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Breather - heater plugs
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mallo
 


Member Since: 10 Feb 2009
Location: Jersey
Posts: 351

2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 HSE Auto Stornoway GreyDiscovery 3
Breather - heater plugs

Hi all
Currently in the middle of replacing the heater plugs, trying to get to the rear two, the plastic breather is in the way does anyone know if you can remove it and what the trick is to removing it.
I've managed to get it up off the block and its in the space but I can't seem to get it out??
I've removed the fuel lines and the water pipe but just can't seem to get it out.
Best wishes to all Thumbs Up
  
Post #180958130th Apr 2017 12:24 pm
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armalites
 


Member Since: 17 Aug 2013
Location: Herefordshire
Posts: 1918

2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 S Auto Buckingham BlueDiscovery 3

There is a round cover at the far end of it that you can unclip, be careful not to break it and there is a spring and diaphragm under it. With removed it comes out much easier and goes back in easy too.
 IID PRO
MSV Extreme
Nanocom One 
 
Post #180965830th Apr 2017 5:58 pm
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Pete K
 


Member Since: 15 Jan 2016
Location: GL
Posts: 10336

England 2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 HSE Auto Rimini RedDiscovery 3

Brute force to remove over the cam covers.

A gental squeeze of the end pipes is if I remember well.

People say trim a bit of the end off the pipes before refitting but I would try and avoid this if possible
 

Last edited by Pete K on 1st May 2017 9:26 am. Edited 1 time in total 
Post #180966130th Apr 2017 6:25 pm
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sean 471
 


Member Since: 26 Apr 2011
Location: Sheffield
Posts: 2990

United Kingdom 2007 Discovery 3 TDV6 Pursuit LE Auto Java BlackDiscovery 3

I have mine to change this summer. Are they coming out okay?
  
Post #180970330th Apr 2017 9:10 pm
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mallo
 


Member Since: 10 Feb 2009
Location: Jersey
Posts: 351

2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 HSE Auto Stornoway GreyDiscovery 3

Well all going back together and fighting with the breather I've managed to snap one of the small plastic (fuel) pipes that join together with a ???sensor??? Bu**er.
Can I run the engine with it taped up or should I get a new part??
I thought I was doing so well too Censored
Thank for all your help
  
Post #18098811st May 2017 11:04 am
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Pete K
 


Member Since: 15 Jan 2016
Location: GL
Posts: 10336

England 2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 HSE Auto Rimini RedDiscovery 3

Yeah you can run the engine.

You don't want to be driving around with a risk of a fuel leak though
  
Post #18099281st May 2017 1:13 pm
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mallo
 


Member Since: 10 Feb 2009
Location: Jersey
Posts: 351

2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 HSE Auto Stornoway GreyDiscovery 3

Well I decided to leave running it until I can get a new spill pipe although I may have to push it out of the workshop for the week.

For those interested Sean 471 I decided to have the D3 serviced and whilst they were doing the service I asked if they could remove the "heater plug rail" so that I could access the plugs, I wanted to spray some penetrate spray (I had two types) and I would spray a little on the tops of the plugs each day for a couple of weeks, not that this made them fly out but in my opinion it all helps. I then tried the first one, the drivers side front (an easy one) and started with this one.

I found using a 1/4" socket and ratchet I unscrewed each of the plugs by working them back and forth (which ever was the easiest direction), and unscrewed them until the thread was out of the head.

I made up a puller using a set of long nosed mole grips and welded a bolt on the back of it to attach it to a slide hammer.




I tried the puller on the first ones and struggled a bit, but then I found if I carried on unscrewing the plug even though the threaded portion was out of the head it got easier and easier and slowly the plug came out. I then tapped it back in and resort to the slide hammer, I found that sometimes the slide hammer wouldn't get it out, but if I tapped it back in and then pulled again with the hammer it would pull them out, some of them I would work them in and out a few times, I think though part of the critical part is to rotate them unscrewing and after a while they seemed to get easier.

I did the drivers front and then took the oil filter out and did the next one back and then the middle one on the other bank, the rest are a bit of a pain, the passengers side front is awkward as you have to get in under the air inlet pipe, I just kept on rotating this one a bit more and the same with the rear ones.
You have to remove the breather box and that was more of a pain than anything. I ended up leaving it in the back of the engine bay and worked around it.

I cleaned up the threads with a tap and hand drilled the carbon out of the holes being careful I didn't damage the seat at the bottom of the hole.
I re-fitted the new plugs with an aluminum graphite high temperature grease hoping that the next time they might come out a bit easier.

In my opinion they are a bad design as it appears the carbon seems to be making its way up past the seat and that is the problem, I wonder if some high temperature "O-rings" would help??? I plan to change them every couple of years to stop the carbon building up, I wonder if using the grease may stop the car oncoming up??

A great result, except for breaking the spill pipe "tee"......

A big thanks to Woody32 for all of his help and input into the subject Bow down

I hope this helps someone
 

Last edited by mallo on 2nd May 2017 7:45 am. Edited 1 time in total 
Post #18100131st May 2017 4:06 pm
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Pete K
 


Member Since: 15 Jan 2016
Location: GL
Posts: 10336

England 2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 HSE Auto Rimini RedDiscovery 3

Interesting write up.

Where on earth did you find a 1/4 drive socket that fitted the glowplugs?
or did you have to machine one out?

Yes the carbon causes most of the problem
  
Post #18100211st May 2017 4:25 pm
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mallo
 


Member Since: 10 Feb 2009
Location: Jersey
Posts: 351

2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 HSE Auto Stornoway GreyDiscovery 3

Thanks Pete k for the comment I hope it helps someone else.

I found the 1/4" socket in my tool box and yes I did have to drill it out LOL.

But it would of worked if I had taken the top off the heater plug.

My point about the carbon is that it shouldn't of gone up further than the seal/seat.

It will be interesting to see if the plugs come out easier with the grease
  
Post #18100281st May 2017 4:42 pm
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Pete K
 


Member Since: 15 Jan 2016
Location: GL
Posts: 10336

England 2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 HSE Auto Rimini RedDiscovery 3

I think the issue is there isn't a seal or seat.
You can't have a metal to metal contact as the heat would dissipate into the head
And not create a hot spot as required.
  
Post #18100421st May 2017 5:26 pm
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mallo
 


Member Since: 10 Feb 2009
Location: Jersey
Posts: 351

2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 HSE Auto Stornoway GreyDiscovery 3

Hi Pete K
I am not sure your quite right with what your saying.

The tip is the bit that gets hot, that part of the plug is very much thinner than the body further up, if you look at the plugs heating up they heat up in the middle of this section not near the body (the tip is so thin it is why they swell), this process happens so quickly it wouldn't have time to travel down the thin section to make much difference.

Also it is imperative that the compression of the cylinder is maintained and that is done with a seat between the aluminum head and the steel body of the plug.

I can't see them using the thread (it's not the best way to make a seal) on something that is this important, usually you have a taper on a flat face or something simular, also there would be no point in sealing it on the thread instead of the bottom end of the plug.
 

Last edited by mallo on 2nd May 2017 7:44 am. Edited 1 time in total 
Post #18100761st May 2017 6:27 pm
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Pete K
 


Member Since: 15 Jan 2016
Location: GL
Posts: 10336

England 2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 HSE Auto Rimini RedDiscovery 3

Oh yeah I know what you mean now.

Clearly they don't seal there, as loads of carbon gets up the shaft of the GP and stops them turning.
  
Post #18100841st May 2017 6:51 pm
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mallo
 


Member Since: 10 Feb 2009
Location: Jersey
Posts: 351

2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 HSE Auto Stornoway GreyDiscovery 3

No problem, and yes that was what I couldn't understand when I started the job because I said to my indie (I couldn't understand why they wouldn't touch it as it should be a simple job) as I couldn't understand why the carbon was getting up the body, LOL, but as soon as I touched the first one I realised that it wasn't going to be as straight forward as I initially thought.
Have a good evening
  
Post #18100891st May 2017 7:01 pm
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