Tips on how to get van starting quicker in colder weather

sanbrafyffe

only starting on two heater plugs as two are stuck in her,,,


any other tips on how to increase my chances of getting her started when I get home for xmas


its a 1.3mjtd fiat engine


cheers,,,,,,b

colm_mcm

Turn the ignition on, glow plugs heat up
Turn the ignition on, glow plugs heat up
Turn the ignition on, glow plugs heat up
Turn the ignition on, glow plugs heat up
Turn the ignition on, glow plugs heat up

Repeat as necessary!

sanbrafyffe

cheers colm,,,,,I have to hear the click which I think is the fuel pump..will do any damage if I keep repeating

colm_mcm wrote: »

Turn the ignition on, glow plugs heat up
Turn the ignition on, glow plugs heat up
Turn the ignition on, glow plugs heat up
Turn the ignition on, glow plugs heat up
Turn the ignition on, glow plugs heat up

Repeat as necessary!

colm_mcm

Err, don't take the mick doing it and I suppose it'll be grand!

Chimaera

It should fire up ok-ish on two working glowplugs unless things get very cold. Maybe cycle the ignition twice before attempting to start. Once one or two cylinders fire, it'll drag the rest along until the engine's warmed up.

Ideally you should be looking at getting this fixed though.

sanbrafyffe

yes I couldn't agree more but I don't know what my options are as two wont come out,,,,they wont thread out

Chimaera wrote: »

It should fire up ok-ish on two working glowplugs unless things get very cold. Maybe cycle the ignition twice before attempting to start. Once one or two cylinders fire, it'll drag the rest along until the engine's warmed up.

Ideally you should be looking at getting this fixed though.

enumbers

most garages will have a removal kit to pull the plugs and clean the thread , very common issue on this engine. starting wise if you've a good battery and van is ok condition wise shouldnt be a issue starting on 2 glow plugs

sanbrafyffe

sanbrafyffe wrote: »

......when I get home for xmas


its a 1.3mjtd fiat engine


cheers,,,,,,b

How long will it have been standing there? I'd be more worried about the battery than starting on two glow plugs tbh.

greasepalm

if its been laid up for a few months a new battery wont go amiss as the good old frost will have killed the old battery,maybe a squirt of ether [ quick start ] to get it running.

braddun

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKuniumG6LI


http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-remove-Broken-Glow-Plugs/

Interslice

Get a decent rated battery too. I've one in my car that would start an old bus. Get the biggest strongest yolk that will fit in the battery tray .

sanbrafyffe

she lies up for 3 weeks at a time,,the battery is last years,,,this is the first I have heard of getting stuck on these engines...I know loads that have them and they didn't have a bother,,i suppose if you give them to a young buck and he wrenches them in ,,this is what will happen,,,,

do I not need a specialist to take these out

wonder how much im talking

dr.fuzzenstein

During the second world war on the eastern front, when your tank wouldn't start because it was -40, the troops would light a small fire under the engine...

sanbrafyffe

not under this yoke lol

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

During the second world war on the eastern front, when your tank wouldn't start because it was -40, the troops would light a small fire under the engine...

Bpmull

Check the battery size as they tend to give you 50-60 amp batteries for them 1.3 diesels and there not worth anything 70-72 amp battery is the only way to go specially when you have broken heater plugs. Diesels need decent batteries in general or the starter motor won't spin fast enough and you'll be there forever starting it. Also a high cca or cold start capacity value is needed.

sanbrafyffe

cheers for that,,,there is a mechanic down the road that is convinced they have to come out,,,,he said if I drop it down to him he would take off the front of the van,,,lift her a small bit in the lift,,,this way he can get at them as they are down on the side of the engine near you and at an angle which makes them harder to do,,he said while he is threading he will try pull them and hopefully get them started


I just don't know if I should take the chance


what we you do and to others aswell

Bpmull wrote: »

Check the battery size as they tend to give you 50-60 amp batteries for them 1.3 diesels and there not worth anything 70-72 amp battery is the only way to go specially when you have broken heater plugs. Diesels need decent batteries in general or the starter motor won't spin fast enough and you'll be there forever starting it. Also a high cca or cold start capacity value is needed.

Bigus

Nekarsulm

sanbrafyffe wrote: »

c,he said while he is threading he will try pull them and hopefully get them started


I just don't know if I should take the chance


what we you do and to others aswell

Could you run that by us again? not sure what he means

sanbrafyffe

Nekarsulm wrote: »

Could you run that by up again? not sure what he means

basically try and get them out via oulling on them and twisting out at the same time...to try and get the thread started

Man of Aran

As lads have said earlier, it should start ok on 2 good glow plugs with a battery in tip top shape.
If the van was parked up at airport or ferry areas, you might have less options for back up but since it's at your home area, then you have other tricks in arsenal to fall back on as mentioned.

Don't rule out either the use of a good hot air gun or hair dryer even to warm intake manifold, injector lines and nozzle areas on a really Arctic weather day!
In past I saw lads with tough start tractors & plant even drain some or all the radiator coolant and heat it close to boiling then refill to warm the block quickly . Remember though in today's pressurised systems to bleed properly and not dilute the coolant strength if any spills.

Tail Docker

Taking them out when the engine is roasting hot is the way to go. Lads try to change them stone cold and reckon they are stuck..hot, they come out grand...

sanbrafyffe

hmmmm very interesting point there

Tail Docker wrote: »

Taking them out when the engine is roasting hot is the way to go. Lads try to change them stone cold and reckon they are stuck..hot, they come out grand...

kay 9

Another option is park in a hill if it's a manual box and have the hill start option open until you get it sorted. Any mechanic worth his salt will sort that for ya. It's only glow plugs. Worth cleaning the brushes on starter solenoid too while your at it or even change them at a few euro