Glowplugs

[roosmith]

How far down are the glow plugs supposed to sit? Just noticed while hunting around that my new set don't appear to be seated. Are they supposed to be?

[Bob]

There's different plugs, make sure you have the right ones.

[roosmith]

I ordered the right ones from the club, based on age and the garage didn't say they were a different size to the ones they took. You have to hope they would have done, hey!

[Northern Bongolow]

the glow pugs are a tapered thread so that is correct.

the really worrying bit is ----is the glow plug rail touching the link pipe from the injectors, it looks very close.

[roosmith]

I'll have to have another look in the morning. Where is the link pipe supposed to sit?

[Northern Bongolow]

what usually happens is the bongo had ---long-- plugs fitted, then someone fits ---short--- plugs. the difference in size is above the thread level, so now the rail that connects the plugs together is sat lower, right on or very close to the link pipe. this glow plug rail is plastic coated, when the rail touches it rubs the plastic through, this usually takes a few weeks, then the ampage burns through the diesel link pipe. .

[roosmith]

I had a look after you pointed out the link pipe was a bit close to the rail, Northern, and spot on you're right it is. It's a bit awkward to get into, so I can't tell if it is touching or just very close.

I am now confused though as I ordered the correct size for the year, the small ones (assuming no-one has tinkered before - why do they do that?) and the garage have confirmed that the same size went in as they took out. So it was either always like that or the garage have fitted them incorrectly or the like.

I can't get to the whole rail to see what is touching where but I'm guessing I need to get the Bongo to a savy garage (which is a problem seeing as I'm doing a 1000 miles on holiday next week).

[wonkanoby]

get a bit of rubber pipe about same internal as the pipe

chop as bit ,slice it and put it over the pipe

[wonkanoby]

as i understand it long or shorts not related to year

its to do with what mazda had on hand as it was built

[Northern Bongolow]

dont do the trip till its sorted mate.

some people just lean on the fuel link pipe beneath the glowplug link with a nice piece of wood, just to get a gap. i dont like doing this myself. i like to get some old spark plugs, the ones with the screw on metal cap, saw off the threaded bit, then screw the cap onto the top of the new glow plug, screw in the spark plug thread then sit the rail on top then fit the original nut. what you end up with is a ten mm lift on the glow plug rail.

[Simon Jones]

The photo seems to show the thick rubber insulation is in place and as long as there's a couple of mm clearance, i personally would not been too concerned about fixing it straight away. Both the glow plug rail and injector return pipe are sturdy components and I can't see they would stand much chance of coming into contact with each other.

NB's suggestion sounds like a good solution or you could just fit a couple of washers under the rail to move it so the nuts are a little closer to top of the threads.