Cold Weather Glow Plug Issue

[jonnya]

Hello all,
I have an 03 plate 406s 90 bhp 1.9 Over the cold spell the car has been struggling to start. The glow plug light has never worked...so I am assuming the engine starts on grunt from the battery and starter alone. This has killed a couple of batteriesin the last couple of years and a sterter motor. What suggestions does anyone have for me to look at to get the plugs going again..I have tried getting a new sender/relay and new plugs off ebay...The glow pug on the dash just doesnt come on! What else could I look at? Is there a fuse in the engine bay to be replaced..

All thoughts very welcome...Thanks, Jon.

[spider]

I'm slightly confused.

If its post 1999 it will be a HDi unit which will be 2.0

Do you have a 'retro fitted' XUDT 1.9 in this 03 car ? Having said that starting a cold XU unit with no pre-heat is difficult, possible but difficult.

If its a HD:

The glowplug light will appear not to work. The 'light time' is very short indeed.

Does it crank at a decent speed ? It will not 'signal' the injectors if the cranking speed is too low, tips here: http://frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/viewt ... 11&t=43319

Regarding the glowplug timing itself:

PRE-HEATING

As soon as ignition is switched on: The engine management control unit supplies the glow plugs and controls the lighting of the warning light on the instrument panel, depending on the coolant temperature.

NOTE : The warning light on the instrument panel only comes on during the pre-heating phase.


Coolant Temperature ... Approx Pre-Heating Time

-30°C ... 20 seconds
-10°C ... 5 seconds
0°C ... 0.5 seconds
+18°C ... 0 seconds (inoperative, in effect)

If the starter is not operated, when the warning light goes out, the glow plugs remain supplied for a maximum of 10 seconds.

During the starting phase, the glow plugs are supplied under the following conditions :

* The coolant temperature is below 20 degrees C
* The engine runs at more than 70 rpm for 0.2 second(s)


POST HEATING

Post-heating consists of prolonging the operation of the glow plugs for a maximum of 60 seconds from the end of the starting phase .

Parameters which will interrupt post-heating :

* Coolant temperature greater than 20 degrees C
* Flow injected greater than 35 mm3
* Engine speed above 2000 rpm

You can more or less ignore "POST HEATING" as its to assist warm up and emissions, once the engine has actually 'fired' and is running having no glowplugs will not cause major issues. Early units had no post heating and did not suffer for it.

[Peter.N.]

I would have expected it to be a non intercooled Hdi as well. On a reasonably good Hdi engine you wouldn't know whether the glow plugs were working or not, they start just like a petrol engine.

Peter

[spider]

I would have expected it to be a non intercooled Hdi as well. On a reasonably good Hdi engine you wouldn't know whether the glow plugs were working or not, they start just like a petrol engine.

Peter

In a 406 at least, the 2.0 8v units only (I don't know about the other ones) the 90 has no intercooler and the 110 does.

[Peter.N.]

2.0. 8 valve or 2.2. only.

Peter

[jonnya]

Thanks Andy and Peter...Im guessing if the battery or starter motor is weak ..that will be the route of the issue?

[myglaren]

Thanks Andy and Peter...Im guessing if the battery or starter motor is weak ..that will be the route of the issue?

Check the terminals and earth connections if the battery checks out OK,

[jonnya]

Just to confirm...if battery and starter are good plugs and relay/ sender are good that should reseolve the issue?

[white exec]

To check out the main battery terminal connections, crank the engine for 10 secs, and then feel each of the clamps/terminals. If either feels warm/hot, there's a poor connection there.
The old-type lead (Pb) connectors are known to give problems with age: replace with new clamp-type brass connectors, making sure the cable strands are clean and not blackened.
Poor battery connections can cause multiple mayhem - starter, g/plugs, and electronics.