Cold Start Problem & Black Smoke

[The Great Pretender]

Your battery is cream crackered

[snowrat]

I intend to get a set of four glow plugs and replace them all with NGKs, however a few things I need to check first...
- The glow plug length, is it measured for the total length or from the top nut (not last slim threaded section) to the end of the 'glow', as I get 83mm from nut to end of 'glow' or 99mm from end to end?

I am going to order the set of four glow plugs but want to be sure I am ordering the right ones.The info I have found (VIN no, year of vehicle 1997) suggests they should be the 83mm std version, but after measuring them I am not 100% certain, can anyone help me with this before I have them sent from the UK?

[dandywarhol]

The 83 plugs measure 83mm from tip to end

[brorabongo]

Heres an old photo of my glowplug...


and one of the condition of a couple of mine, after having the starting problems as you described snowrat.

guess which one was ******.
Originally I replaced with cheap plugs from ebay, but they did not last a year, so now using NGK's after Dandy's recommendation, and have had no problems since.


Longer ones have been used by some instead, but you will need to bend the injector rail a tad. (not for the faint harted.)

[missfixit70]

I thought the rail had to be bent when the 83mm plugs were fitted instead of the original 102mm plugs? Bear in mind there is a 3rd size of 90 something mm that have cropped up a few times, but I think they can quite happily be replaced by the shorter ones.

[brorabongo]

I thought the rail had to be bent when the 83mm plugs were fitted instead of the original 102mm plugs?

You could be right, I never checked my facts first, but I would of thought if the plugs were longer the 12v rail would be sitting higher, therefore closer to the injector rail.

[francophile1947]

Kirsty is right - I fitted 83mm to mine, as I couldn't get the 102mm. Just gently bend the injector pipes down, using a block of wood and a small hammer

[brorabongo]

Kirsty is right - I fitted 83mm to mine, as I couldn't get the 102mm. Just gently bend the injector pipes down, using a block of wood and a small hammer

Aye, it's not often Kirsty's wrong, but she's right this time.

[francophile1947]

Aye, it's not often Kirsty's wrong, but she's right this time.

I wouldn't dare tell her if she was wrong - I might need another lift sometime

[missfixit70]

Not having a life has its advantages

[snowrat]

Finally got the Bongo fixed and have had chance to test it between distractions here in the mountains!
I managed to find some 102mm Blueprint glow plugs and fit them. The issues have been resolved by doing this...
There is no black smoke on start up, even when extremely cold and not having started for over 24 hours.
Main battery is keeping a good charge i.e. not being drained by the excessive time to start up each morning.

The Bongo feels like new again and ready for a road trip in the Alps later this week. Happy Days!
Thanks for all your invaluable help

[The Great Pretender]

Glad you have it sorted, the extra lenght, is it all in the prechamber side?

[dandywarhol]

Extra length seems to be on the connection side TGP.............thats why the feed bar needs to be "shimmed" or bent to avoid earthing on the pipes

[The Great Pretender]

Extra length seems to be on the connection side TGP.............thats why the feed bar needs to be "shimmed" or bent to avoid earthing on the pipes

Me getting it wrong, thought they were a non standard size.
It is possible to get longer hot bits to make starting easier. Elsbett fit them when doing a single tank veg oil conversion to improve cold starting.

[dandywarhol]

They'd probably foul the indirect chamber plate in the head.