Golf doesn't like the cold mornings so need to change my plugs. Killed the battery this morning. 😥

Simple question really, do it while engine is hot or cold?

Hot makes me think evrything will have expanded a little and maybe make it easier to get them out or cold and everything be a little more brittle…or perhaps i'm talking rubbish..

Is it that hard to heat them up if they won't come out cold?

Do it with a hot engine. If it's a newish Golf, glow plugs may not be the problem.

Hth
Marko

Sorry to jump in on your thread… Got a mk3 Golf TDi (the direct injection 1Z engine) that's started to become difficult to start when cold, so I'm assuming it's the glow plugs…

So how soon will it go from "difficult to start" to not wanting to start at all? How cheap and easy are the glow plugs to replace (similar to spark plugs on a petrol engine, or more involved?)? And how often should they be replaced if doing preventative maintenance?

No experience with the engine, but I'd suspect hot engine would be the way forward – alu head is going to expand more than steel bolt making the process a bit easier, but it might not be a problem at all and heating it up might make them hard to handle!

Been a long while since I changed glow plugs (old peugeot 205) but I chnaged them cold with no hassles that I can remember. Not sure working on a hot engine is that bright personally.