ZD30 Blown Piston

[SG1]

Ouch and feel for you.

Brings a good point that I have been thinking on about for some time with metal glow plug tips, if the metal ones drop of then is it going to cause more damage than a ceramic tip falling off? Guess they both will cause some damage but how much and maybe you would get away with some dents in a piston instead of hole if it was ceramic?

From the way I read it, are you saying the metal glow plug tip had already fallen of before you done the glow plug timer mod?

[happygu]

Ouch and feel for you.

Brings a good point that I have been thinking on about for some time with metal glow plug tips, if the metal ones drop of then is it going to cause more damage than a ceramic tip falling off? Guess they both will cause some damage but how much and maybe you would get away with some dents in a piston instead of hole if it was ceramic?

From the way I read it, are you saying the metal glow plug tip had already fallen of before you done the glow plug timer mod?

SG1,

It is the other way around ... they come standard with the Ceramic Tip Glowplugs, and people are replacing them with standard metal ones.

I think the ceramic ones are supposed to handle the higher temperatures better and for longer, and help reduce emissions.

Mic

[4bye4]

I have little to do with glow plugs but I know a lot about ceramics as we use ceramic seals and pistons in high pressure pumps. My input is that if you do get ceramic in the cylinder ( because it fell off the glow plug) it is like throwing a buct full of sand into a jet engine. Your bore, pistons and rings will be scored instantly. There will be little or no compression in seconds. bore will have to be honed or even replaced.

[HV2002]

That's right Mic, the metal replaces the ceramic. the standard ceramic plugs are prone to cracking and dropping tips, this tip then bounces around denting and cracking your piston and as 4bye4 said can disintegrate causing wear to your bore etc.. or it just punches a hole in the piston. yes ceramic can take more heat than metal hence the timer mod to only provide glow power for starting and eliminate the 3 to 5 minute after glow provided by the ECU program.

[HV2002]

up date ... so iv'e been doing some research and the white smoke can be either un-burnt fuel or water, the smoke does not have a diesel smell to it but when i place my hand at the exhaust it feels slightly damp/humid, i am hoping this may be more of a head..gasket blow out rather than piston. what are your thoughts
i am going to do the compression and leak down test next weekend, that should tell me more

[4bye4]

If its water in the system, might be a blown head gasket. Compression and leak down should show this. You might also test the coolant for hydrocarbons (fuel).

[HV2002]

im hoping its only the head. how do you test the coolant for hydrocarbons

[threedogs]

I'm pretty sure any radiator or workshop should have the machine to analize your exhaust fumes

[HV2002]

thanks TD i will look into it

[4bye4]

im hoping its only the head. how do you test the coolant for hydrocarbons

Sorry mate missed the post until now. Don't know the answer as in I have never done it myself, but I have heard of workshops doing it. I think its just a litmus paper type test, like they put a sample onto a paper and it changes colour or something. Can talk to someone on Monday if somebody else doesn't come up with an answer in the meantime.