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[Kneepad]

Don`t discount the possibility that your car`s battery might be failing; the frosty morning would lower the available cranking voltage and consequently the glow-plug temp......perhaps checking it with another car/battery and connecting with jump leads to see if your car starts ok before buying new glowplugs.

Your right it could be but it seems to spin over very well in fact had the battery been any poorer it would not have started as i had to keep winding to get her going and she only fired on the fourth or fith attempt by which time the power was getting low but enough to spin over at a good rate, also did not have our other car here swmbo had left already

Hmm was the tank under 20 litres? anyone else thinking what im thinking? I know one or 2 of mine are dodgy, but it always starts second attempt then runs slightly off key for the first 2 seconds, must get round to doing them!!!

Yes, another possibility, clogged filter in the lift pump.   

or lift pump not lifting!!

Don't do that!  My face is not used to laughing. 

[alcutler]

The simplest way to test your glow plugs is to take them out and connect each one across a good 12 volt battery, they should glow white hot within a few seconds. You usually find one is not performing and this will affect your starting especially on a cold morning. No need to replace the working ones!

[Andy B]

The simplest way to test your glow plugs is to take them out and connect each one across a good 12 volt battery, they should glow white hot within a few seconds. You usually find one is not performing and this will affect your starting especially on a cold morning. No need to replace the working ones!

A lot easier with a multi-meter on ohms ...... you won't burn your fingers either. 

[relluf]

Hmm
was the tank under 20 litres? anyone else thinking what im thinking? I know one or 2 of mine are dodgy, but it always starts second attempt then runs slightly off key for the first 2 seconds, must get round to doing them!!![/quote]


i never (or rarely) let it go below 20 lt ,I did all the lift pump cleaning etc in early summer so should be ok but i did wonder that! started first time on the button yesterday and this morning , what a difference a few degrees of ambient temp make. I have ordered a set of the bay so will swap all at weekend and the attempt to test old ones to see if any are markedly better than others and keep as spares maybe.

[Omegatoy]

Hmm
was the tank under 20 litres? anyone else thinking what im thinking? I know one or 2 of mine are dodgy, but it always starts second attempt then runs slightly off key for the first 2 seconds, must get round to doing them!!!

i never (or rarely) let it go below 20 lt ,I did all the lift pump cleaning etc in early summer so should be ok but i did wonder that! started first time on the button yesterday and this morning , what a difference a few degrees of ambient temp make. I have ordered a set of the bay so will swap all at weekend and the attempt to test old ones to see if any are markedly better than others and keep as spares maybe.[/quote]

then agree should be doing g.plugs!! must do mine they are the originals!!!

[alcutler]

The simplest way to test your glow plugs is to take them out and connect each one across a good 12 volt battery, they should glow white hot within a few seconds. You usually find one is not performing and this will affect your starting especially on a cold morning. No need to replace the working ones!

A lot easier with a multi-meter on ohms ...... you won't burn your fingers either. 

What reading should you get for a healthy glowplug?

[Andy B]

The simplest way to test your glow plugs is to take them out and connect each one across a good 12 volt battery, they should glow white hot within a few seconds. You usually find one is not performing and this will affect your starting especially on a cold morning. No need to replace the working ones!

A lot easier with a multi-meter on ohms ...... you won't burn your fingers either. 

What reading should you get for a healthy glowplug?

I can't remember now, but one of mine (4 pot Astra) was miles different from the other three. 

[osealy]

you can pull the plug in the fuse box and test them, good ones will read 0 - 5 Ohms, fails will be open circuit, you can change them without taking the manifold off , it's fiddly, I had to use a nail bar to get my manifold off , then it's easy.

[alcutler]

you can pull the plug in the fuse box and test them, good ones will read 0 - 5 Ohms, fails will be open circuit, you can change them without taking the manifold off , it's fiddly, I had to use a nail bar to get my manifold off , then it's easy.

 :-? Sorry mate not sure how that works  - do you mean remove the fuse that protects the glowplugs -and then they can be checked in situ individually without removing them

[Andy B]

you can pull the plug in the fuse box and test them, good ones will read 0 - 5 Ohms, fails will be open circuit, you can change them without taking the manifold off , it's fiddly, I had to use a nail bar to get my manifold off , then it's easy.

 :-? Sorry mate not sure how that works  - do you mean remove the fuse that protects the glowplugs -and then they can be checked in situ individually without removing them

I've never seen a straight 6 diseasal lump, but you need to disconnect individual glowplugs to test them.

[Kneepad]

You can test them with a multimeter set to lowest resistance. Ignition switched OFF.
Remove the wire from the top of the plug and put one lead from the meter on the top of the plug the threaded part where the wire came off and the other lead from the meter on the body of the plug or any good earth/0v.
A good plug will read about 1.3 Ohm. No reading or a much higher reading means fubar.

Although it possibly can be done. I would not like to try this with the manifold in situ. Too fiddly.

[alcutler]

You can test them with a multimeter set to lowest resistance. Ignition switched OFF.
Remove the wire from the top of the plug and put one lead from the meter on the top of the plug the threaded part where the wire came off and the other lead from the meter on the body of the plug or any good earth/0v.
A good plug will read about 1.3 Ohm. No reading or a much higher reading means fubar.
Although it possibly can be done. I would not like to try this with the manifold in situ. Too fiddly.

Thanks for that - I have'nt worked on an Omega diesel but presume its a similar set up to other cars and that all the plugs are connected with the common busbar that carries the supply to the plugs. I thought they had to be disconnected and checked individually as you described but was thrown by the earlier post regarding the fuse and thought I was missing something. Cheers

[Andy B]

.... I thought they had to be disconnected and checked individually as you described but was thrown by the earlier post regarding the fuse and thought I was missing something. Cheers

A bit like I said on the very first reply?     

[fergy]

Hi  I'm in the process of writing a "how to" guide on 2.2dti glow plugs diagnosis. It is very much WIP at present and waiting for photos etc to be taken. ( I'm currently changing my central heating boiler and believe me the completion of this task must take priority)
Could be useful to you, if you have not already fixed it, despite your additional 2 pots. PM me if you would like a  MS Word version of it.

[alcutler]

.... I thought they had to be disconnected and checked individually as you described but was thrown by the earlier post regarding the fuse and thought I was missing something. Cheers

A bit like I said on the very first reply?     

  I knew you were right all along - never doubted it!!!!