how do you start a diesel with no glow plugs???

This is the Forum for all your Citroen Technical Questions, Problems or Advice.

Moderator: RichardW

Post Reply
caveman_si
Posts: 200
Joined: 29 Jan 2004, 23:46
Location: Liverpool
My Cars:

how do you start a diesel with no glow plugs???

Post by caveman_si »

how do you start a diesel with no glow plugs???
an interesting question and one i think i'll be needing the answer to if dont get to change my glow plugs soon (think im down to 2 andshe starts ruff as a dose of salts)
And id like to know just out of curisity too So any one any ideas?
Ps incase its car specific (its a pug 405td)
rossd
Posts: 420
Joined: 16 Mar 2001, 20:18
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:

Post by rossd »

Easistart? Dont use it too much though, it buggers up the engines internals.
beezer
Posts: 627
Joined: 20 Oct 2004, 22:11
Location:
My Cars:

Post by beezer »

Easystart will do it but will kna**er your engine. WD40 down the air intake is kinder. Hot air gun on the cylinder head and filter pump before you start? Wouldn't be much fun on a cold morning.
oilyspanner
Posts: 1246
Joined: 26 Oct 2003, 16:08
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:

Post by oilyspanner »

I have seen a Peugeot diesel "kick back" and snap the starter motor off the gearbox, thats in addition to the engine damage it invariably causes, desperate you may be but its way too risky, towing the thing for half a mile usuallu makes em go. or you could splash out on some heater plugs!
Stewart
Stuart McB
Posts: 1635
Joined: 03 Oct 2003, 00:50
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:
x 1

Post by Stuart McB »

Was gonna say that oilyspanner. why not just fit new plugs? They're not that much at GSF and don't take too long to fit.
paranoid
Posts: 770
Joined: 08 Jan 2004, 18:32
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:

Post by paranoid »

Easy start is only really safe on huge engines, car and van engines are a bit too subtle.
the safe amount to use is tiny and not really controllable with a spray can.
witnessed somebody give a xud a one second spray, then someone else gave it another squirt not knowing about the previous one, revved to about 15000 revs and went pop, you could physically rock the head on the block afterwards due to the stretch in the headbolts!!!!!!!
paranoid
Posts: 770
Joined: 08 Jan 2004, 18:32
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:

Post by paranoid »

Ahhhh just remembered something........
If you really must use easy start I was once advised just to spray in the area of the intake whilst cranking never directly at the hole[:0]
nick
Posts: 1079
Joined: 14 Mar 2001, 01:49
Location: Market Rasen, Lincolnshire
My Cars:

Post by nick »

I had three glowplugs pack up at once on my Xantia a couple of winters ago. I needed the car for work and had no time to replace them until the next weekend so used Easy start for a few days.
It literally needed only a 1 second 'burst' sprayed into the intercooler pipework to start. Even then it started with a lot of unpleasant knocking and clattering, but didn't do any long term damage.
tomsheppard
Posts: 1801
Joined: 19 Dec 2002, 14:46
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:

Post by tomsheppard »

Having myself washed out an intercooler with surgical spirit and attempted restarting later that afternoon, the sheer violence of the engine's attempt to start was enough to convince me that this was not a good idea. Buy some glowplugs, they are a fiver each and you'll only need three because you'll decide that you are too lazy to do number one, which is a swine, first time.
nick
Posts: 1079
Joined: 14 Mar 2001, 01:49
Location: Market Rasen, Lincolnshire
My Cars:

Post by nick »

I know someone who used petrol to clean out the intercooler on a Merc diesel. Amazingly it didn't harm it, but he said that for the first few seconds after starting the engine he thought it was getting ready to launch into space [:0]
When I did my glowplugs I changed the 3 easy ones myself, then paid a garage to do the hard one [:I]
dnsey
Posts: 1538
Joined: 20 Oct 2004, 01:39
Location:
My Cars:
x 19

Post by dnsey »

I spent a whole winter's mornings starting a BX (XUD) with low compression and duff glowplugs, by using about 2ml petrol injected (via a hole drilled into the housing) into the foam air filter, warm air forced into the intake from a big industrial dryer, and a home-made starter / charger which would put out about 350A at 18V.
Worked every time[}:)]
paranoid
Posts: 770
Joined: 08 Jan 2004, 18:32
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:

Post by paranoid »

Petrol is probably the best bet, it is a bit more chuggy but at least its safe.
If you know what I mean the further away from the engine the better.
wilkobob
Posts: 330
Joined: 26 Sep 2004, 00:29
Location: Retford, United Kingdom
My Cars:
Contact:

Post by wilkobob »

Had to use easystart before, its ok providing you just spray it near the air intake, not directly into it. Only use it for a second and it should start. Otherwise, just stick some new glow plugs in.
I once cleaned an intercooler out with some industrial thinners. Left the thing for an hour before re assembly and tried starting the engine... Thought it was gonna take off!
vanny
Posts: 767
Joined: 16 May 2002, 21:08
Location: BXProject
My Cars:
x 1
Contact:

Post by vanny »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by oilyspanner</i>

towing the thing for half a mile usuallu makes em go. Stewart
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Dont be giving him ideas like that, i know which dumb fool will be off to tow start!
Glow plugs are like £4 in Moparts, and i have two in the boot! Stop being lazy and get them done, if your really stuck i could come to you at work and do them on tuesday?
As for easystart DONT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT! I found out why while talking to a mech in the states, i noticed ALL of the buses have a big sticker on warning about the use of esy start. It's common for the easystart to cause the plenum (is that the right name) chanber to crack. So it might not be a problem instantly, but you never know when its gonna crack off completely and go wizzing round the engine! Probably more of a problem with the adition strain from the turbo, hence an issue on a 5 litre v10 turbo diesel, but i know you like to use your turbo alot!
Stinkwheel
Posts: 562
Joined: 28 May 2004, 01:02
Location:
My Cars:
x 1

Post by Stinkwheel »

Whats the symptoms of dodgy glowplugs? I have a normal aspirated diesel (non cit) in my wifes nissan. It starts very rough, lots of smoke and very lumpy running until its been revved up a bit. My old Visa's XUD was never like that. You think glowpugs want changing?
Post Reply