heater plug relay??

[mattnicks]

Hi everyone,

Have just had the bongo serviced and been running fine until yesterday, turned over but wont start, after much reading on heater plugs etc I opted to putting 12v straight to the heater plug rail and she started first turn after brief warm with plugs, does this confirm that the heater plug relay is dead? and if so why did it go straight away? or is there something I am missing?

Any pointers much appreciated.

Cheers Matt

[francophile1947]

Did the glowplugs get changed in the service? If so, it could be the wrong ones fitted and shorting out the rail.

[mattnicks]

Yeah the plugs got changed in service about two weeks ago and been running fine, when you say short out does mean the heater plug rail touching something else? the reason I ask i that the rail has a black plastic coating over it and I cant see anything else touching.

The service was done in a garage and I would like to think they matched the plugs up!!!

Have been looking at new relays and they aint cheap, is there a cheaper alternative mod I can do?

Thanks matt

[haydn callow]

Under the bonnet on the drivers side.....the positive terminal of the Battery....there is the fuseable link to the glow rail.......probably burnt out.....replace it or use a 30/40 amp inline fuse to check it out......BUT FIRST....make sure the rail is well away from the head....somthing must have made it blow.

[francophile1947]

Yeah the plugs got changed in service about two weeks ago and been running fine, when you say short out does mean the heater plug rail touching something else? the reason I ask i that the rail has a black plastic coating over it and I cant see anything else touching.

The service was done in a garage and I would like to think they matched the plugs up!!!

Have been looking at new relays and they aint cheap, is there a cheaper alternative mod I can do?

Thanks matt

There are mainly 83mm plugs, but some had 102mm fitted. Fitting the shorter plugs, without one of various mods, can cause the rail to short out against the fuel injector pipes. Does the rail look very close to the fuel pipes - particularly underneath? i.e. almost touching.

[mattnicks]

not really to be honest, there looks like plenty of room, will double check now tho to make sure.

Have checked the fuses and they look fine.

thanks

[mattnicks]

the rail is touching the injector pipes but cant see if the black plastic has worn through but I reckon thats whats done it then!! Have spoken with mechanic and he will sort it in the morning fair play. Should the fuse not have gone first?

Thanks for your help

[haydn callow]

not really to be honest, there looks like plenty of room, will double check now tho to make sure.

Have checked the fuses and they look fine.

thanks

This is not a Fuse as such....just a bit of meltable wire connected to the Pos terminal

[mattnicks]

Ah I see, does it connect directly to positive terminal? will check in the morning.

[haydn callow]

Yep !!! just a short length of dirty black wire

[mattnicks]

Right, replaced the fused wire with a 30amp inline fuse for now, raised the heater plug rail clear of any contacts, but keeps blowing the inline fuses i put in any Ideas?

[haydn callow]

Perhaps 30 amps is not big enough.....large current drawn.....best get it back to the garage....

[francophile1947]

Can you see any arcing, under the bar, before the fuse blows?

[dandywarhol]

30A fuse too light - plugs draw about 15A each from memory........................

[mattnicks]

No arching and have traced wires back as far as I can to check for any other arching but no sign..

What size fuse do you recommend trying then?

Cheers