Glow plugs and dash light.

Hello
After having incidents of poor starting during the Beast this spring, I was wondering about a couple of things.
Firstly, my handbook says that there is a glow plug light on the dash, and, as usual you should turn the key to first position until this light goes out, and then start. Only thing is that there is no such light on my car, so I was wondering if this was Citroen saving a few pennies by designing it out, or what? How do you judge when it's had enough glow time?
Also, as far as the glow plugs themselves go, is it likely that some have failed? The car starts okay when it's not very cold, but I was wondering if it's worth trying to change them, given how easy it is to snap one off if you use too much torque? During the Beasts stay, I managed to cook the starter, and fitted a new one in the summer, which makes it start well now in warm weather (the previous owner must have partly cooked it as it used to need a bit of churning before it would start).
Thanks for any help, and I should say that I searched this forum for previous references to this topic, with no joy, so if it has been touched on before, please refer me to it.

Hi DanniAgro

DanniAgro wrote: ↑Fri Nov 30, 2018 4:32 pm How do you judge when it's had enough glow time?

The glow plugs/pre heater plugs don't usually get activated in the UK weather, just not cold enough. You won't see the glow plug light for pre heating.

They do operate in post heat mode, but there is no light for that.

DanniAgro wrote: ↑Fri Nov 30, 2018 4:32 pm but I was wondering if it's worth trying to change them, given how easy it is to snap one off if you use too much torque?

They are a nightmare to change and will break off far too easily. Best to avoid removing them.

DanniAgro wrote: ↑Fri Nov 30, 2018 4:32 pm During the Beasts stay, I managed to cook the starter, and fitted a new one in the summer, which makes it start well now in warm weather (the previous owner must have partly cooked it as it used to need a bit of churning before it would start).

Check the battery is at its best. This will ensure the new starter will rotate quickly, because it won't start with a slow starter.

Check the charging is good so the battery stays topped up.

DanniAgro wrote: ↑Fri Nov 30, 2018 4:32 pm Also, as far as the glow plugs themselves go, is it likely that some have failed?

quite possibly, yes. The relay goes bad and the glow plugs go bad and the advice is to change all 4 and the relay because a bad relay will cook the glow plugs and bad glow plugs can damage the relay.

Lexia (info here) can detect the glow plug relay faults and this is easier than removing the glow plugs

Thanks for your quick reply, even if slightly differing on advice in your posts!
Presumably it might be better to leave any removal of glow plugs to the professionals, but I will do as you suggest and check the relays operation first and then the electrical properties of the glow plugs. This should help make any necessary repairs obvious.

If you have the original glow plugs you should change them, preferably with hot engine. Use some WD-40 one night before. I replaced them alone at 130.000 km, but you have to be patient and don't force them. Use a 8 mm long socket. Turn easily to left and then to right and so on until the entire thread is out. You can use WD-40 if you consider. The original ones are NGK, I used Beru, after I consulted the original spare parts program which recommends both (NGK and Beru).

Hi crysti79.

Did yours have any symptoms before you changed them?

And do you drive in a particularly cold climate?

Hello!
No, the engine started very easily last winter at -18- -20 degrees Celsius, despite the old battery (6 years old). But I checked them in April when I removed air filter chamber and two of them were faulty. One was faulty for a long time because it had deposits. They aren't very expensive. If they are clogged, the risk of breaking them is much higher and costs the same. So I decided to replace them.
The dash board light appears below -2- -3 degrees Celsius.
In January and February is quite cold with snow and temperatures below -10- -15- -20 degrees Celsius, because of the wind that blows pretty hard.