# Fiat Ducatto Glow Plugs



## Peripatetic (12 mo ago)

Greetings, all.


I have just joined the forum and I have a question related to our new (well, new to us) 2018 Fiat Ducatto Campervan.


We were unsure of the service history of the vehicle so, although it had only done 45,000 km, we took it in for a service. I had noticed a warning on the info screen related to the glow plugs so I mentioned it to the receptionist at the service centre. When we went to pick up the vehicle the mechanic came to talk to us and told us that the glow plugs needed replacing. He told us they were very difficult to remove without breaking. Consequently he had bought some wonderful drill jig, which meant he was uniquely equipped to drill out broken glow plugs. There is a standard charge for the job which assumes breakage and drill out. A mere $2,100!!


I am, unsurprisingly, a little dubious! We live in a warm climate and the motor has never shown any hesitancy to start. So, I'm inclined to decline his kind offer. I suppose my one concern is: what if we decide to travel somewhere where it gets cold?


He told us it is a problem experienced by campervan/motorhome owners because they are not driving the vehicle every day - never a problem with commercial vehicles.


Does anyone have any experience with this issue who could offer some advice?


Cheers.


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

When we bought our last MH before our current one, it had the glow plug warning lit. We too were advised that it was not a problem however as it was under warranty I insisted on getting them replaced because, as you suggest , it may be a problem when colder weather sets in. Plus if 1 has gone how long would the others last?

As you mention they are difficult to get out without snapping and one of ours duly did snap. It had to be drilled out and re-bored.

Personally I would get it done for piece of mind if nothing else.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Hi Peripat I note you gave the cost in Dollars. Are you stateside?

Ray.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

We were advised to soak them in a little diesel every now and then to help just in case they did need to come out, I have never actually done it though.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)




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## Peripatetic (12 mo ago)

raynipper said:


> Hi Peripat I note you gave the cost in Dollars. Are you stateside?
> 
> Ray.


Hi Ray.

No, those are Aussie dollars!


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## Peripatetic (12 mo ago)

That looks pretty gnarly! No wonder the mechanic says it can take 8 - 10 hours!


Thanks.


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## eurajohn (May 9, 2005)

The video shows injectors, the glow plugs are a bit different, this one shows the procedure for glow plugs.






.


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## Peripatetic (12 mo ago)

Thanks, John. That looks exactly like the equipment the mechanic showed us when we had it in for the service.


I'm still unsure what to do, though. Both a local diesel mechanic and a farmer who has had a great deal to do with diesel motors of one sort or another over the years, are saying, why spend all that money when the vehicle is starting perfectly okay? Could it even be a faulty sensor? The guy who quoted me $2,100 says the plugs are faulty, but he has a vested interest.


I also wonder that if we are up for new glow plugs in a van that is only three and a bit years old, and has only travelled 46,000 kilometers, what does that say about the future? Will we be up for this every three years or so? Yikes!


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

Are there no other garages you can contact and see whether they already have the equipment so hence the price would be cheaper? Even if you have to travel to get there...perhaps build it in as part of a trip out in your MH?


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

I don't think I've ever used them in a very long time I get in and turn the key, sometimes it takes a little longer to fire up but they always do even if away over new years, maybe wait until you actually have a problem, mean time seek advice on if you can do anything to keep them freed up.


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## eurajohn (May 9, 2005)

They can be tested whilst still installed, most any competent mechanic should be able to do it for you.
It is not an infallible test but will certainly give you a good idea.

Test glow plugs with a clamp meter
Make sure the engine is cold, and the glow plugs are turned off. Some glow plugs will not turn on if the engine is warm.
Turn on the clamp-meter, and select ‘DC current’ mode.
Put the clamp around the glow plug power wire, or around the top of the glow plug. Make sure that the clamp closes completely, and that the clamp meter is safe from damage.
Turn on the glow plugs!
Read the glow plug current off the clamp-meter display. Glow plugs usually consume between 2A and 6A each, when they are cold. Some systems will pulse the power to the glow plug to save energy, and maintain constant temperature.
Turn off the glow plugs.
Repeat this procedure for each glow plug on the engine.
.
Test Glow Plugs With a Digital Multimeter
Checking the glow plug’s electrical resistance.
Checking the glow plug power supply (electrical voltage).
To check a glow plug’s electrical resistance, first check your multimeter’s specifications, to see if it can measure low enough to give an accurate reading. Glow plugs usually have a resistance of 1Ω to 6Ω. If your multimeter cannot measure resistances that low, you can still use the ‘continuity’ function to check whether the glow plug is completely broken.
Testing glow plug resistance:
Make sure engine is cold.
Disconnect the power cable from the glow plug. If you don’t do this, you will be measuring the resistance of all the glow plugs at once, instead of just the one you want to test.
Turn on the multimeter and select ‘resistance’ or ‘Ω’ mode.
Connect one multimeter test lead to a ground on the engine (preferably near the glow plug).
Connect the other lead to the (power supply) terminal on the top of the glow plug.
Read the result off the multimeter display. Note that a resistance of less than 6Ω usually means the glow plug is ‘good’.
Turn off the glow plugs
Disconnect the test lead connected to glow plug power.
Reconnect glow plug power cable.
Repeat steps for all the glow plugs on an engine.

Testing glow plug power supply:
Find out what voltage your glow plug uses. The easiest way to do this is to get the part number off the plug, and look it up on the manufacturer’s website. Most glow plugs require 12V, though some use other voltages.
Make sure engine is cold.
Turn on the multimeter and select ‘DC voltage’ mode.
Connect one multimeter test lead to a ground on the engine (preferably near the glow plug).
Connect the other lead to the (power supply) terminal on the top of the glow plug.
Read the result off the multimeter display.
Turn off the glow plugs.
Disconnect the test lead connected to glow plug power.
Disconnect the test lead connected to the engine ground.


.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Cut and pasted that into an email just in case.


Thanks John.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Yes thats a useful post John. Not hijacking the thread but I am still having horrendous cold starting issues with my van. Im convinced its to do with glow plugs but getting someone to look at it who knows what they are doing is almost impossible. 

For the OP Last time I had my glow plugs changed I think it cost me about £100-150!!! Walk away from the guy quoting you $2100! I dont know how much that is in pounds but its a lot more than £150!


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## H1-GBV (Feb 28, 2006)

I got a glow plug warning on my 2002, 80k miles 5-cylinder Merc whilst in the north of Scotland in Feb 2020. I was worried but it got home to my local trusted garage near Norwich who soaked the but told me to keep driving. I toured Dorset without problems (warning at every start-up) but the garage was busy and didn't seem keen to do the job. Covid was playing its part.

So I took it elsewhere, who broke two plugs, dropped the engine out, drilled and replaced the plugs, fitted a new clutch and flywheel plus a couple of other little jobs for a charge of just over £1800. Eventually "my" garage said they could have done it £300 cheaper and I shouldn't have worried about the time delay, even though winter was approaching.

HTH - Gordon


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## wfdTamar (Dec 24, 2018)

It's £1100! Rogues. I've just had mechanics here charge me 3 times what a competent mechanic charges for the same work (for a motorbike).

I'd be inclined to just keep driving it for a while. Get the fault code cleared by Fiat or any mechanic that has the doo dah that can do it (you can often buy your own tool to do this). Then drive it using diesel fuel cleaner which might clean up the internal part of the glow plugs (I have no idea if that a possible cause). It can't hurt to do that. I always use it or the better diesel fuel that has it already.

You might find if you drive it regularly the error doesn't return.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

wfdTamar said:


> It's £1100! Rogues. I've just had mechanics here charge me 3 times what a competent mechanic charges for the same work (for a motorbike).


Diesel bikes are a bit rare around here.


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## H1-GBV (Feb 28, 2006)

Also somewhat easier to get at the cylinder head, I would expect :wink2:

Gordon


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