So I've got poor cold starting followed by a lot of grey smoke when it does fire hope.  Therefore, I expect at least one of the glow plugs is duff.

 

Can anyone advise how to remove the harness to the glow plugs?  Do I just pull hard, I don't want to break anything.

 

Then I intend to spray with Plusgas to ease removal.

 

Cheers

Quite straight forward to release just pull the glow plug harness you will need a extra deep socket 12mm to remove the plug, when I've had a glow plug not work my eml has come on and I got it plugged in to find out which one isn't working.

Yeah it just pulls off.

 

If you haven't got one get a small extendable mirror from a tool supplier, makes them easy to see.

 

Just remember you are screwing a metal glow plug into a alloy head, so make sure it is straight in the threads before tightening them up. 

Don't overtighten either, as they are a 'tapered' thread, so they don't screw all the way in.

Good advice coskev as the last thing to do is cross thread the head, plenty of time, I normally line it up on the thread and tighten so finger tight and a very slight turn.

Thanks.

 

I also found an online guide that recommends only tightening to around 12 lb-ft (around 16 N.m)

 

http://www.myturbodiesel.com/wiki/glow-plug-removal-and-replacement-mk3-mk4-tdi/

 

Is the consensus 10mm or 12mm deep socket?