Fabia VRS slow to start

[TurbosSuck]

My car seems to be having difficulty starting at times. It began a few months back with what I would describe as a slight pause between cranking and firing. Recently though it will actually crank over several times before starting and has on occasion sort of spluttered into life. I had a new battery fitted last year and it seems to crank over ok so I don't think this is the cause. The car is serviced every year and is used for small journeys in the week and long journeys several times a month. It is worse when cold and when it has been left for a while. I've read that it could be the glow plugs or injectors but I'm not sure which, so I'm just looking for a little help in diagnosing before I take it to a garage.

 

Any help greatly appreciated!

Edited 5 February, 2018 by TurbosSuck

[Jasonpaul71]

I had the same and when the car did eventually start it belched out an impressive cloud of black smoke

 

Turned out it needed new glow plugs

[stevobeavo]

Could be glow plugs. If you replace them yourself make sure you spray your old ones for a good few days before you attempt to take them out

[TurbosSuck]

Thanks, anyway to know for sure if it's the glow plugs? Would a garage be able to see a fault code if one or all of them were failing?

 

The car seems to drive fine and it starts quick when warm, it just struggles when cold.

 

Are they really difficult to remove? I've heard horror stories...

[Jasonpaul71]

should throw up the EML in theory and log a fault code

[JWvrs25]

4 minutes ago, Jasonpaul71 said:

should throw up the EML in theory and log a fault code

not always, mine were all dead and no lights coming on.

Not too bad to remove just soak in wd for a few days before then go steady when undoing them. 

[TurbosSuck]

Sorry for the thread revival. I managed to get some videos of the car starting, can anyone have a look and let me know your thoughts? I'm starting to think it might be the battery.

 

Hope this works:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYTyUCKh5fw&feature=youtu.be

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXCgFwF86fg&feature=youtu.be

 

Thanks

Edited 16 February, 2018 by TurbosSuck

[puddy]

Sounds like a battery to me

 

Cheers puddy 

[vindaloo]

Yep, check the battery to start with. If that rev flick on starting is not your foot on the accelerator, you might want to look at the CTS or FTS too.

[StuartWallace93]

Im having the same issue atm with taking a while to start sometimes. Changed glowplugs yesterday, seemed fine but went out after work last night when it was a bit colder and it was doing the same as before. Gonna try camshaft sensor as thats whats coming up on my delphi code reader and try the cts as i have read that they can cause the bother aswell. Anyone any other ideas if that doesnt work for me? Thanks

Edited 9 March, 2018 by StuartWallace93
Mistake

[TurbosSuck]

Hi Stuart, I have actually just fixed mine today, it was the earth cable from the starter motor.

 

I took the battery off and took it back to Euro Car Parts where I bought it, and they tested it and said it was fine. Left the car with my old man while I went off on holiday and took his car. He took it to car electrical specialist who suggested the earth. Dad's an engineer so he had cable and ends so we have just made up a cable from the engine to the main earth on the body, behind the battery. The actual cable is buried beneath the battery tray so this is a temporary solution until we can do it properly, most likely in the summer.

 

You can test it with jump leads I think, connect one from the negative to the engine and see if it is any better.

 

Good luck