Sheared glowplug

[AlliDelta]

I had decided to change the glowplugs myself on our Bongo, times being tight and everything, got myself some NGK's and had a go at doing it, had to search as I was struggling with stuff in the way of removing the plugs. But then I found I have to remove the central console where the handbrake is and it all went really well. That was until the final plug sheared off. Now I have had a quick look around and it seems there is a lot of differing opinion on the best course of action so far it seems the coices are:

1. Remove the head and get it sorted at collosal expense.

2. Leave it and run on 3 good plugs.

3. Attempt to remove the remaining bit with some form of tool.

Now I have had a degree of success in the past using easy outs to remove snapped bolts from all previous problems. My only major concern is can the lower part of the glow plug drop out into the cylinder? As this would mean step 1 has to be employed. There is quite a bit of plug still protruding from the head but the main problem is getting something in to get a good hold on it. Also it is only a mil or so thick so using some grips on it would probabl just mangle it.

As it looks I reckon my best bet is to either leave it or try using an easy out, so long as the plug end won't drop into the cylinder!!

[robdrinky]

I have not had to easyout one myself but looking at an old glowplug (ngk) i think a lot depends on which brand you have fitted as it would appear certain makes would be more likely to fall apart whilst being drilled.
you could practice on one of the other old ones to see whats likely to happen!
Could you get a small stud extracter in.
if in doubt i would be tempted to leave it alone-as along as you can start ok.

Good luck

[wormey]

Could you take it to a local bongo friendly garage and see if they can remove it, without taking the head off. but as above, if you can start it with that old one and three good ones, perhaps leave it for now.

[wormey]

I wonder if you could arc weld a piece of metal to it, just to get more leverage on it, just an idea, perhaps a silly one.

[dave_aber]

Welding on an extension piece can be a good idea - if you can get access OK - since the heat of the welding can help loosen the plug in the head

[321Away]

which plug is it? get the inlet manifold etc off and you have a decent working space, that you might be able to weld to, seen the same problem on a few Peugeot vans and never had a tip fall into a bore. had 2 shear flush with the head, that now rstarts and runs perfectly well on 3! usually use some plasticene to make a little barrier around the plug, fill it few mm deep with WD40 or similar and leave to soak for day(s), let it penerate as deep as poss,then try the welding a nut trick, its not nice or easy but it is doable
Unusau, i've never known a plug to snap on a bongo? you know whats gonna happen this afternoon!! touch wood lol
Julian

[al & chris]

I managed to snap 2 in ours, think i must be a bit clumsy. Got them out by using an extractor tool kit. Drill a hole in top of sheared plug. Not too deep as to go through bottom and then screw id reverse thread tapping device they came out with a bit of an effort.

[kawasaki kid]

when I had one shear and one seize in my van - got away with starting on two plugs for a while but when the weather went colder it was a pain to start - especially at 5.30 in the morning going to work - my plug had sheared half way down the thread and was well and truly stuck - had an easiout snap off in it so ended up getting a replacement head and kept my old head just incase - have since found a cylinder head specialist who recons he can remove whats left of the plug and clean up all the threads etc so will give him the old head to do his magic on. Getting this done as there was nothing wrong with the old head other than this glowplug issue. Just a quick tip - don`t buy cheap plugs and put a bit of copaslip or similar on the threads to stop it happening again in the future.

[AlliDelta]

Ok spoke to a mechanic friend of mine and he said try and grip it with some grips and work it loose, never gonna happen too close to the head. I decided I'd drill out the inner just deep enough to get an easy out in. However it wasn't an easy out and now the plug has half an easy out in it!

Have reassembled and she now starts no bother on 3 plugs. I'm gonna see how she goes, it's only the cold weather that has made me change the plugs and she started no gas instantly so problem solved until the head has to come off...

[MAZABON]

ive never changed any glow plugs yet, so i wouldnt really know

but i have had a bolt head shear before dead level in the hole, i managed to cut a slot in it with a dremmel and just about managed to undo it with a flathead screwdriver bit in a socket set wrench, took ages though and alot of WD40