Diesel queries

Heater plugs can heat "incorrectly" and still show a current drain....Unusual it may be.

3 heat ups is a bit much....... You did not say how many mile the car has done......may be low compression......MORE SERIOUS..especially in a CI engine. If it rattles until it warms up then it may be off the pump timing......EG..had a timing belt incorrectly fitted. Also the later ones had problems with the fuel filter housings....replace filter & housing together...about £20... however this doesn't cause rattles/noise. Bump starting...... no problem at all......did it with1979 1.5 diesel golf for years... those bloody things wouldn't hardly start when new !

JK

Thanks JK, the vehicle is an H reg Astra estate fitted with the17D engine , two local owners well looked after with a genuine 117,000 miles on the clock.

I could be just being paranoid, but I'm sure it's been worse since I did an oil change with a good brand of diesel oil "33% less engine wear" but not a genuine Vauxhall oil filter, although the oil light does go out immediately the engine starts.

There's probably nothing wrong with the glow plugs, it might just be down to "technique" ;)

When you turn the key, and wait for the glow plugs to heat, do you wait until you hear the click, or until the glow plug light goes out?

Chances are that the light will go out before you hear the "click", and on a cold morning the click might be 20 - 30 seconds after the light goes out. Typically it will be 5 - 10 seconds.

Patience is what it takes.

The "click" might sound as though it is coming from the exhaust or the back of the car.

Until you know what you are listening for, make sure all fans, radios and wipers are off.

Once the click is heard, then the engine should start without the need for pressing the accelerator etc.

HTH

Noz

What is this click of which you speak?

It's the relay that switches the supply to the heatplugs releasing.

I *thought* that the light was generally driven by the relay output so I don't see how this works though.

Someone I was talking to who owns a much younger Astra tells me that he has to go through exactly the same starting routine... how do these things work, when they sense that the temperature in the cylinder is correct, or with just a simple timer?

I would hazard a guess it's a simple timer. No need for anything expensive. Possibly there may be something to sense the ambient temperature (atmosphere? or maybe water?) to decide if the period needs lengthening?

The one met had two failure modes, the exhaust valve clearance tended to close up (easily checked) & the relays feeding the glow plugs died , try testing them when the timers on.

You do realise that on practicaly all diesels, the glow plugs are supposed to stay on for 20 to 30 seconds after the engine has been started?? this is to help keep it going,

that click you hear is the glow plug relay cutting power to the plugs, and it is deliberately done 30 seconds after the light goes out for the above reason,

Glow plugs last from 30 to 80,000 miles on average, so if there's no proof that they've been replaces in the last 30 or 40k miles, replace the buggers,

halfrauds do a set for most cars, and they cost fron 20 to 30 quid, (pug 106 plugs were 22 quid, pug 306 plugs were 29.99, did them last week and it transformed the cars starting, even tho i'd had them out and applied power on the bench and saw them all glow)

Depending on what gets in the way.. pug 306's the fekkin pump is in the way, intercooler and loads of pipes have to come off) it can take as little as 5 minutes to change the plugs, and once it's done, you wont have to worry about doing it again for a good 30 or 40k miles at least.

another thing most diesel drivers don't seem to realise, the injectors do wear, about 80k is the norm for an indirect engine (glow plugs then it's indirect injection, unless it's a new engine..hdi etc) they can be tested for free at any decent diesel specialist (diesel specialist, not a local garage, find somewhere like C.F.Parkinsons, where they service diesel injection components only), then if they need replacing, you will be told your options, some cases new nozzles can be fitted, about 20 quid per injector,

again, it's one of those things that needs doing every so often, but most people seem to think that where as petrol engines need spark plugs changing, diesels dont need any of this doing ever.

and being this ignorant means you pay.. higher fuel bills, poorer performance and so on, i get my injection pumps re-calibrated every 100k miles too, they are mechanical after all, millions of rotating and lifting parts in there, they are bound to wear over time, so a re-calibration every now and again keeps it all like new.

If the relay's cut power to the glow plugs what keeps them 'on' as you say?