Loss of power - glow plug(s)?

[james26695]

I recently had my leon cupra tdi diagnosed because the engine light came on - it was 1 faulty glow plug. Was told by the mechanic it wasnt detrimental to the engine though. I have it booked in for a weeks time to have it or all of them changed. A few days after i had it diagnosed i was driving home from work - i let the engine reach its optimum temp then put my foot down a bit in 4th gear on the ring road... it was lacking power in all gears. Later in the night i took it back out and the power had returned (didnt exactly screw it but i could tell the power was there). Been ok since. Sounds like it could of gone into limp mode. What im asking is could the faulty glow plug cause it to lose power intermitetly and go into limp mode like this??

 

[james26695]

Glow plugs - best make?

Oh yeah forgot to ask - Which make are the best for glow plugs for a cupra tdi. and price? cheers

 

[Seat Adam]

Glow plugs shouldn't make a difference to the performance of the car, only starting. When I had faulty glow plugs, the car still drove as it should have. I used BERU glow plugs in mine. One of the standard manufacturers, the other being BOSCH. Got mine from Euro Car Parts, cost about £35.

 

[rs-tuner]

The glow plugs just help the car start from cold.

Is your car a 110 tdi or a 150 td?i

 

[james26695]

150tdi

 

[rs-tuner]

150tdi

Sounds like a possible air mass sensor fault.

 

[ab1702_123]

Sorry to crash your thread, just wondering of someone could shed some light on whether I need new glow plugs. When I start it after the lights have gone off the dash I'd say it takes about 5 or 6 turns to start, it always starts and always has done this since I bought it but before my cupra tdi I had a mk4 golf gttdi which is the same engine and this always started on first turn. Iv just had a new coolant temp sensor so know it's not this so could it be the plugs it just annoys me?

 

[Seat Adam]

Does it only do it when it's cold or hot or either. Could be faultly glow plugs or loom, is it throwing up any fault codes and bringing on the EML light? Mine did when I had faulty plugs.

 

[ab1702_123]

No there isn't fault codes and no eml, when I wer thinking glow plugs I wer thinking more along the lines of them being old or worn out as car is on 04 plate and just about done 130000 miles, what u reckon?

 

[Seat Adam]

They could be breaking down. Not a bad job to do, took me 2hrs along with glow plug loom. Quite common with the loom contacts corroding a bit causing a bad connection.

 

[ab1702_123]

How much including loom if u dont mind me asking as iv been thinking of doing the glow plugs as I'm thinking this is the cheapest thing to try 1st?

 

[Seat Adam]

Glow plugs cost me about £35 from Euro Car parts, there a few types you can get. Mine was fitted with DENSO ones which is aftermarket, I fitted BERU ones. They are one of the original ones from manufacture, other is BOSCH. Loom wasn't much more, can't remember. Bit of an awkward job though the loom as it's battery out and following the wiring into the main loom, unravel it, change loom and re-tape loom back up. Connector is up on the bulkhead near the pollen filter. Fit battery and recode radio, recode windows to open automatially from the drivers switch. Glow plugs are quite easy, just a bit of pipework in the way.

Check with a glow plug fitted the length as I had issues with mine. Seat gave me some that were 5mm too long and now I have them sat in a box in the corner. Ebay for them I think. I think I had a thread for the issues I had.