Odd difficult start

[road_rescue]

Hi all,

bit of an off one... my 1.9 TDI has always been a bit lumpy to start, so when I last serviced I replaced the glow plugs.

Now perfect to start when its minus degrees C outside, but still a bag of spanners if its warm outside.

Fires up perfectly when the engine is warm.

Before I start clutching at expensive straws, is there a temp sensor somewhere that toggles the glow plugs? can I bi-pass the glow plug controls and put it on a switch (I'm old school)

Help!

[KenONeill]

Right about now the issue may be that it's winter cold but the fuel stations have switched to summer diesel.

[petrolbloke]

1 hour ago, KenONeill said:

 fuel stations have switched to summer diesel.

 

There's a difference?!

[KenONeill]

4 hours ago, vrsTom said:

 

There's a difference?!

Yes; winter diesel has anti-waxing additives, and possibly is more (relative term) volatile.

[CWARD]

Not really that cold for it to be affected by the weather temperatures especially in Milton Keynes, although Ken may have problems in warmest Scotland.

 

Could be possibly be dirty injectors in which case some BG244 or Arcoil 6400-D in a tank of fuel will hopefully clear them out otherwise it's more expensive ultrasonic cleaning.

 

Not sure when your battery was last replaced as it could be on the way out. Also clean up the leads to the glow plugs in case you have any corrosion on them. 

 

 

[petrolbloke]

7 minutes ago, KenONeill said:

Yes; winter diesel has anti-waxing additives, and possibly is more (relative term) volatile.

Never knew that - every day's a school day!

 

For anyone else interested see here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_diesel_fuel#United_Kingdom

As above though, MK shouldn't be cold enough to have any problems with summer diesel at the moment.