Lessons Learned from Weekend Maintenence on 603
 

I changed a few glow plugs and tracked down a rattle in the front passenger door on my 87 TD. I learned A LOT!

1) The #1 glow plug is really easy to get to/replace on a 603 with a turbo, but the other plugs aren't (#2 is only slightly more difficult, the rest are a PIA). When the #1 glow plug is found to be the source of poor starting, don't go overboard and replace all the other ones (on this engine anyway).

2) When tightening the glow plug connector, make sure to use something to hold the connector from spinning around and touching the intake manifold. If you don't, it will probably ground out and blow your relay fuse when you try to start it.

3) Old plastic vacuum lines are brittle and can break easily. Especially the brown one that is right behind the glow plug relay cover, which incidentally gives vacuum to your dash (car won't turn off, vent pods stuck)

And most importantly: 4) When drilling through your door panel so that you can use some screws to secure the armrest to the panel (replacing the crappy melted plastic that always breaks), don't put your hand on the other side where you can drill into your hand should you drill through the panel.

I drilled almost completely through my finger, it hurt, but didn't cause bone damage. When I was leaving the doctors office today, I blew my GP relay fuse, and in examining the fuse I broke the vacuum line that feeds the dash. What a weekend.

I really needed to share this with somebody (other than my wife, who doesn't always want to hear about GP relay fuses and stuff), it was too crazy to keep all to myself. Hope you don't mind :)

one time at band camp.....ok not really. but one time when i was restoring homes for he historical preservation society.....and i was doing a quick patch on a hole in the drywall. about 3"x5". had to put in the support board for the new drywall piece. while holding the board in....i put a 2" drywall screw through my middle finger. almost went through the fingernail. i had to back the screw out to get my hand out of the wall. funny thing is...it never bled. i learned my lesson that day too.

Still at a loss why people don't just remove the intake manifold or the cruise servo to do glowplugs...

Never done it before, didn't have any replacement gaskets for the intake manifold, and the all mighty Diesel Giant tutorial said "some people remove the intake manifold, but if you're patient you won't have to", so I didn't remove it. What was interesting was that the #1 was an old (possibly original) GP, but the #2 had recently been replaced. Weird.

Once I get some more time (or the GP system fails), I will likely remove the manifold and do the job properly.

There's plenty of info here if you search. :) Pullin the cruise servo makes it even faster than the intake, four 5mm allens and it's out.

You did use anti-seize on the threads I hope...

Uh, no. I remember doing that sometimes when changing sparkplugs (glad those days are gone), but it certainly wasn't a "do it or else you're screwed" kinda thing. Once I get that manifold and servo off, I'll probably pull them all and use anti-seize at that time.

Btw, just finished the Diesel Giant "complete car filter kit", sure feel a lot better knowing that's all done.