave it alone. Glow plugs are stainless steel, and the cylinder head is aluminium alloy. The stainless steel threads have picked up and by attempting to remove it you will only succeed in damaging the thread in the cylinder head. When you fit the new glow plugs be sure to coat the threads with a high temperature anti-seize paste. This way they should remove easily next time.
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Tue 9 Jun 2015 19:58
Zafira A 2.0DTI - Snapped off glow plug - stuartl

I agree about leaving the fourth one in the hope that the other three come out ok but one of the things triggering the limp home mode is apparently the glow plug fault according to the memory. By ignoring the damaged plug I wont be able to solve this will I?

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Tue 9 Jun 2015 20:37
Zafira A 2.0DTI - Snapped off glow plug - elekie&a/c doctor

I am not convinced that a faulty glow plug(s) would cause limp mode on this engine.This is a direct injection diesel system (not common rail),so the plugs are used for cold start.

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