Hi,

I have a 2000 Skoda Felicia diesel (classic).

It's a low milage car that doesn't use any oil or water. This weekend it wouldn't start easily (kept turning over and over) but eventually started. When it did it threw a massive cloud of whitey/grey smoke out! It then jerked between 1000rpm until 2000 rpm until it got warm when it was fine (idled fine, higher revs fine). The battery/altenator/glow plugs are all good it's when it's actually running until it gets warm where the problem is (between idle and 2000 rpm). Head/headgasket good, compression good.

Is it the fuel pump?

Thanks,

Paul.

could be a dodgy egr valve causing that

Cheers for replying mate.

What's an egr valve and where is it located on car?

Thanks,

Paul.

Is that the same thing advertised on Euro Car Parts as an Exhaust Valve?

Thanks,

Paul.

It's an Exhaust Gas Recirculation valve - it's the bit that sits on the inlet manifold and lets the intake draw air through a pipe off the exhaust manifold, largely to re-burn some exhaust fumes to reduce emissions. It's vacuum-operated by a solenoid at the back right of the engine bay (near the coolant header tank). Unfortunately that's about as much as I can add, having never had my hands on a diesel Felicia myself.

Edit: Forgot to say, anything listed as an 'Exhaust Valve' is almost certainly an engine valve (i.e. out of the cylinder head, cf. inlet valve)

Edited 9 November, 201015 yr by RobinSLXi

however the EGR valve will not make it hard to start on the felly diesel engine. The symptoms you have described are exactly what you get with faulty glow plugs how do you know they are good.

when I test them I remove the 50A fuse and replace with an AMP meter, anything less than 32 amps drawn suggests that you have at least one not working (they draw between 8-10 A each)

could also be temp sender faulty (ignore the gauge and try unplugging the sensor next time it wont start)

Thanks for all your help,

It's definately not the glow plugs, tested all 4, 2 were dead they were replaced, they were taken out individually and tested for resistance, 2 nil so got some new ones. Battery and starter both good.

Sorry last question I promise! Is the temp sender the sensors on the right hand side of the head? How would they stop it from starting?

I really appreciate this, it's a cracking little car once started, was sat turning it over for 15 mins this morning, well embarrassing, gassed the whole street out! Imagine that scene out of transformers! I don't think its anything scinister as doing 500+ miles a week, doesn't get hot, uses no oil or water and runs on fresh air.

Paul.

Edited 10 November, 201015 yr by tomo320

could be seals in the pump as its not drawing the diesel through and feeding back to the tank when stood but obviously once started warm it will have drawn fuel through and run no problems

ok the temp sender is in the plastic housing on the gearbox side of the head, if it is faulty its not uncommom for it to report an colder or hotter temp to the diesel control unit and if it is saying hotter it may not be bringing in the glowplugs.

have you had a volt meter on the glowplugs while trying to start it? sometimes the relays play up and the glow light comes on the dash but the plugs dont get power.

have you fuelled up recently? petrol in a diesel causes hard starting from cold but if not too much in there will run ok when hot

the fact you have smoke is saying that the fuel is getting to the cylinders but its either the wrong fuel or there is not enough heat to ignite it.. I will rule out pump timing for now as you say it runs ok when warm with no smoke?

somwehere to start from anyway

Thanks for the replies guys, it's a big help, I mean that.

I'll try that in the morning, chilly one here so good tester.

I'm getting the yellow light on the dash, then fades out. I have checked resistance on glow plugs but not voltage. I don't think its glow plug related as after swapping cylinders 2 and 3 for new ones started on the first crank.

I really hope I ain't put petrol in the beggar!

I have a multi-meter but what you lot have said it's the fuel pump.

Thanks for all your help, if you ever around the Rotherham vicinity I owe you a drink.

Paul.