[Vwdiesel] how do I know I have a bad glow plug in newer TDI

Dave Cook davevw at yahoo.com
Mon Jan 25 12:18:15 PST 2010 

Well, I hope you are still glad to have me on the list even though I don't actually work at a dealership...  I do some side car repair for people though.  

But the stuff I said about the glow plugs needing balanced is true if you want the CEL to go off.  Otherwise, they will still glow.

One buddy with an '02 just lets his CEL stay on cause he doesn't care.  The other guy was getting ready to sell the car so he really wanted the light to be off.

The only problem with letting the CEL stay on because of glow plugs is that if something else goes wrong you won't know because the light is already on and you'll never notice a difference, happily assuming it is only on because of the plugs.  But it is kind of a pain trying to get it to go off once you get some reisitance or whatever in the harness or different plugs.

Dave Cook


--- On Mon, 1/25/10, Bryan Belman <dieselwesty at yahoo.com> wrote:

> From: Bryan Belman <dieselwesty at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] how do I know I have a bad glow plug in newer TDI
> To: "Dave Cook" <davevw at yahoo.com>, "Joe" <joe at haasenpfeffer.com>, "VW Diesel Group" <vwdiesel at vwfans.com>
> Date: Monday, January 25, 2010, 8:13 PM
> 
> GREAT stuff, thanks Dave.
>  
> I forgot that you work at a dealship.  great
> to have you on the list.
> 2 banks then, 1,2 and 3,4.
> nice trick on swapping them to balance get the CEL
> out.
> 
>  Bryan Belman, Pt. Pleasant, NJ
> 04 Jetta Wagon TDI PD, 100hp, 5sp -- running :)
> 92 Jetta 1.6 Eco-Turbo Diesel -- running :}
> 82 Diesel Westy 1.9NA -- running :)
> 70 Type 1 stock Beetle -- Not running :(
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> From: Dave
> Cook <davevw at yahoo.com>
> To: Joe
> <joe at haasenpfeffer.com>; VW Diesel Group
> <vwdiesel at vwfans.com>
> Sent: Mon,
> January 25, 2010 2:03:55 PM
> Subject: Re:
> [Vwdiesel] how do I know I have a bad glow plug in newer
> TDI
> 
> They vary a bit between brands!  I worked on an
> '02 a few weeks ago.  On that one, the computer
> measures the resistance of plugs 1 and 2 vs 3 and 4. 
> Well, 3 and 4 were burned out so I put in new.  The new
> plugs were a different brand than the other two.  The
> check engine light came on even with the new plugs.  So
> I measured resistance of all 4.  None were open, but
> the resistance values were a little different (IIRC, 1 and 2
> were like 1.8 ohms each, while 3 and 4, the new ones, were
>  like 1.5 each)  That difference was enough that the
> CEL tripped. 
> 
> So, I swapped 2 and 3 around and balance was achieved and
> to my knowledge, the CEL hasn't been on since!  I
> think the idea of measuring resistance is OK for determining
> if a plug is burned out, but I think the computer is a
> little too sensitive.
> 
> 
> Dave Cook
> 
> 
> --- On Mon, 1/25/10, Joe <joe at haasenpfeffer.com>
> wrote:
> 
> > From: Joe <joe at haasenpfeffer.com>
> > Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] how do I know I have a bad
> glow plug in newer TDI
> > To: vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> > Date: Monday, January 25, 2010, 6:46 PM
> > What should the resistance to ground
> > be for a glow plug?  And do
>  they vary
> > over the years?  Mine's an 82 1.6L n/a.
> > 
> > Joe
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: vwdiesel-bounces at vwfans.com
> > [mailto:vwdiesel-bounces at vwfans.com]
> > On
> > Behalf Of Patrick Dolan
> > Sent: Monday, January 25, 2010 1:11 PM
> > To: Bryan Belman
> > Cc: vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> > Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] how do I know I have a bad
> glow
> > plug in newer TDI
> > 
> > Brian:  
> > 
> > I can't speak for the PD, but the ALH definitely
> sets a cel
> > and records code
> > for GP fail.  Expect PDs do too.  You
> don't need
> > to pull the GP. 
>  Just pop
> > the harness off and use an ohm meter to measure
> > resistance.
> > 
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Bryan Belman <dieselwesty at yahoo.com>
> > Date: Monday, January 25, 2010 11:58 am
> > Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] how do I know I have a bad
> glow
> > plug in newer TDI
> > 
> > > on the newer TDI's, will a failed glow
> plug turn on
> > the CEL?  I do 
> > > not think it will.
> > > 
> > > Is the easiest way to test them to pull each
> one and
> > hook up to 
> > > some battery cables on a spare battery to
> see
> > it glow, just like I 
> > > test old style GP's
> > > 
> > > ?
> > > The van is back up and running again, I just
> wish I
> > had a good way 
> > > to lock the crank.  With the muffle
>  installed you can
> > not remove 
> > > the lower belt pulley on the crank gear to attach
> any
> > type of home 
> > > made crank lock to keep it at TDC when setting
> the
> > belt tension.  
> > > It just takes more farting with it to get it
> perfect
> > and it takes 
> > > time.My new Mr. Heater double disc propane
> burner
> > unit Did the 
> > > Trick to keep me super warm, almost to warm, but
> it
> > was not a cold 
> > > weekend in NJ this past weekend.
> > > 
> > >  Bryan Belman, Pt. Pleasant, NJ
> > > 04 Jetta Wagon TDI PD, 100hp, 5sp -- running :)
> > > 92 Jetta 1.6 Eco-Turbo Diesel -- running :}
> > > 82 Diesel Westy 1.9NA -- running :)
> > > 70 Type 1 stock Beetle -- Not running :( 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > ________________________________
> > > From: "lbaird119 at aol.com"
> > <lbaird119 at aol.com>
> > > To: vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> > > Sent: Sun, January 24, 2010 2:51:21 AM
> > > Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] VW at the Detroit Auto
> Show
> > > 
> > > In a message dated 1/23/2010 4:18:30 PM Pacific
> > Standard Time, 
> > > vwzoo at yahoo.com
> > writes:
> > > 
> > > > Does anyone know what all they add to the
> new
> > diesels that help 
> > > them 
> > > > start in the cold. I sure would like mine
> to
> > start that well in 
> > > the cold. 
> > > > 
> > > >  By the way I decided to do the right
>  thing and
> > just replace 
> > > that caliper 
> > > > on my daughters 1990 Volvo 240. Thanks for
> all of
> > your replies.
> > > > 
> > > 
> > >   Direct injection has a lot to do with
> it.  The
> > rest like Hayden 
> > > said.  
> > > But then, the old ones don't start that
> badly.  I've
> > had my '80 
> > > Rabbit 
> > > be one of the few vehicles (gas or diesel) that
> > started well at -
> > > 35F, 
> > > without using the block heater.
> > >   Down around zero I was having trouble with
> the
> > Passat this year, 
> > > with only one bad glow plug.  (it needs
> injectors). 
> > Dad's has the 
> > > hot chipping and new injectors.  He had
> trouble
> > starting at the 
> > > same temp (about 2 minutes he said) but he only
> had
> > ONE working 
> > > glow
>  plug!
> > >   Good oil, glow plugs, air filter, fuel,
> injectors
> > compression 
> > > and 
> > > battery with the timing set properly and I'd
> say
> > almost any of our 
> > > diesels (except the re-flashed TDI's) would
> start
> > quite dependably 
> > > at -35F.  The non TDI's would just have
> to glow a lot
> > longer 
> > > before 
> > > trying.
> > >   Loren
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Vwdiesel mailing list
> > > Vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> > >
> http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/vwdiesel
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Vwdiesel mailing list
> > > Vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> > > http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/vwdiesel
> > > 
> > 
> > _______________________________________________
> > Vwdiesel mailing list
> > Vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> > http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/vwdiesel
> > 
> > _______________________________________________
> > Vwdiesel mailing list
> > Vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> > http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/vwdiesel
> > 
> 
> 
>       
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Vwdiesel mailing list
> Vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/vwdiesel
>

More information about the Vwdiesel mailing list