[Punto JTD] Flashing pre-heating light

As you have a Deisel i wouldn't recomend changing the "sparks" as you dont have any. Personally i would get your car to a dealer and let them do a diagnostic test and that will tell you if you have a glow plug faulty or a problem with the ignition system.

Almost certainly a glow plug has failed. Engine will start OK on 3 plugs but if the weather becomes very cold or another plug goes then it will struggle to start.

Andy

Le mar. 02 mars 2004 21:57:27, dans le message news:%y61c.537$ snipped-for-privacy@news-binary.blueyonder.co.uk, "Chris Gilbert" a écrit :

Thanks for your answer. Spark is maybe not the right word, but I was talking about the ones that permit the ignition. I'd prefer to find a solution by myself (or with your help !) before goind to a dealer because :

- this car is out of garanty

- I find the price of the job concerning electronic diagnostic too much expensive (specific software and tools)

- I don't really trust the approximative diagnostic of this indicator : on my other car, I had a light that was sometimes going on. This indicator means lot of different thinks so the dealer plugged his 'specialy made' tool ... but was UNABLE to tell me the exact cause of the warning. He was proposing me to change some expensive parts as the air injection pump to see if 'it makes a difference'. But it seems it was à 'fugitive default' as there are a lot with multiplexed connections because, one day, the indicator went away and never light on again !

If you connect an ammeter from the livr terminal of the battery to the top of the glow plug connection the faulty plug will draw a different amount of current to the good plugs - that is how the ECU knows there is a problem. Most garages (non-dealer) in the UK would perform this diagnoses free of charge in order to provide a quote for the repair work.

Andy

"Andrew Portess" a écrit dans news:40467947 snipped-for-privacy@corp.newsgroups.com:

Hello,

Thanks for the method. But I don't well understand what do you mean with 'livr terminal' (sorry, I usually use computer vocabulary, not mechanical one ;) ). Because of the mileage of the car, I think I'll change all the plugs (but is it really necessary to change ALL of them ?). There's nothing about their lasting of life in the manufacturer manual, but on the previous model I had, I've changed them at about the same mileage. The problem with the recent turbo engines is that even a plug is out of order, the car starts. On the old one, we had difficult to start when it was cold outside. With the new one it's ok (we have temperatures under 0 Celsius but the car hasn't any problem to start).

That should have been positive (+) terminal of the battery (probably got a red cap over it). Change them all because if ones gone the others are sure to follow and if you are going to get your hands dirty doing one you might as wel ldo the rest at the same time. No life is specified but I would expect 7 or 8 years from a decent set of plugs,cheaper brands may only last

Andy

Le sam. 06 mars 2004 00:27:29, dans le message news:40490be2$1 snipped-for-privacy@corp.newsgroups.com, "Andrew Portess" a écrit :

Hi ! Today I bought a set of new ones and wil try to install them tomorrow (good job for a rainy day !). My brother in law could get them for 60 ¤ in a specialized dealing shop for the garages of the region. I hope this will be enough to solve my problem ! I'll keep you informed. Thanks again for your advices and answers.