Hi, i am looking for some advice on what i should look for to remedy a non-start problem. I haven't worked on diesels before but will give anything a go.

The problem is that the engine won't start cold. If i spray in sure start it fires up and runs perfectly. It will start again if i turn it over reasonably soon after shutting it off, but leave it half an hour and it won't start again.

What can i tell you:

Starter turns over fine

Battery appears fine

Have checked the fuel filter which seems fine (also replaced temporarily with two clear in line filters to check fuel running through in both directions)

Have bled the system by unscrewing injector pipes etc.

Have replaced the glow plugs, and checked with a mulitmeter that they are recieving current. all fine

no apparent leaks in fuel system

just don't know what to try next. Am i missing something really obvious that i don't know about on diesel engines?

Any ideas would be really appreciated as i am at the end of my tether

Cheers, Ju

It sounds like the timing is slightly out, or there is air getting into the system. Does it start straight up and run if sure start is used?

Yep, it pretty much starts up straight away. I have been squirting the sure start in whilst turning it over and it buzzes up after about 3-5 secs and runs fine after that. It will start without the sure start if i don't leave it longer than 10-20 mins after turning off, but after that, nothing again.

What do you think?

diesel rely on compression heat and diesel injector timing to start,

check glow plugs, there job is to heat the mix when the engine is cold so they need to reach a specific temperature

check glow plugs, you might have loose plugs that are affecting compression or a compression leak somewhere else

check diesel pump/ injector, bad atomization (thick mist) will require more heat to ignite if its safe try running a couple of gallons of diesel with Xp³ and cleaning agent maybe that will clean out your system and provide the needed pressure, timing and mist for a good combustion

mind you i'm not a mechanic like some others here, i'm just using my logic, and diesel is a little more complicated than petrol so be careful with diesel pump timing and the pump itself,

there are a couple of god guys here that are mechanics, try to wait for there suggestion

and anything you can tell us before it started to give you trouble ? did you replace the air filter element or does it have a hole?

Edited 18 January, 200917 yr by Cepheuz
spellchecked with babylon

Thanks Cepheus,

I have replaced the glow plugs which are seated tight and checked they are getting a current using a multimeter, so i don't think they are the issue.

I don't know what to do to check compression, timing etc, so any advice there would be invaluable.

The problem just got progressively worse in the cold weather up to the point where it won't start without sure start sprayed in.

Cheers, Ju

Thanks Cepheus,

I have replaced the glow plugs which are seated tight and checked they are getting a current using a multimeter, so i don't think they are the issue.

I don't know what to do to check compression, timing etc, so any advice there would be invaluable.

The problem just got progressively worse in the cold weather up to the point where it won't start without sure start sprayed in.

Cheers, Ju

i wasn't referring to voltage, i was referring to heat.. maybe current is getting to them, but maybe is not enough, or maybe it is, but they're not generating enough heat or is dissipated / removed y something else,

that's what i meant

as you said it got gradually worst with the cold weather, so i guess compression is out of the question, so not enough heat or diesel not atomizing correctly are still in the table.

put a bottle of injector cleaner (diesel) and treat the diesel with Xp³ and do a good run, revving the engine (change gears at top) a little to rule out any fuel problems and see if it gets better, wont cost you much i say like the same as a gallon of diesel at most

this is the product i'm talking about -> YouTube - Xp3 Fuel Additive

hoping is a simple as that

Edited 18 January, 200917 yr by Cepheuz

are you sure the idle boost actuator is working properly??

check that the linkage isn't getting jammed up, and also make sure the little vacuum hose on the capsule isn't busted

Cheers for that, i will have a look at the idle actuator if i can find it, guessing it is on the pump somewhere. It idles happily once going so not sure if this would be the problem.

Ju

Hi, had this problem with my Felicia 1.9d, and solved it with the forums help. See post and thread: Hot starts on Felicia 1.9 Diesel Cube Van from March 2007.

SeaKayaker

Have you tried seeing how long the glow plugs stay powered up. with your multi meter switch ign on check to see how long they recieve power, on a cold morning it should be about 20secs at least before the warning lamp goes out but the plugs should still recieve power after this to aid with cold running and emissions, if its too short about 5 secs for eg. then the plugs may not be getting hot enough, I think the relay time is controlled by the ECU, dependant on coolant temp time. (good old temp sender again).

Of course the other point about glow plugs is that the heaters do eventually die. That said, given a good battery, you can start more or less any diesel with fuel and lots of starter churning (and white smoke when you first achieve some sort of combustion temperature).

what about injectors? i know the works van did exactly as you describe and the injectors where no good.

what about injectors? i know the works van did exactly as you describe and the injectors where no good.

that's why to rule injectors out i posted for a little detergent agent, diesel injector suffer from cloggin and not misting good due to some acid or alkaline element that gets worst on cold weather, but cleanng them would fix this and thus he could eliminate injectors not misting the diesel correctly

hey ju, if you have checked your plugs then i would say almost definately your problem is your feul hose. If there is a slight crack or loose clip in your fuel supply hose between the filter and the pump the fuel drops back into the tank leaving you with a little air in that shoddy lucas rotary pump. it will start with a little more speed/ or the 'easy start' your putting in so i'd check that first. i had the same problem on mine for a while after i put my wvo conversion, then realised it was that.

hope that helps.