Glow plug defect failure
 

Has anyone seen this happen? The electrical component of my gp blew out. I saw misting fuel and heard a high pitch sound coming from under my hood.

I couldn't believe that a glow plug could fail like this. When I removed the 12mm part of the GP that stayed in the block the filament part was not there. I was able to ream out the hole and install a new gp. I was afraid the filament part had somehow dropped into the engine.

This occurred in my driveway while my car was idling so, after installing the new GP, I pull forward 15 feet and was able to find the filament on the ground.

Take a look at the photos.

pete

I have only read of the tip breaking off in some, which is likely worse since it would rattle around in the pre-chamber. At least the innards blowing out gave the broken part an exit path. I can't make out the brand of the failed one (new ones appears to be Bosch). Perhaps add to the running thread about glow-plug experiences. So far I have found the CFP (Chinese) brand to be one to avoid and VSP (Taiwain) appears OK. It looks like the internal pressure seal in yours is made by an O-ring. I wonder if all are constructed like that.

Bill,

The gp that failed was a bosch made in France. I was surprised to see the French out bidding the Chinese for German parts.

When I popped the hood, misting fuel was all around the injection pump. I thought an injector line was cracked. I was shocked to see the internals of the gp blown out. I first thought the threads were stripped on the gp.

pete

There is one thread on this happening but the results were worse.

The Pre-chamber at the bottom has 5 holes that are slighty larger then 1/16 of an inch so large pieces are not going go go through the holes. However, the party in that single thread had the tip of the Glow Plug fall down to the tip of the Pre-chamber and it acted as sort of a check valve.

Compressed Air went in but when ignition happend the Glow Plug Tip either blocked enough holes or was enough of a restriction that it blew the tip of the Pre-chamber off and that went between the Piston Head and the Cylinder Head where caused damage while it got smashed.

If this happens again remove the Injector and crank and see of you can blow out the stuff.

Carbon build up allows the heat from the element to go into the cyilnder head instead of heating the pre-chamber as it should. That conduction causes the element to remain cooler and it will pull higher amperage when it it cooler then if it gets hot.

And of course if there is enough carbon build up it can trap the tip/element in the cylinder head.