Just picked up a 1.9 diesel via eBay (VW engine), very pleased with it but it seems to crank for ages before starting when warm. Cold start is instant. Seller said it was due to the temperature sensors turning off the heater plugs when hot. Is this normal and something I have to put up with? Any advice welcome.

Thanks. Physics73

Hi

I had no end of problems with my Felicia diesel engine with the coolant temp sensor

I ended up using a petrol one on mine

Yes try the temp sensor

I think it is green for the diesels , but a dealer or BUtts of Bawtry will be able to help with that

Very cheap repair and takes seconds to do

Sarah

Mine's not quite that bad but does start quicker from cold than when warmed up.

:iagree: change the sensor

shouldn't affect the glow plugs at all.... in fact these only come on when the engine is cranking

I had this problem as well.

Have a look here:

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/felicia-fun-forman/hot-starts-felicia-1-9-diesel-cube-van/51415/

I took it to the Skoda dealer who charged me

Has anybody got an on-line location for a Felicia DIESEL wiring diagram ?

Alex,

I have sent you a PM.

Jim

Alex,

I have sent you a PM.

Jim

have you got his pm yet

Yes he has:thumbup:

We alll make mistakes:D

Ive been having this starting trouble for a few years.. Its now getting so bad i have to do something.. I have found out that if you unplug the sensor ( square plug ) on the plastic housing , this allows the heater plugs to work and the car cranks and fires with in a few turns. . I going to replace this sensor with one from a petrol car as Ive read this work better ??

Just wondering if any one else had this problem BUT found another reason for this hot start problem. ??

Cheers

Dave.

Hi dave, yes it's a very common problem on those, hot starts get affected etc, a new coolant sensor should fix it. You've proven that by unplugging the sensor.

Hi dave, yes it's a very common problem on those, hot starts get affected etc, a new coolant sensor should fix it. You've proven that by unplugging the sensor.

Having had the same problem, changing the sensor may help, but it may also be that the wiring loom is old and worn out and it's ability to conduct the necessary power is no longer as good. On a cold start not as much power is required from the battery to start as the glow plugs are helping. A warm start requires a lot more battery power and if the wiring loom is worn it won't be able to conduct the power needed for an easy start.

As mentioned earlier in the posts, fitting a new bypass button inside near the ignition will do the necessary

There's also the question of how old is the current battery, particularly if the problem is worse when the engine and air are both really cold like first thing after an over-night.

fitting the petrol temp sender cures most of them, for some of the real bad ones we fitted a 2 way relay with a resister on one side to earth between the temp sender wiring and the relay was activated by the starter solanoid so that when the engine cranked the relay swapped the signal from the temp sender thru a resistor to make the ecu think it was cold.

just an automated version of a button on thr dash really tho.

sometimes a new starter and battery would fix it (under warrenty usually tho) but the main fault is that its an indirect injection diesel engine so struggles to get the heat into the combustion chamber without help from the glowplugs.