Should I be concerned. Glow-Plugs removal

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little_fellow

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Oct 6, 2009
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205
I feel like I'm about to cause damage to my engine if I don't do something to rectify this. I have been working on replacing the glow-plugs on my 773C bobcat skid steer . I managed to remove the glow-plugs but while I was doing this, two of the glow-plugs wouldn't slide out of the hole after they were completely threaded out. After a bunch of penetrating oil and some up and down motion, they finally came out. The problem is that they came out clean. To me this means that the build up around the plugs which was preventing them from coming out has stayed inside the engine. My concern is that this build up which seems to be a fairly solid material might damage the engine if I leave it in there. Can someone advise me on what to do about this?
 

Chris 8603

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Aug 4, 2023
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114
That is a fairly common problem with glow plugs. Not only do they operate in a dirty place inside the motor, they also get really hot. This over time will cook any soot residue to them. The good part is you did what you did and didn't try and muscle them out. I've seen people do just that and break them off. So hats off Mr patience!!. You can try and blow into the hole and see if you can get any of it out, but honestly your probably not. Unless it was a really big piece of carbon on them that fell off your not likely going to do anything to hurt it. Short of pulling the head your not going to be able to get much out. I bump the motor a few times just to make sure there's nothing big enough to lock it from turning. Then fire it off!! It's better to replace them so it will start in cold weather than spray it with ether and ruin a otherwise good engine. The only thing I want ether for is to mount tires. Saw to many engines ruined with that crap.
Best of luck
 

oiu789

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Dec 23, 2017
Messages
138
Make sure all of the glow plug came out. Some blister on the side and scrapes off when you pull them or the tip brakes off on stays inside. If this gets between the piston and the cyl it can score the cyl and piston. I like too put some heavy oil in the cyl with the plugs out roll it over by hand 2 to 4 revolutions to make sure no hyd lock put the plugs in and start and run at a high idle this should blow out the pieces.
 

Chris 8603

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Aug 4, 2023
Messages
114
If all the glow plugs are intact there is nothing to worry about. Putting oil in the cylinders especially heavy oil will do nothing but stick whatever loose carbon is in the cylinders to the piston or the walls. Just rotate it to make sure nothing binds up and crank it on low idle to blow out any carbon pieces. I've even saw the broke off blister come through by the valves. Is it good on 1 NO. But if there intact just move forward
 
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little_fellow

little_fellow

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Oct 6, 2009
Messages
205
If all the glow plugs are intact there is nothing to worry about. Putting oil in the cylinders especially heavy oil will do nothing but stick whatever loose carbon is in the cylinders to the piston or the walls. Just rotate it to make sure nothing binds up and crank it on low idle to blow out any carbon pieces. I've even saw the broke off blister come through by the valves. Is it good on 1 NO. But if there intact just move forward
I wrote this post last fall and all I did is put the new glow plugs in and everything seems to work fine. Thanks for the feedback. It might help someone else down the road.
 

oiu789

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Joined
Dec 23, 2017
Messages
138
I add the oil so that when you roll it over by hand the pieces stick to the top of the cyl and blown out with the oil when you start it up.
 

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