Does this sound like glow plugs?

colm_mcm

My avensis diesel (non d4d 2.0td) has been hard to start on 2 occasions in the last week.

It turns over ok, but doesn't catch.

First time I tried it about 10 times, turned the ignition on>off>on>off>on as I put it down to glow plugs. It eventually started with a reasonable cloud of greyish smoke, it kinda spluttered to life and drove perfect after that, started every morning perfectly

Same thing happened today, I left in a multi storey yesterday evening and collected it just there, so it was there for 24 hours, it didn't start straight off, I turned the ignition a few times, left it for a minute and it started fine, again with slight spluttering and smoke


Would this be glow plug related or would it be something like a fuel filter, which to be honest should have been changed a good while ago


Any ideas?

could well be the heater plugs although..............might be drawing a little air from somewhere, is there a prime bulb on the fuel filter on them? If so the next time it doesn't start straight away give the prime bulb a squeeze until it's full, then if it starts straight away it's more than likely drawing air.

johnos1984

colm_mcm wrote: »

First time I tried it about 10 times, turned the ignition on>off>on>off>on as I put it down to glow plugs. It eventually started with a reasonable cloud of greyish smoke, it kinda spluttered to life and drove perfect after that, started every morning perfectly

Not the glow plugs

I had this before, it's the ignition switch which is wrong and it's a pretty common fault. Should cost around €100 to do

johnos1984

johnos1984 wrote: »

Not the glow plugs

I had this before, it's the ignition switch which is wrong and it's a pretty common fault. Should cost around €100 to do

But it's turning over ok

johnos1984

RoverJames wrote: »

But it's turning over ok

The car would give a 'cough' or turn over for a second and then stop. As Colm said he was turning the key on and off numerous times it sounds like the same issue as that's what I had to do to get the car to start.

Sometimes it would catch straight away other times it could take 20 or so goes before it would start.

Not sure if it is the ignition switch itself but certainly a part there.

Row

On most modern common rail diesels the glowplugs will not kick in until the coolant temp is below 0 degs C....But they are used after the engine has started to help reduce the smoke when the engine is cold.
Injectors can also give trouble on these but maybe get your glow plugs checked first.
Did you go tru any floods lately...?..if so this post maybe relevant..:)
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=70795517

johnos1984

johnos1984 wrote: »

The car would give a 'cough' or turn over for a second and then stop. As Colm said he was turning the key on and off numerous times it sounds like the same issue as that's what I had to do to get the car to start................

Out of curiosity, was that a diesel or petrol Avensis?

Row wrote: »

On most modern common rail diesels the glowplugs will not kick in until the coolant temp is below 0 degs C..............

Wouldn't think Colm's Avensis is CR.

colm_mcm

The starter is doing exactly what it should, engine turning over

Just as an aside it's not the common rail engine, it's the older carina type.

I was turning the key on and off so the glow plugs would heat more.

Didn't think injectors were an issue on this engine

johnos1984

RoverJames wrote: »

Out of curiosity, was that a diesel or petrol Avensis?

Petrol but as it was a switch where the key goes in I assume it would be a part common to every model. I may have the old part out in the garage if a photo iis needed to help identify it but I'd be willing to put money down that it is the plastic switch

johnos1984

colm_mcm wrote: »

I was turning the key on and off so the glow plugs would heat more.

Ah ok so.

I thought you were turning it on and off in an attempt to get the car to turn over.

Ignore the switch by the ignition in that case

I'd have a peak for any little weap of diesel from hoses etc
If 'twas the heater plugs it would be more of a consistent problem.

colm_mcm

Yeah, you might be on to something there. If it happens again, which I'm sure it will I'll prime the filter and see what happens.

I'll be replacing the filter anyway as it's well overdue now

Row

colm_mcm wrote: »

The starter is doing exactly what it should, engine turning over

Just as an aside it's not the common rail engine, it's the older carina type.

I was turning the key on and off so the glow plugs would heat more.

Didn't think injectors were an issue on this engine

Sorry.....Seen "d4d" on your OP and took for granted it was a d4d...:o
need to go to spec savers...:D

On the older indirect diesels glow plugs play a major part on cold starting so i think it would be worth getting them tested.
Like alot of the older indirect diesels these engines are bullet proof...:cool:

swhyte027

My guess would be drawing in air most def

colm_mcm

With regards to glow plugs, is there any major benefit to big brands like ngk?
Do motor factors do cheap ones, given that im not keeping this car too much longer, I'd assume a set of plugs would be €60+?

I see Bosch ones from micksgarage are 60 for 4

Think I'll concentrate on the fuel line as the plugs work fine always first time, these 2 incidents are the minority.

Skuxx

Hi guys, having pretty much the same problem as Colm, every morning starting the car (mk4 tdi golf) from cold it takes a good 8-10 seconds before she catches and starts. It turns over no problem just wont catch straight away. I usually turn the key on and off 3 or 4 times first aswell to warm the plugs up.
There is 125k miles on it and no record of the plugs ever being done, certainly never done in the last 30k miles I put on it. Do they have a known lifespan?

Does it sound like an issue with the plugs?

alan1990

alan1990 wrote: »

...............every morning starting the car (mk4 tdi golf) from cold it takes a good 8-10 seconds before she catches and starts...................

Sounds like plugs in your case as it's consistent imo

colm_mcm

My problem is getting progressively worse, looks like it's fuel related as it needs priming after being sitting 8 hours now. My mech was off today :-(

............ could well be an easy fix Colm Defo seems to be allowing air in to the system.

colm_mcm

I'd try it myself but our house hasn't a garage and I can't be holed being out in the wet and dark trying to fix it.

Ah yeah, I meant easy fix for the mechanic, playing with cars outside of daylight hours is little fun this weather May well be cheaper to sort than a set of h plugs fitted too.

colm_mcm

Update on this, it was the fuel filter housing leaking air.

'tis great when it's an easy and cheap fix :cool:

colm_mcm

Thanks to all who gave suggestions, thankfully it's rare enough anything goes wrong,

On the Avensis does the housing and filter come as one unit or is the diesel filter actually put into a housing like oil filters on Merc etc etc?

Halfshaft

A small older type filter screws up into a housing with a primer on top of the housing...