How Long Do Glow Plugs Last?

[Whitespirit66]

My Fiat Scudo van needed quite a bit of turning over before it would start in the last couple of winters, when temperatures were really low.

Couple of times, the battery went flat before the van started. It's fine in normal cold temperatures, as well as the rest of the year. Starts really easily, and runs fine. Just a problem in the real lows we've had the last 2 or 3 winters.

Does this mean the glow plugs are worn or dirty, or is it just how things are with diesels? How long do glow plugs last? I suppose the ones on my van are originals, about 7 yrs old. Can you clean them like spark plugs? Is there a way to test them?

 

[Burnerman]

Glowplugs can last for ever, or they can fail from time to time - there doesn't seem to be ny hard and fast rule.
Simple to test - set a multimeter to its lowest resistance setting and connect one lead to the plug and one to the engine. You are looking for a resistence of around 1 ohm or sometimes less.
Also check the time interval that the plugs are switched on with the meter set to volts it should be a few seconds.
John

 

[wotan]

Further to what Burnerman has said, you do not normally clean glowplugs, there is no gap to set as on spark plugs. Test with multimeter, any found faulty just remove and renew, use a deep hexagonal socket not bi-hex as these can be tight, a squirt of WD40 the night previous should help.

Wotan

 

[Whitespirit66]

Thanks very much for the info. Will get the meter out this weekend.

Does my van's behaviour sound normal in very low temps, and do others struggle too?

 

[Burnerman]

My Berlingo doesn't have any starting worries, but if its really cold I let the glowplugs heat up twice (its still a low mileage van though, 56 plate, 33k).
Avoid ether spray and crazy ideas about adding petrol to the fuel though.
John

 

[wotan]

Ether starting spray, can seriously damage an engine, if used to excess.

Wotan