SolihullBeast Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 I have been driving around without any problems today, however I have just started the vehicle again this afternoon and was greeted with the blue smoke, smell of burning plastic, as soon as I turned the engine over. So I stopped and looked under the bonnet to find the glow plug loom completely fried between glow plug no.1,2 & 3! However the cable is fine between the last two plugs! See photos Can anyone shed any light on this? Dud plug? short? faulty timer unit? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SolihullBeast Posted May 4, 2011 Author Share Posted May 4, 2011 Update, Took the loom off and discovered this; Does this simply mean that I need to replace the defective glow plug (and loom) and I'm off, or does it look like a bigger problem? Is it possible to drive a vehicle with heaters disconnected? Thanks Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuck Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 I'd check the entire loom with a meter and visually but yes you may get away with. It. Yes you can drive the truck without using the glow plugs, put the old plu back in though and obviously ensure the elective are safe before you do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Henson Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 The core has come out of one of the glow plugs and shorted to earth, so melted wiring. Be careful when taking the rest of the glow plug out - if it breaks up or bits fall inside the engine, you may have problems. Replace the loom and the glow plug otherwise. The short would have put strain on the whole loom, so check it all. Les. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SolihullBeast Posted May 4, 2011 Author Share Posted May 4, 2011 Thanks for responses, four genuine glow plugs and a loom arriving friday, interestingly genuine glow plugs were all around the £25/30 mark on the net and at the specialist I phoned, however the pattern units were as low as £4 in most placed!! I always go genuine, my local specialist was interested to know why I did not want the britpart item, I explained my reservations and he seemed keen to push britpart kit, unusual for a specialist! He seemed adamant to advocate britpart items... anyway I won't open up another can of worms! Thanks for the input, very helpful, hopefully it will be sorted soon. I have been warned to be VERY gentle tightening glow plugs! Cheers Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruurd Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 .... and so, another short story ends... <gdr&lh/> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SolihullBeast Posted May 7, 2011 Author Share Posted May 7, 2011 Just curious, how can a glow plug short to earth? I mentioned this to a couple of friends who seemed adamant that glow plugs could not short... and that the only explanation was the timer unit, well I have tested the unit and all is well, it is functioning fine. So I assume that it must have been the plug and that my friends are wrong! But how exactly does a glowplug short? Against the engine block? How does it get in contact with it? Thanks Again Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Henson Posted May 7, 2011 Share Posted May 7, 2011 The inner section is insulated from the outer section - except for the tip, which is the part that gets red hot. If the inner core touches the outer sleeve, then it bypasses the tip and 12v goes directly to earth - the engine. The wiring then becomes the glow plug tip and gets red hot. Les. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SolihullBeast Posted May 7, 2011 Author Share Posted May 7, 2011 Ah I see, that makes sense. Thanks Again Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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