Procedure On How To Replace #4 & #1 Glow Plugs.

racertracer · **Posted:** Sat Sep 11, 2010 5:59 am

I got this information from another web site and I thought that I would share this procedure regarding the simple way to replace #4 glow plug since this replacement may be in our near future.

You will need the following items:
1. Metric Socket Set with a 13mm socket and a 10mm socket (3/8 inch drive)
2. 10mm deep socket (got one at NAPA for $5.00)
3. Flexible joint for the socket set.
4. One eight inch extension.

- The engine must be cold.
- Make sure the area around the glow plug is clean so no foreign object has a chance to fall into the cylinder while your working.
- Disconnect the positive battery cable from the battery.

Much of what you will do here is by feel as it is out of line of sight. You cannot get to this from the bottom. This job is done by feel.

1. Remove the hoses from the fuel filter.
2. Remove fuel filter assembly and put it to one side.
3. Reach under the intake and feel for the glowplug and wire. Remove the wire gently.
4. Place the 10 mm deep socket over the glowplug, then plug in the flexible joint, then the extension and finally the wrench itself. Turn the wrench anti-clockwise to remove the glowplug. I loosened it and then turned the extension without the wrench. This went faster.
5. Remove the glowplug and set it aside.
6. Get your new glowplug and put a tiny bit of anti-seize compound on the threads. Place the new glowplug in the hole and start screwing it in using the 10mm deep socket. Screw in by hand until you can turn it no further. Attach the flexible joint, etc. and snug it down. Do not over torque.
7. Re-attach the glowplug wire. Be careful not to over torque the electrical connection of the glow plug. This connection sometimes feels 'spongy' The electrical connection to the glow plug is a pull off/push on type. It does not screw on.
8. re-install the fuel filter assembly and fuel lines. Be sure you purge all of the air out of the injection system before starting.
9. Finally re-attach the positive battery cable.

Procedure on how to remove the # 1 Glow plug.

Thanks to CATCRD, this information regarding the removal of Glow Plug Number 1 is from one of his other posting.

"Reach straight onto the connector with some long needlenose. Pull it straight off. A 1 foot extension will reach the glow plug with a deep socket and that's all there is to it. Done it twice now."

When I find the procedure on how to replace the other 2 glow plugs, I will post that too.

boilermaker2 · **Posted:** Sat Sep 11, 2010 9:10 am

Thanks Racer,

My mechanic just replaced this little bugger while he did my 100k tune-up. He indicated that these plugs need to be torqued in at a specific ft-lb otherwise they go in too far and cause even more problems. If someone would kindly confirm this and indicate the force applied needed, would you kindly update this soon-to-be sticky?

Thanks for doing this,
Boilermaker2

racertracer · **Posted:** Sat Sep 11, 2010 10:45 am

Sure thing boilermaker.

Can anyone familiar with the glow plug maintenance procedure chime in on how to remove/replace the other three glow plugs, so that we can have all the procedures in one place and then be ready for future maintenance.

We can reduce most of the major repair charges by doing some of the work ourselves if we are able.

Teamwork works and volunteerism is the Spirit of America.

Silverdiesel · **Posted:** Sat Sep 11, 2010 7:39 pm

IIRC torque to tighten is 10INCH/LBS (not foot/lbs)

Roland

CATCRD · **Posted:** Sun Sep 12, 2010 6:03 pm

Silverdiesel wrote:

IIRC torque to tighten is 10INCH/LBS (not foot/lbs)

Roland

No, it is 10 FT-LBS. 10 inch-lbs would be about finger tight.

#1 is easy, you just need a long extension to reach in behind the alternator. #'s 2 and 3 you need to remove the intake elbow.

racertracer · **Posted:** Sun Sep 12, 2010 7:05 pm

Thanks CATCRD.

Now we just need to know how to remove the intake elbow.

racertracer · **Posted:** Wed Sep 15, 2010 6:26 am

Cat,

Here is a copy and paste of your post regarding the removal of GP #1 from another post you posted on.

CATCRD wrote:

Reach straight onto the connector with some long needlenose. Pull it straight off. A 1 foot extension will reach the glow plug with a deep socket and that's all there is to it. Done it twice now.

CATCRD · **Posted:** Wed Sep 15, 2010 5:33 pm

I'm going from memory here, but to remove the intake elbow, remove the end of the intercooler hose from the FCV. Remove the battery if you want, it'll give you some elbow room.

Unplug the connector from the FCV. There are 4 allen head bolts holding the FCV to the intake elbow. They are hard to reach, but with a longish allen socket you can get them. Pull off the FCV.

There is a bolt holding the dipstick tube to the intake elbow, and I seem to remember there being one more somewhere next to it.

There are 4 more bolts holding the elbow up to the cylinder head/intake manifold. Remove those and be prepared for a ton of carbon crud to come out when you pull the elbow off. Scoop as much out of the manifold as you dare and use the opportunity to clean the inside of the elbow. (If you did the EHM/ORM early in your vehicle's life, pat yourself on the back now).

Now the #2 and #3 glow plug connectors should be visible. Just pop them off and ohm the glow plug to the cylinder head to measure its resistance as a final check before you remove any. A good one is about .6 ohm.

dirtmover · **Posted:** Thu Sep 16, 2010 8:07 pm

The description from the OP for #4 is almost right but:
- With the filter removed you can actually see the GP
- I used a piece of plastic tube on the end of a length of dowel to remove the old plug. There was no way I could get my hand in there and pull the thing out straight
- This same tool was used to insert and start the new plug in it's threads
- Don't use anti-sieze
- Torque it to the correct spec

LMWatBullRun · **Posted:** Thu Dec 06, 2012 10:16 pm

so, I am trying to get #1 and #2 out, and they both are started but snug unscrewing. I have backed them back in a bit and sprayed kroil on the threads. Any other suggestions about what to do?

racertracer · **Posted:** Thu Dec 06, 2012 10:32 pm

From what I gathered from another member, the hold up begins when the carbon sediments in the thread area causes the thread to bind.

We need to find a safe carbon dissolver solution to get in there in between the threads when they begin to bind and allow the solution time to break up/liquify the carbon.

I heard that a drop of Easy-off Oven Cleaner does a good job.

Drip some of it onto the top of the threads and let the solution creep into the rest of the threads in the block.

Old diesel mechanics trick, wear gloves for this trick.

Drewd · **Joined:** Mon Feb 06, 2006 12:24 pm **Posts:** 902

Removing the intake elbow is PITA but if you have small hands and a lot of patience it can be done by feel.

If you prefer less aggravation but don't mind a little extra work, you can get to the intake elbow bolts easier from beneath the vehicle but you have to remove the engine starter motor. I replaced the bolts on my intake with allen wrench bolts which made the next glow plug change easier for me.

LMWatBullRun · **Posted:** Fri Dec 07, 2012 8:05 pm

Drewd wrote:

Removing the intake elbow is PITA but if you have small hands and a lot of patience it can be done by feel.

If you prefer less aggravation but don't mind a little extra work, you can get to the intake elbow bolts easier from beneath the vehicle but you have to remove the engine starter motor. I replaced the bolts on my intake with allen wrench bolts which made the next glow plug change easier for me.

Having taken those little boogers out I recognize a great tip when I read one. Thanks! Right now I have the cover off the top, (and the fuel filter and the battery and the radiator, etc, etc, etc.

) so it is fairly easy to get at the hex bolts for the elbow to EGR connection.

LMWatBullRun · **Posted:** Sat Dec 08, 2012 10:37 am

racertracer wrote:

From what I gathered from another member, the hold up begins when the carbon sediments in the thread area causes the thread to bind.

We need to find a safe carbon dissolver solution to get in there in between the threads when they begin to bind and allow the solution time to break up/liquify the carbon.

I heard that a drop of Easy-off Oven Cleaner does a good job.

Drip some of it onto the top of the threads and let the solution creep into the rest of the threads in the block.

Old diesel mechanics trick, wear gloves for this trick.

I am not sure I want to use the oven cleaner; IIRC it eats Aluminum. :shock:

What I am thinking of doing is draining the oil pan, rotating each piston to TDC and filling the chamber with Kreen through the injector hole and letting that dissolve the carbon off the glow plug.
It will dribble down past the rings and wind up in the pan at which point I recycle it through a filter and pour it back in the cylinder. May take a day or two but I am not in a rush and I do not want to damage the head I have just spent so much time carefully clamping to the block.

I have been thinking about flushing the engine, anyway, and this seems less drastic than using oven cleaner. Once I am finished, vacuum out the cylinder through the injector hole, pour new oil or maybe STP down the hole to relube the cylinder, wait a bit and vacuum again to get the residual oil out.
Thoughts, anyone?

papaindigo · **Posted:** Sat Dec 08, 2012 12:24 pm

I have no opinion on the Kreen idea but yes Easy Off is very hard on aluminum surfaces. I've not done my glow plugs but the 2 sets of replacements I helped with came right out with no problems.

racertracer · **Posted:** Sat Dec 08, 2012 3:55 pm

Seafoam also dissolves carbon.

LMWatBullRun · **Posted:** Sat Dec 08, 2012 6:38 pm

actually, patience, persistence and repeated applications of Kroil interspersed with careful backing the GPs in and then out a little more each time did the trick. Go Kroil! The really nasty one was the number one cylinder and that cylinder has apparently had issues with the injector; the tip of the injector was very heavily carboned up when I removed it.

Did that while I worked on cleaning the cover and intake manifold up. Some places there was 1/4 to 3/8 thick soot glued on.....

papaindigo · **Posted:** Sun Dec 09, 2012 7:41 am

LMWatBullRun - thanks that's good to know. I'd wondered about the use of relatively gentle in/out application of force along with liberal use of a penetratent as that's how I was able to remove a really stubborn broken turbo to block stud.

Hexus · **Posted:** Sun Dec 09, 2012 8:28 pm

Plugging your block heater in and warming up the engine block/keeping it warm helps a lot too.

boilermaker2 · **Posted:** Thu Jan 17, 2013 7:51 am

When I did mine. I thought I stripped #1 when removing. Finally, I looked past that sinking feeling and started pulling and twisting...it finally came out and the replacements have almost 1 year on them now without problems. It was like it was under suction. Which sucked. I was very relieved when it finally came out.
B2

Procedure On How To Replace #4 & #1 Glow Plugs.

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