Xantia cold starting

brianr.uk · Post by **brianr.uk** » 06 May 2004, 18:11

I have a 1993 Xantia 1.9td.Can anyone out there shed some light on the problem I am having starting from cold first thing in the morning.I have changed the glo plugs (what fun that was,especialy the one behind the injector pump)and for about a fortnight it started better but then got worse and worse and its as bad as ever now.Once started its ok for the rest of the day.The car is in a garage overnight so doesnt get freezing cold.I've had a meter on the plugs and the voltage while they are heating is 11.5v,the relay clicks in and out ok,orange light on dash stays on for about 6 seconds (haynes says this is about right)and voltage stays on plug for some time after light goes out as it should.I have also checked the cold start cables operation and that seems ok.Please help its driing me mad.Sorry this is so long but i have tried to give as much info as possible.Thanks in advance.
Brian.[V]

uhn113x · Post by **uhn113x** » 06 May 2004, 18:39

Hi Brian
Sometimes cheap gloW plugs fail quickly - can you check if they all read continuity with the leads disconnected?

mikgram · Post by **mikgram** » 06 May 2004, 20:24

I had a diesel that was a poor starter changed the glow plugs .no better it would turn ,turn, turn about 7 or 8 times then start ,by accident I put the glow plugs on twice one day ,boom it started much better if you have a high mileage the compression can drop, so its not a perfect solution but you can try it and see how it goes.

uhn113x · Post by **uhn113x** » 06 May 2004, 21:07

No need to preheat twice, as the glowplugs are powered for quite a while after the light goes out - just wait for another 10 seconds or so

brianr.uk · Post by **brianr.uk** » 07 May 2004, 18:27

Thanks for all the advice so far,have tried pre heating twice and waiting 10secs after light goes out but no better.havent tried continuity yet.thanks again
Brian

Post by **philhoward** » 07 May 2004, 20:05

Which glow plugs are they? Non-Beru ones have been known to fail within in a week; the ones you get need to be suitable for the TD Xantia (the non-turbo ones are different), due to the post-glow facility. You didn't get Halfrauds ones, did you?

brianr.uk · Post by **brianr.uk** » 09 May 2004, 01:41

Thanks for the reply phill.I bought the plugs from my local spares shop as they seemed a good price.They said they were for the td.It seems i will have to replace them again with ones from GSF,i thought i was saving money.By the way no sane person buys from halfrauds do they.

JohnD · Post by **JohnD** » 09 May 2004, 14:33

Are you sure it's a glowplug problem - not an air in fuel problem? For the first start of the day, before switching on, give the hand primer several squeezes first. If it starts promptly, it's likely to be air.

paranoid · Post by **paranoid** » 09 May 2004, 15:08

Have to agree with johnD, when the top of my fuel filter housing warped it gave exactly the same symtems as the glow plugs being duff, changed the housing seal, started first second turn ever since (7 months) try hand priming in the morning see if there are bubbles coming out the housing towards pump.......