diesel hard to start when cold

patrickc

so my bangereconomics 96 1.8td diesel mondeo found it very hard to start today and yesterday.

after 5 attempts, leaving it trying another 5 times, leaving it then for 5 mins it started.

it's not the glow plugs as they've been changed.

any ideas how I can prevent this happening? heat it quicker I presume theres just not enough heat getting in to turn it over, or perhaps a pump freezing on it? I dont know but looking for suggestions please.

Rulmeq

The diesel is probably turning to wax and coating/blocking the filter. Not much you can do, there are additives you can get that will lower the temperature at which diesel gels, but your best bet is to get it in out of the cold.

patrickc

Rulmeq wrote: »

The diesel is probably turning to wax and coating/blocking the filter. Not much you can do, there are additives you can get that will lower the temperature at which diesel gels, but your best bet is to get it in out of the cold.

carlow has got hit hard with the cold alright. any recommendations for additives?

unfortunately cant get it out of the cold.

would putting a blanket/cover over the engine under the bonnet at night help?

GTE

Are the plugs getting the right level of power?
Are the sensors that dictate how long the plugs go on for working correctly?

patrickc

bbk wrote: »

Are the plugs getting the right level of power?
Are the sensors that dictate how long the plugs go on for working correctly?

the sensors seem to be grand, i dont know about the power though.

GTE

patrickc wrote: »

the sensors seem to be grand, i dont know about the power though.

You can get engine heaters for diesels off the web. They are patches that attach to the sump I believe and you plug it into mains electricity and it heats the engine for you. I have heard one horror story of fire from an oily engine bay though.

Serious dieselers in very cold parts of the USA and Canada actually put a special device into the engine bay that the coolant is directed through. This device pumps and heats the coolant to warm the engine.

Id wonder is something else wrong with the engine that is causing bad starts.
I understand that if the timing is slightly off you wont really notice in the Summer but it really messes things up in the Winter.
I think that is the problem with my car. It has been a bitch to start until the cold set in enough to activate the glowplugs.

Savman

patrickc wrote: »

so my bangereconomics 96 1.8td diesel mondeo found it very hard to start today and yesterday.

I used to own one of these, they do not like the cold at all. I had Glow plugs changed, Starter Motor replaced, Battery checked etc but it still did not shake the problem.

Simply learned to live with it by 'activating' the glow plugs a few times before cranking (turn Key to position II, back to I and repeat). This was recommended to me by the mechanic at the time and seemed to be the only feasible solution, if somewhat unorthodox.

mathepac

Try Millers diesel additive from a motor factors. This raises the cetane number of the fuel, shortening the delay between injection and ignition. Use as it says on the tin. Specs here.

If the diesel is from a reliable filling station and not washed or smuggled it will not wax up - that problem was taken care of some years ago. If you suspect it might be a problem, use a hair-drier on the fuel filter and on the lines in and out of the filter.

If the battery is in good nick, switch the ignition on until the glow-plug light goes out, then switch off and on again, then try starting when the light goes out again. The extra bit of heat accumulation might make a difference.

The old skool diesels start the best with full throttle applied while cranking. Worth a try if you haven't yet. And as said above give it a couple of cycles of preheat before cranking as suggested by bbk and savman.

patrickc

bbk wrote: »

You can get engine heaters for diesels off the web. They are patches that attach to the sump I believe and you plug it into mains electricity and it heats the engine for you. I have heard one horror story of fire from an oily engine bay though.

Serious dieselers in very cold parts of the USA and Canada actually put a special device into the engine bay that the coolant is directed through. This device pumps and heats the coolant to warm the engine.

Id wonder is something else wrong with the engine that is causing bad starts.
I understand that if the timing is slightly off you wont really notice in the Summer but it really messes things up in the Winter.
I think that is the problem with my car. It has been a bitch to start until the cold set in enough to activate the glowplugs.

i dont plan on spending alot on this car, could be the tb though. I dont know.

Savman wrote: »

I used to own one of these, they do not like the cold at all. I had Glow plugs changed, Starter Motor replaced, Battery checked etc but it still did not shake the problem.

Simply learned to live with it by 'activating' the glow plugs a few times before cranking (turn Key to position II, back to I and repeat). This was recommended to me by the mechanic at the time and seemed to be the only feasible solution, if somewhat unorthodox.

I tried cranking them 5 times yesterday and the day before and as I said had to leave it and come back for it to work. will keep at that though.

mathepac wrote: »

Try Millers diesel additive from a motor factors. This raises the cetane number of the fuel, shortening the delay between injection and ignition. Use as it says on the tin. Specs here.

If the diesel is from a reliable filling station and not washed or smuggled it will not wax up - that problem was taken care of some years ago. If you suspect it might be a problem, use a hair-drier on the fuel filter and on the lines in and out of the filter.

If the battery is in good nick, switch the ignition on until the glow-plug light goes out, then switch off and on again, then try starting when the light goes out again. The extra bit of heat accumulation might make a difference.

the battery is new, and I may try that additive cheers.

samih wrote: »

The old skool diesels start the best with full throttle applied while cranking. Worth a try if you haven't yet. And as said above give it a couple of cycles of preheat before cranking as suggested by bbk and savman.

I'll try the full throttle, I did once and it just spluttered and cut out.

patrickc

it started there after a combination of the throtte and the glow plugs, was not as cold last night but hopefully will keep on starting like that..

shawnee

Had a fiesta diesel a few years back and it was like that for the whole winter. Don't think anyone could start it except myself. Had a regime of heating , heating agn , heating agn , quick turn , then heat and she'd start :D
It was a challenge every morning but don't think it ever failed. Not worth spending money on it so traded it to a main dealer for another . Don't think it moved anymore !!

PaulKK

If your diesel is hard to start, double or triple heat your glowplugs before cranking.

Worked for me everytime on my 98 passat.

That said, its been below -8 here and I have had no issues at all with my 320d so far this year.

alias no.9

On an old school diesel like that, put a a drop of unleaded into the tank, say a 10% mix with diesel and it will stop the waxing.
Warning: Nobody should ever consider doing this on a Common Rail or Pumpe Deuse Engine (TDi, HDi, JTD, CRDI, CTDI, CDTI, CDI, DCI, D(BMW), etc...)

keithclancy

Is the Diesel in Ireland rubbish or something,

I had no issue last year starting my Octavia in -17 temps.

Only problem I did have was ice building up on the windscreen wipers, have to stop every 30 miles or so to smash it off.

yop

My Mondeo diesel is playing foook to start these mornings. Some forums reckon it could be the glow plugs

Savman

BTW it's a bad idea to keep cranking incessantly, you'll kill the starter motor (this I also learned the hard way).
Easy does it...

OuterBombie

I have similar issues with my 00 mk2 diesel Mondeo.

Thankfully i'm living beside the sea so it doesn't get as cold as Carlow so it hasn't completely died on me yet, fingers crossed.

I must admit the whole startup procedure these cold mornings is impressive. I crank the glow plugs a couple of times, full throttle, flick the key and hope for the best. Its start with a low rumbling in the engine, following by full car juttering, which is particularily unnerving, for at least 20 seconds before eventually the engine kicks in and I look up to see a nice plume of diesel smoke passing the windscreen My toddler finds this very amusing.

185 miles on the clock and still going strong so no complaints (although I am on the hunt for a new wagon).

patrickc

yop wrote: »

My Mondeo diesel is playing foook to start these mornings. Some forums reckon it could be the glow plugs

I only changed mine as per the first post.

Savman wrote: »

BTW it's a bad idea to keep cranking incessantly, you'll kill the starter motor (this I also learned the hard way).
Easy does it...

yeh I dont i give it a few secs and leave it , if she doesnt turn over.

OuterBombie wrote: »

I have similar issues with my 00 mk2 diesel Mondeo.

Thankfully i'm living beside the sea so it doesn't get as cold as Carlow so it hasn't completely died on me yet, fingers crossed.

I must admit the whole startup procedure these cold mornings is impressive. I crank the glow plugs a couple of times, full throttle, flick the key and hope for the best. Its start with a low rumbling in the engine, following by full car juttering, which is particularily unnerving, for at least 20 seconds before eventually the engine kicks in and I look up to see a nice plume of diesel smoke passing the windscreen My toddler finds this very amusing.

185 miles on the clock and still going strong so no complaints (although I am on the hunt for a new wagon).

I get those sounds also, and that lovely plume of smoke for a while also.

like you have no complaints otherwise.

dr.fuzzenstein

Well, the 1.8 TDCI lump in mine seems to start relatively ok in the mornings.
But after leaving it stand for two days over the weekend I had to heat it twice, tried turning it over again, nothing, heated it once more, noodled it for a while, spluttered into life on 2.5 cylinders, threatened to jump out of the engine bay and after a few seconds of running like a bag of spanners with some nails thrown in for good measure proceeded to splutter some excuse for idle. Ran perfectly well at the end of my journey.
Next day (it being -4 that night) it started without any complaints whatsoever.
Do you leave the car idle for several days at a time perchance?

GTE

keithclancy wrote: »

Is the Diesel in Ireland rubbish or something,

I had no issue last year starting my Octavia in -17 temps.

Only problem I did have was ice building up on the windscreen wipers, have to stop every 30 miles or so to smash it off.

I doubt it. The old Ford TD engine is very old as far as I am aware. The TDI in your Octavia would be new enough to be very decent in the cold. Even mine (2000, pre PD) is very good in the cold aside from this possible timing issue.
A quick blast of the glow plugs and its grand.