1996 1.9D 1Y engine glow plug replacement

Yes I know why bother, it's a scrapper but been a great car since first purchased in 1999 and just straight through an MOT with a fulltank of fuel, so hoping someone can advise me.
Only one glow plug now working so need to attempt a change as not starting without huge effort with colder weather. The glow plugs were supposedly changed by a garage in 2003/4 but as the more exposed pair on the right look cleaner than the two on the left I'm thinking two on left are originals after 132k miles. Not that surprised and fuel pump in way so spanner needed and more chance of fracture.
I have been spraying WD40 on them for a few days when engine warm in the vague hope this may assist removal. After the 3rd plug failed car is a nightmare to start even with 10 mins of heat gun on the inlet manifold so have to do something as rely on the car on occasion.
Have ordered a set of 4 GPs and wishfully thinking I have some chance of success. The outermost one on the right works so was going to start by trying to remove the cleaner non working one second right. These plugs are shorter and stronger looking than some but I guess there is still a good chance they will still snap off. Advice needed to cover all scenarios please.
If the top snaps off the glow plug, will the cylinder leak? - I'm hoping not. If the two middles snap and no leak I guess I have not lost anything and can still refit power bar with no issue?
I do need to get at least two of these in to make the car useable at this time of year. Worse case scenario and head needs to come off. Is that a big job? What gasket do I need on a 1.9D - 2 notch or 3? Sorry for dim questions I am an MX5 specialist - the golf as an ex AI car, up and down farm tracks for first couple of years and 70k miles has been mechanically bullet proof but tested my welding skills.............or lack of them.

Those aren't normally to prone to snapping, the ones behind the pump are a pain because there is no room.

Thank you for getting back to me Crasher. I did try to PM you a day or so back but the message seems to have disappeared.
Waiting for Wurth rost off plus, ordered online to arrive and then will have a go at this.
The new plugs arrived yesterday(12mm) and they do seem to feel and look solid compared to the longer 10mm glow plugs fitted to the turbo diesels.

The last few days have been a bit bad, Mrs Crashers dad died and all a bit sad...

Oh heck, very sorry to hear that - my commiserations.

I bit the bullet this weekend. Not a job for the faint hearted but three of the four glow plugs now replaced and the car now starts reliably in cold weather.
Progressive use of WD40, GT85, Plusgas and finally Wurth Rost Off Plus only showed signs of real worth with one of the three plugs removed. Clearly it had penetrated the threads on the leftmost plug which was easy to remove once cracked. The two on the right were stubborn and tight from start to finish, eased by wind in/out with lubicant. Got first one out with small thread damage(some flatening of pitch on plug) and did a strength test in the vice. Could not get plug to break with torque applied and when cut in half could see why as mostly solid metal. Felt confident after this and the plugs got easier to remove until the last one, second from left, behind fuel pump. Very difficult to get a spanner on it allowing room to turn with tube on top for torque. It eventually cracked but hex turning without plug, so the achilles heal with these found. The weak point is where the hollow hex nut joins the glow plug body on this type of early short glow plug. No leak from cylinder and no way of removal without major surgery, so left in place. Still not managed to get 8mm nut back to secure power bar but as plug not drawing current will wait for further inspiration on that one.
Chalk this up as a victory as only required 2 plugs replacing for my version of success and got three. Very disappointed with the efficacy of penetrants and I do not think engine
heat would have made much/any difference either. These were simply gummed up and always going to take torque to remove.
Good luck to anyone else forced to do this job where plugs fitted for 15+ years.

You should try doing the Common Rail V6 ones, they make your **** click! On one we did, all six snapped off...

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Originally Posted by Crasher

You should try doing the Common Rail V6 ones, they make your **** click! On one we did, all six snapped off...

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I hope this was a customer's car and you were paid to remedy.
I feel very lucky although considering how removal of the first three went, failure on the fourth was totally unexpected.
Car has been nursed for around 10 years now(owned over 20) and kept going because I don't give up on anything that has a chance of carrying on serving me well. Driving 100s of miles looking for an older standard family car on the road/motorway recently proves I am on my own and out of sync with modern society in this respect by at least five years; in other respects by nearer 40 years:Blush:

Yes it was a customers car and we pre warned him one or two might go, but all six! Anyway my local mobile engineer Keith jumped in and saved the day, he specialises in evil jobs like that. I remember him saving the day when I pulled a faulty PD injector on a Shalambra taxi and it left the base of the body in the head...

https://i222.photobucket.com/albums/...ps077b4588.jpg