Reluctant Starter + Smokey on Start up

Perhaps because they're not working?

John

It's dropped two or more plugs: the white smoke is unburnt diesel...

Forgot to mention they are relatively new plugs, say.... errm March deff after xmas, and still under 12mth warranty :)

Cheers All

Tom

The message from "Tom Burton" contains these words:

Still sounds like the plugs. Did they fit real proper plugs (Bosch or Lucas) or cheapies? I've had cheapies pack up after a few weeks more than once.

I don't recall, I fitted them myself,

The genuine ceramic plug was £20Ea + VAT and these was £36 for the set with a 1yr guarantee,

Tom

The message from "Tom Burton" contains these words:

Check 'em and if they're open circuit claim on the guarantee. I bet you'll find a couple that are.

You OK checking 'em or do you need to know how?

I'll second that bet, heh! >:-(

Glow plugs have died altogether. Check fusible link or blade fuse for them in the engine fuse box.

Tim..

Ahh never considered that.... I'll check that the rail is getting power, before I start pulling the plugs out, as they are a biatch to get at!

Tom

Quite.

if it were one, two or even three plugs failed it would fire initially on the cylinders with working plugs, and probably require continued starter assistance until one or more of the other cylinders light too.

- You say in your OP that the engine is totally dead until 10+ seconds into cranking afterwhich it starts to show life on one then two then more cylinders, which would point to no pre heating at all.

In cooler weather you'd be lucky if it started at all.

Check for power to the rail as you say, and trace back towards the relay until you find it.

Tim..

Yup i suspect one plug is dead as since the end of last winter it was a lumpy runner for 5-10 seconds from cold, i was going to wait until November (month before warrenty runs out on plugs) and find and swap the faulty one..

I have just had a quick poke with a test lamp. no juice to the rail, found a rather large/outsize/halfrauds "sorry never seen one" 80A fuse that has failed, in the engine fuse box.

From my background I'm inclined to always trace the reason for a fuse/MCB trip, but in this case the box/carrier had some water in so I'm thinking of hitting it with the hair dryer, and replacing the fuse (when I find one) and seeing what happens.

Tom

The fuse will be a "maxi" blade type, and if Halfrauds aint never seen one yet, then I'm even more shocked than I thort I thought I could be- surprising really, as serious ICE-er's invented and have been using the maxi-blade fuse for years!!

Tim..

Ahhhh REALLY, that will save me a trip to town, there is a SERIOUS ICE place in an industrial unit near where i work

Cheers :)

Make sure that the wiring coming out of the box where the maxi-fuse is located is not chafing on the bonnet hinge. There was a Vx technical bulletin and recall issued to check for this fault. If you have a spot of white paint on the fuse box lid, then it has been checked/re-worked.

HTH

Anthony Remove eight from email to reply.

Nope they didn't have any, the local car shop had every rating but 80A, general traffic didn't have ANY, partco had everything except 80A, ended up in a wagon company, bingo!!!!

Works so far!

Thanks again people!

Tom