Thanks for sharing AnacapistanVan! I took mine apart and was debating doing a solder... I'll probably just order a new part. Really appreciate when folks share the goods and bads of their work. It saves everyone so much time. I'll try to pay it forward as I dive deeper into my van.
@@OneManOnFire yes, I got the engine hot and cracked them all loose with the engine still hot. The engine did great until 366k. Was a hard worker everyday delivering. It started shooting oil out of the dipstick tube suddenly one day. I think I blew a hole in a piston. Should have changed the injectors out at 300k.
@@OneManOnFire but I got an engine and a transmission with only 85k miles on it, for $1,500. Installed it on the side of the road and I'm back in business.
@@AncapistanVan Good to know how you did it. I plan on making my own diy video myself. Is it ok if I give your video and channel a shout-out/screenshot in my video?
WD-40 works great on rusty fasteners, but imo it has little effect on the carbon goo that glues injectors and injector hold down bolts in place. Heat and oven cleaner works best for me. The glow plugs are a bit different though, since the steel glow plugs can rust. In both situations, cracking them loose with a hot engine is the key.
Excellent hand skills BTDT and yea I have broke one myself. Couple tips use a torque wrench and just keep clicking it with a barley over torque spec setting. I put dow corning 111 silicone grease on the taper tip and threads and next time they come right out. I have a blown glow plug fuse and one plug reading low ( .3 ohm) on a 305K engine. Now that I think about it will see if it pops the $5 fuse again before I try to take out the plug!
thank you for documenting. did i hear you correct? "unplug cam sensor in order to turn it over to spray out this crap without the engine firing." did that have any benefit? what if i just drop another glow plug in without meticulous cleaning? won't most shit burn off with the fresh plug? also, what's the risk of doing this while the engine is too hot? some danger with your penetrating catalyst spray? (i'm trying to decipher what that first comment was all about.)
I don't think it worked because the compression is too low with the glow plug removed. Made too low-pitched of a whoosh sound. A much better solution is a mini Shop-Vac with a small vinyl hose nozzle. Or if you happen to have the injector out, you can use compressed air through the injector hole, while you work, so that stuff blows out, rather than falling in. If you spray penetrant on an engine that's pretty hot, it will sometimes evaporate into nasty vapors that I wouldn't recommend inhaling. Paradoxically, it's best to crack loose the glow plugs when the engine is real hot, like within 10 minutes of engine shutdown. Because the carbon goo just like in Black death, it turns into a glue after just about 10 minutes without heat. As far as stuff burning off with a new plug dropped in, yeah it will but that's not the part that needs to be cleaned. It's the seat of the glow plug that needs to be clean - not the heating part of the glow plug, but just before that near the glow plug tip is a beveled surface that seals onto the head. It needs to be clean on the seat because if the glow plug does not fully seat, it can leak compression, similar to black death. Or the glow plug can break during the tightening process. If you get combustion gases leaking into the threads, then your glow plug can get glued in there just like an injector with black death.
I was confused what you did with the control module. Do the points need to be touching and what was the symptoms. I have a cylinder 5 diesel knock. New injector and plug.
The control module blew the fusible links inside when the glow plugs failed. Fusible links are just a solid state fuse made of a copper bar that blows up when the current gets too high. So I bridged that gap with my awful soldering, to repair the fusible links. Symptoms were my glow plug light staying on for longer than usual, and rougher cold starts. A knock from the back of the engine can come from a damaged flex plate especially on 2002 to 2003 models, or from an injector leaking compression past the injector seal ring AKA Black death, or from a remanufactured injector causing predetonation inside the cylinder from a leaking nozzle tip or just make it run loud from incorrect fuelling quantity/timing/spray pattern. A knock corresponding to engine RPM can also be caused by the outer ring of the harmonic balancer coming loose and hitting the timing cover. A similar tapping sound can also be caused by the belt tensioner hitting the minimum stop limit due to a belt that is too long.
Next question is how did you get the module taken apart. In a way I don't have the funds to fix it if it doesn't need it. Altho I did do the glow plugs and had black death/ injector seal replaced. Altho I redid the job and noticed diesel on the shaft of brand new injector
@@thesolpurpose3109 I shoved a knife into the seam and pried it apart. It's just glued together. There's two bolts that hold the glow plug module in place, so use an extension on your ratchet to easily reach them. It's a 10 mm socket iirc. Unless you live in alaska, or Montana, it doesn't *need* to be fixed. I have two glow plugs not functioning on my engine, and it starts just fine in freezing weather.
@@AncapistanVan the van was in minnesota. lol -17 degrees sometimes. i plan to get the knock gone and take It away from the cold tho. i wanna get everything squared away in this family shop before i go to far
Just pulled my relay apart and all 5 are blown! and get this the main 125A fuse is blown too how is this possible? (they look to be original parts just got this van with 305K on it!
When the fusible links inside the glow plug relay blow, the metal strip bends/snaps/melts. if you are unlucky, they will break in a way that still allows current to flow, from the 125 amp main glow plug fuse, to the glow plug relay and maybe even all the way to a faulty glow plug. I suspect that is what happened. The other possibility is that there is an actual short to ground in the wire that feeds the glow plug relay, for example, if the wire rubbed on a sharp edge. You can test for continuity to ground while wiggling this wire. I think it's also possible the fuse just got real wet and corrosion built up and made the resistance too high. These are just my best guesses. I would ask the question on the sprinter source forums or the t1n sprinter owners FB group
Update: My bad soldering job didn't work to repair the glow plug module, it still gives me an error code sometimes. Others on the sprinter source forum have had success with this though. It worked for a month or two while it was still cold, then the CEL popped up. But the glow plugs are doing fine and it starts great. I get the check engine light every once in a while so I'll need to replace the glow plug module with the updated version with circuit breakers before next winter. I could pull it apart and re-solder it but I'd rather just buy the upgraded version.
@@AncapistanVan Do you have links for these parts? Glow Plugs and the Module? I have a 2005 Sprinter with codes P0671, P0380 and P0340 so I guess I need the Camshaft Position Sensor too. The variation in pricing on these parts is ridiculous!
I had asked this question about the 06 Sprinter 2.7L on another video; so you may have already seen that one. I replaced the #2 cylinder fuel injector copper washer seat due to compression loss. Upon starting the motor it was smooth and quiet. I warmed up the motor for 8 minutes and then noticed a large amount of fuel coming out of a 10MM black rubber hose on the drivers side of the motor close to under the intake manifold. What do you think is the problem? I removed the black plastic cover of the injectors and that area was dry and no leaks.
Bill Lindley I believe I used Craftsman 6 inch flat nose slip jaw pliers. Compress either side of the plug and with a firm grasp pull up. It's hard to find the right pliers that will fit and you might need different pliers for different plugs
You won't go into limp mode. Glow plugs are only used during starting. You won't even get an engine light in many cases but a Sprinter compatible scanner will tell you which glow plug it is.
Yeah, that's what I did for weeks. I don't know if it helped, but I did everything I could to increase my chances of success. The most important thing is that the engine is really hot and you crack em loose within 10 mins before the tar hardens into a glue.
@@AncapistanVan really appreciate your reply, luckily maybe unluckily I ended up passing on the sprinter I was looking at. 2006 with 300k+ on the engine and in somewhat rough condition, drive an hour there for him to just then tell me it has a check engine light and he never changed the title over. Even so I tried to make an offer but he said the lowest he'd go was 7. Back to the search hahahaa
@@dustin860 yeah the c e l was probably on because of the glow plugs. let me know when you find another one, I'd be happy to help you inspect and repair
Nope. But mine is an 04. The 02-03's, the intake is in the way. But if you have an 02-03, while it's off you can swap it with an 04-06 intake and EGR. Joel sell of million miles sprinter discovered this and said there were no problems.
@@AncapistanVan ah ok, mine is an '03. Do you know if the intake needs to come off to get the plugs out? Is there some benefit of making that swap? I'd just assume keep things simple and replace as few parts as necessary until there's a clear reason. Appreciate the help tho for sure
@@nelsonklein1 I'm not sure, I haven't worked on too many of those older ones. but you could ask the Sprinter source forums or the t1n Sprinter owners group on Facebook. It's an upgrade, not a requirement. It just allows better access to the glow plugs (and injectors??) in the future, and gives you the improved EGR from the later years which won't drip oil.
@@AncapistanVan But, if the intake has to be removed, and I can see it has too (have a 2003), how can the engine still be sufficiently hot to unscrew the glow plugs?
@@uwe12553 good question. I suppose if it's possible you could maybe just crack it loose while the intake is on. If that's not possible I suppose it might be possible to cover the intake holes with HEPA vacuum filters duct taped over the holes and run the engine that way. Or maybe you could just hold the intake on by like three bolts to get the engine hot and then pull it off real quick.
How many miles are on these glow plugs? Seemed really tough getting them out. I'm in the process of buying a Dodge Sprinter this week if we come to an agreement on price. I changed my glow plugs on my VW TDI & didn't have half the trouble. Wondering what I'm getting myself in to because check engine light is on with a glow plug code. Figured easy fix but seems like a job lol. It has 145k miles & its from Boston so I'm sure they are rusty. Thanks, Great Video by the way. 😎👍
They had 220k miles on them. The other two originals are still working fine, at 320K now. The head is aluminum, which can't rust, but the glow plug body is steel I think. IMO, the bigger issue is not rust, but the carbon tar that acts as a glue to hold injectors and glow plugs in. The secret is that you need to get the engine up to operating temp for a while, like drive for a hour or two, then crack it loose within 10 mins of shutting the engine down. I did a video here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-oenk_RGZAv4.html that shows just how tough this tar/glue is. It is a liquid at operating temp, yet a glue at room temp. If you are doing multiple glow plugs, either crack them all loose while the engine is real hot, or do them one at a time and work the engine in between, to keep it very hot.
That's a bit of relief. I just worked out the price & will be purchasing the day after Christmas. This 06 has less than 150k miles. I guess I will still have my work cut out for me but it sounds like patience is key. Thanks for the fast response & a great video. I subscribed & plan on checking out your Sprinter vids. I plan to start from scratch & build a camper conversion. I have lots of work to do but want it to be reliable too. I haven't heard of many transmission problems with these things besides a control module or something like that & the diesel motors Ive heard some getting a million miles. Looking forward to a 20 mpg mini camper in the future. Any recommendations on oils I should run in motor/tranny/ rear end etc. I want to change all the fluids & filters first thing & of course this glow plug issue. Thx in advance
@@vanlifebiker Thanks for subscribing!! 150K miles is just getting broken in and you did good getting an 06. Yeah they are incredibly reliable machines imo. Mines been going for years every single day, for 100k miles now. You will do well I think, as you are on it as far as learning basic TLC.
@@vanlifebiker Oh and as far as oils, I use Mobil 1 European car formula 0w-40 from walmart for engine oil. Shell ATF134 transmission fluid from your local shell distributor. Rear differential oil is Mobil 75W-90, and see my video here on how to change it: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-RcA8kstTYJg.html&lc=z23tc3y52zbci1jwi04t1aokggt3r1kriikwsvn4mkxsrk0h00410
Why repair the glow plug module? Because the cheap glow plug modules are not updated with circuit breakers, they will fail in the same way, I was trying to save myself some money. The updated module is over $100 on europarts. You can buy the set of glow plugs yes but you will still need to carefully remove the originals from a **hot** engine and that is what this video shows. Make sure to use OEM non counterfeit glow plugs, the wrong ones could overheat and seize in the head or just get stuck.
I don't remember.I think I had some copper anti seize back then but I was just using high temp synthetic brake grease on everything. Which of course is not recommended.I would check the Sprinter source for the best stuff to use or the owner's manual on DIYsprinter.co.uk/reference
@@AncapistanVan The glow plugs use the cylinder head as a ground. It is recommended that no anti seize paste or grease as this may effect the ground side of the glow plug circuit and prevent proper operation.
@@malcolmyoung7866 Good point, although I did use copper anti seize iirc. I figured the base of the plug would provide plenty of contact. I hear a lot of nightmare stories of glow plugs, so I didn't want to put them in dry, but you may be right. I dunno.
this is not the smartest way to do this..anti seize spray after running the engine.. make sure its not too hot, but warm.. cranking back and forth, very lucky he did not break the glow plug!!!
I soaked them for months in penetrant, pretty sure i mentioned that in tye vid and the description. I did go back n forth and the engine was hot, i even said to use a hot engine in the description. So i dont think your criticism is accurate. I did everything right and i am a college educated diesel tech.. It's not luck, its just the lack of rust on this one, was too easy.
![How to remove glow plugs on a Sprinter [04-06] & repair glow module](/img/logo.svg){kind=logo}
