Why is this happening?

[Sukaber]

Ok the history of this.

I have. 95 Bongo. It was pouring out white smoke when starting so it was suggested I changed the plugs. I bought some from someone who had spares.. 83 M M , changed them and, although it did seem to take longer for them to warm up enough for the light to go off, they worked fine. Smoke disappeared too

Two or three weeks later the van wouldnt start ( started first time always) I turned it over for ages but no go. I thought maybe I'd put petrol in by mistake but no. It turned out the relay switch had gone. Changed the relay. Started fine, worked fo about a week, then refused to start again.

So now the glow plugs are faulty ( the mechanic checked all this) , the fuse by steering wheel has gone and the relay has gone....... Could it be faulty glowplugs that shorts everything out? If so would it take a few days for that to happen. My problem is that I didnt know abot short/long glowplugs when I got them so have no idea what were in the van originally . I now have no idea what size to order either.

[Northern Bongolow]

it would sound like that the buz bar that joins the tops of the glow plugs is shorting out on the fuel pipes on the injectors. this can happen when long plugs were fitted then shorter plugs are fitted in error or without modifying the buz bar.
it can take a week or so to wear through the plastic coating on the buz bar, then the shorting and (welding ) starts. check there is a good gap.

[Sukaber]

Ok so someone else mentioned this too, but , if that had happened, wouldnt it just short out straight away when we replaced the relay?? It took a few days to short again..... It woukd also suggest that I need long plugs ( we did replace with short ones) which, having compared the chassis number with what it atates on thw information on here, isnt the case?

[Titan1995]

I just modified my bus bar with an angle grinder....loads of insulation taper afterwards.

Prior to this the fuse link burned out.

All good now though.

[Sukaber]

I don't understand the modifying bit... Surely, if you get the right size, you dont have to modify anything? I'm meant to be going away on Wednesday... I will try and get the longer ones and see how it goes....

[rita]

I don't understand the modifying bit... Surely, if you get the right size, you dont have to modify anything? I'm meant to be going away on Wednesday... I will try and get the longer ones and see how it goes....

you could use something like this to raise the bar.(if you need too)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4x-Stripboard ... 0874864161

[Sukaber]

Argh, but how do I know if I do need to raise the bar..... And why would anyone do that instead of getting the right sized plugs please.... I'm not a stupid person I don't think lol... But I really dont get this... It's kind of like saying, well if you order a long mattress, then just add a bit to the bed rather than ordering a shorter mattress!!

[Northern Bongolow]

people fit the shorter plugs as they are thought/known to last longer. this is mainly due to the make of the plugs, the shorter ones are ngk the longer ones are not made by ngk so you have to fit a not so well known brand, these seem not to be so reliable so the thought is to fit the better brands.

the info on which age/models have long or short plugs fitted seems to be a bit wrong as ive done loads and info is not generally correct. the best way to check is to look at whats fitted as the difference in length is all visible so a quick look can tell you what you need to replace them, or you fit short ones and be aware that a slight tweak to the buz bar is needed.

[Sukaber]

Thanks so much for your help. Unfortunately the plugs that were originally in there were thrown away. I bought short ones not inowing there were two different lengths, and they replaced the originals without checking if they were right. Then we had the problems, but it did look like the two bolts were hitting the bar, we changed the bolts to shorter ones and now there is a good gap... Still worried though that the bar needs tweaking as Im not sure what the gap should be :-/. Thanks again for the help though.

[Northern Bongolow]

what two bolts were hitting, i cannot think of any bolts that would come close. the link pipe from the injectors usually touches the buz bar at the pipes highest point, this touches the plastic coated bar on its underside, it takes a few days/weeks to rub through then the fun starts.

[Titan1995]

Mine was fouling....that is why I modified