Diesel Bombers - Glow plug removal

If you have a 94-97 Ford PSD, this may be of some help when your glowplugs go south.

The glow plugs on these trucks can be a pain to remove if they have been in there for awhile or have alot of carbon buildup.

First remove remov the valve covers and unplugging the glow plug(s), loosen the glow plug a couple of turns (10mm deep socket, 1/4" drive). Use a 4-6" piece of rubber hose like a vacuum line over the end of the glow plug to unscrew and remove it. Use the hose to install and screw in the glow plug, then tighten with the socket. The socket will contact the rocker arms if used to remove the glow plug. If the glow plug is difficult to turn, try working it back and forth--turn counter clockwise one turn then clockwise half a turn--until it turns freely enough that it can be loosened with the hose. If the glow plug probe is carboned up, the barrel may screw out of the head leaving the probe stuck in the hole. If this is the case try to remove the probe by removing the adjancent rocker arm and push rod to gain enough room to get ahold of the probe with a pair of needle-nose pliers. Get a helper to hold the pliers to prevent the probe from falling into the cylinder and use a long punch to loosen the probe by tapping it down. Once the probe is broken loose, work it up and down in the hole until it can be pulled out--some solvent may help to loosen any carbon on the probe once it can moved. Don't use too much solvent and remove any residual by cranking over the engine with the glow plug out. You may be able to dislodge the seize probe by cranking over the engine (remember to reinstall the rocker and pushrod if removed, and place a blanket or fender cover over the glow plug to keep it from shooting out). If the probe falls into the cylinder or cannot be loosened, you got a problem now...the head will have to be removed to extract the probe. :duh3: In this case, remove all the glow plugs on the head to be removed and install them after the head has been reinstalled.