Where are the glow plugs?

[Black Angus]

A very dumb question no doubt, but where do I find the glow plugs on my T4 2.4d year 2000 Transporter? I don't think it wise for me to start pulling things apart under the hood.

:confused:

[Mobilemick]

Sorry to be rude m8, but if u cant find the plugs, you`ll struggle to change them,

on my 19td they are at front of engine :)

Mick

[Freshup]

Hi,
On front of engine just below injectors. Easy to check without dismantling anything. Need minimum 0 - 50amp meter. Find large fuse link, right hand side just under bonnet ( heavy red wire either end) check for 12 volts with glowplugs on. If OK, disconnect 1 wire and connect meter in line. With glow plugs on should read 50 amps. Each glowplug = 10 amps thus 40 amp reading 1 dud 30 - 2 etc. Assuming 12 volts at fuse, if 1 or more faulty then individual glowplugs can be checked by removing bottom engine pan. On front middle of engine below injector pump 5 pin wiring connector attached to block. Unplug and test each glowplug end for continuity. No circuit indicates dud.
Cheers

[t4jay]

A very dumb question no doubt, but where do I find the glow plugs on my T4 2.4d year 2000 Transporter? I don't think it wise for me to start pulling things apart under the hood.

:confused:

hi remove the bolts on the front panel assy lift and tilt the rad assy forward,look at the head assy and you will see 5 of them on the front of the head by the injectors,nice job to,we are a audi/vw/t4 specialists in south wales area if you need any advise give us a ring or have a look at are website *removed* cheers jay :beerchug:

[dangerrous]

You're gonna love this, I recently changed my glow plugs it's a '97 2.4d.

Well if like me you don't have special VW tools you're looking at a days work to change them.

First remove front panel and radiator. Then you will see that the alternator is in the way of one, and the diesel pump and pipes are in the way of others, I had to remove the pump, but I was doing other jobs aswell so not too much of a problem.

I hope I've given you an idea of how much work is involved in this job.
Oh and another thing the end of the glow plug screw is only pressed into the unit, if the connection is tight, when you try to undo it you'll rip off the head or it'll just spin, you need a thin small spanner to hold the head steady. I just cut the connection then put on new spade.
Reason for changing plugs- intermittent starting problems, after all the work done, found it to be a dodgy connection on the glow plug relay, the relay itself was fine, the problem was the large spade connection in the wire harness was loose, so the indicator was saying everthing was okay, I tested the system which showed there was power getting to the low end connection by the sump, only when I had changed the glow plugs, low end connection and relay did I find the fault, BE WARNED!
An owner's edition manual is available on a certain well known book site
it's called brooklands owners manual just make sure you get the right one for your model
D

[dangerrous]

I've taken a picture of the glow plug positions

As you will see it's a bit of a fight to get to them
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/dangerrous/004.jpg

And now a picture of the engine compartment

Try locating them now
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/dangerrous/005.jpg

Here's the radiator tilted forward, still not enough room, easier just to remove for more room

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/dangerrous/010.jpg

The whole unit comes out when the plastic clips are pressed out, don't forget to plug up the power steering pipes

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/dangerrous/001-1.jpg

On mine the front panel is removed in one piece
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/dangerrous/002-1.jpg


D

[carbon]

When I had a problem with my 2.4d I found that it was easier to access glow plugs 1-3 from underneath. Number 4 had to be done from above and if and when the 5th one needs replacing I may have to invest in some more tools or leave it alone as 4 out of 5 working glow plugs should be sufficient.

[dangerrous]

To be honest once I knew what work had to be done to change the plugs I just did it, funny that they were only £5.25 each. I expected them to be dearer, this bosch model must cover a lot of the diesel range
D

[t4olga]

hi there,

i am new to this but i have problem with cold starting on my t4 2.4d.think it might be the glow plugs

yesterday i had alook at them it seems that on my van the feed wire attaches to glow plug behind the alterator then there is a simalar wire to next glow plug then another wire to middle glow plug but then the others are conected by flat brass strip covered in insulation (bus bar ???),

any of you people who have changed yours found the same arrangment?
or should there be a bus bar conecting all five glow plugs?(as was the case in the last car i changed the glow plugs on)

i am hoping this might be the problem as dont fancy taking the fuel pump off to get to the other one.

[dangerrous]

Hi t4olga,

My hobby is motorsport and cars, I have been brought up in this environment but have never had this as a full time job, althoug I have over 20 years of experience working on cars.
What I'm trying to say is I'm not a specific expert on any type of car.
In my experience of Diesels, if glow plugs are used they are connected with one common live supply direct to a timed relay, either by a heavy duty multistrand wire or a bus bar, my t4 has a heavy duty multistrand seperating to five black cables from the loom.
Check to see if the 12v supply is reaching the plugs, sometimes the harsh engine environment can short the connection, tip of the plug will be +12volt, engine will be earth.

Another method is to first check that the glow plugs are drawing power, turn your side lights on and the instrument panel illumination on full. now switch on the ignition the glow plug light will come on, then go off, but the glow plugs are still being supplied power for about 15 secs before switching off, now you should see the instrument panel just become slightly brighter, the digital odometer is the best indication. If you see this slight change then you know that they are drawing power (best to do this at night).
Next ensuring that the engine is cold, we're going to check if the glow plugs are working, turn the ignition on for 30 secs then of for 25 secs, then on for 30 secs, then of for 25 secs. Repeat this four times, now feel each glow plug, if it is warm then it's working (give the heat time to transfer through the plug).
I hope this helps
D

[t4olga]

Hi t4olga,

My hobby is motorsport and cars, I have been brought up in this environment but have never had this as a full time job, althoug I have over 20 years of experience working on cars.
What I'm trying to say is I'm not a specific expert on any type of car.
In my experience of Diesels, if glow plugs are used they are connected with one common live supply direct to a timed relay, either by a heavy duty multistrand wire or a bus bar, my t4 has a heavy duty multistrand seperating to five black cables from the loom.
Check to see if the 12v supply is reaching the plugs, sometimes the harsh engine environment can short the connection, tip of the plug will be +12volt, engine will be earth.

Another method is to first check that the glow plugs are drawing power, turn your side lights on and the instrument panel illumination on full. now switch on the ignition the glow plug light will come on, then go off, but the glow plugs are still being supplied power for about 15 secs before switching off, now you should see the instrument panel just become slightly brighter, the digital odometer is the best indication. If you see this slight change then you know that they are drawing power (best to do this at night).
Next ensuring that the engine is cold, we're going to check if the glow plugs are working, turn the ignition on for 30 secs then of for 25 secs, then on for 30 secs, then of for 25 secs. Repeat this four times, now feel each glow plug, if it is warm then it's working (give the heat time to transfer through the plug).
I hope this helps
D



Last night i checked the glow plugs were taking power and after the light went out there was a click (glow plug relay turning off ????) then the dash board lights got a bit brighter.

today tried turning the ignition on and off as you said and all the glow plugs seem to be warm

tried to check the 12v from tip of plug with meter but display kept going blank

also tried to check 12v / 50amp as per earlier post.

but at fuse it read 10.6 v and when we tried to check amps there was no reading .

so i will get new battery for meter and check again next weekend

any other info gladly recieved

[dangerrous]

Sounds like you're doing everything right. If all the plugs are warm to the touch in a cold engine situation; after you have heated them up around 4 times, then they are working.
I'm not sure what amperes they will draw but I would imagine about at least 5amps per plug.
The click you mention is the relay shutting off the indicator light to the dash board, but as said before the power is still supplied to the glow plugs for around 20secs.
Check the glow plug relay for a faulty connection, if there is evidence of arcing out on the large spade connector, it will need some attention, as did mine. The relay is the large one furthest to the right by the fuses, it is partially covered by a support bar.
D