220 Glow Plugs

All of them? Direct injection engines must be a lot better at cold starting than indirect ones - my pug engine struggles if it's down to two plugs out of four.

I didn't know they did. I suppose it's simply because it doesn't need all four - the required cranking speed for dieseling increases with reducing temperature, but if it doesn't get above that which your starter motor can manage, then it'll still start. More fundamentally, I'd say it was due to the bean counters at rover.

I'd go to an independent motor factors - they'll sell them individually. I'd expect to pay up to about £6 per plug.

Andy

While you are about it, check the condition of the glowplug relay (black coloured, sits in engine bay next to a bright yellow one). This has a habit of going open circuit due to the build up of soot across the contacts. As they are silver contacts, clean with a sliver of paper with a drop of lighter fluid on the paper. I had an open circuit once on the glowplugs, turned out the plugs were ok and the relay was just dirty. As to the price of replacement, not nice at all.

PDH

thanks, will check that out in daylight tomorrow

omega

This car doesn't need glow plugs really, at least not in the UK. The L series engine is direct injection and has no real need for pre-heat unless it is extremely cold (i.e. Arctic weather conditions) Rover decided not to fit a 4th glow plug as it would be extremely difficult to replace (just look how much room there is (not) there). Some of the very early motors did have 4 but these are very rarely seen as they were never supposed to be fitted. I found all this out when I attended the 2 day L Series Diesel Engine course a few years ago.

Al

thanks for that interesting information

Omega