I have a '93 BX TZD turbo with a strange starting problem. During this summer and the previous one it will turn over for between 5 and 10 seconds (unless it has run in the last hour, when it will start fine) before starting, and then will start with a lot of grey smoke, presumably excess fuel. However, if you turn ignition off and back on again to give the glowplugs a second chance, it starts perfectly.
Now here's the strange bit - during last winter it would start fine with NO problems whatsoever. I was going to change the glowplugs at the end of last summer, but then winter came and the problem seemed to disappear.
My plan is to replace the glowplugs anyway (~40k miles and 3 years old) but I was wondering whether anybody had any other ideas. I just can't understand how what I suspect to be a glowplug problem should be worse in hot weather. It it generally in excellent mechanical condition, so I am not suspecting anything more serious.
Strange BX Glowplug problem
Moderator: RichardW
If when it does start don't waste your money on new plugs. The generally fail one at a time in quick sucession so the starting would get lumpier and lumpier and steadily more difficult.
By all means chack them - take the lead off the top and connect a wire from the battery with a bulb in it to each in turn. If the light lights the plug is ok.
I wonder if the plugs are always working - ie an intermittent fault in the circuit - eg the relay. The timers seem to be temperature sensitive and it may be that this mechanism has failed. (My TD (89) seems to take much longer to heat when cold and there are probably at least 3 lengths of timing. I've never had to investigate but its quite noticeable.
jeremy
By all means chack them - take the lead off the top and connect a wire from the battery with a bulb in it to each in turn. If the light lights the plug is ok.
I wonder if the plugs are always working - ie an intermittent fault in the circuit - eg the relay. The timers seem to be temperature sensitive and it may be that this mechanism has failed. (My TD (89) seems to take much longer to heat when cold and there are probably at least 3 lengths of timing. I've never had to investigate but its quite noticeable.
jeremy
if i try to start my 1.9D as soon as glow plug lamp goes out it wont start strait away,but if i wait for the timer relay to click off it starts instantly,also if i dont start it for more than a day i have to pump the primer up as it must have an air leak in fuel system,i have never bothered to check where it is because it always firers up after priming regards malcolm
- CitroJim
- A very naughty boy
- Posts: 49658
- Joined: 30 Apr 2005, 23:33
- Location: Paggers
- My Cars: Bluebell the AX, Polly the C3 Picasso, Pix the Nissan Pixo, Propel the duathlon bike, TCR Pro the road bike and Fuji the TT bike...
- x 6204
- Contact:
My old 405TD does nearly exactly this. When it's stone cold and/or the weather is cold it starts instantly as soon as the glowplug light goes off. When the engine is warm and/or it's a hot day it needs a good few revouloutions to start but starts better if a few moments pass after the glowplug light goes off before attempting a start. My Xantia also does this to a lesser degree. Both have Bosch pumps.
Opinion from a Diesel specialist was that the modern ULS diesel is thinner when warm that the old DERV and this combined with a little pump wear is just enough to cause the problem. In the cold the fuel is a bit thicker so the problem does not occur. Sounds plausable enough...
Opinion from a Diesel specialist was that the modern ULS diesel is thinner when warm that the old DERV and this combined with a little pump wear is just enough to cause the problem. In the cold the fuel is a bit thicker so the problem does not occur. Sounds plausable enough...
-
- Moderating Team
- Posts: 11578
- Joined: 02 Apr 2005, 16:11
- Location: Charmouth,Dorset
- My Cars: Currently:
C5 X7 VTR + Satnav Hdi estate Silver
C5 X7 VTR + Hdi Estate 2008 Red
In the past: 3, CX td Safaris and about 7, XM td estates. Lovely cars. - x 1207
Sounds possible, I know that certain engines can suffer from poor starting when hot due to fuel pump wear but another possibility is, if the glow plug relay is temperature sensitive, it is not leaving the glow plugs on long enough, hence starting OK with a second dose. If it was me I would just give it two lots of heat and, as has been mentioned, dont turn the key until about 5 secs after the light has gone out.
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I suppose you could expend its hoses so you can get at it from the outside though<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Why not do the job properly, and have the bulb inside the car[:D]
Why not do the job properly, and have the bulb inside the car[:D]
-
- Posts: 15
- Joined: 26 Apr 2005, 00:05
- Location:
- My Cars: