Oil virtually run dry! :-(

Hmm, what can I say?... please don't feed the troll. ;)

Well that seems to be the considered opinion of most of the reponses and that's what I'll do. Thanks to all.

Yes, the dipstick does show oil just at the tip. And I think I would have noticed (and done something about!!) the oil pressure light had it stayed on. Although the oil light isn't necessarilly a good indication of the oil *level*, right?

The car has done 7000 miles in the two years I've had it. Oil+filter changed twice in that time. Last change was June '04 and maybe 4000 miles since then, so okay I guess an oil change is due soon anyway, but I would have left it until this June.

Last oil level check I did was September and it was ok then. The oil does go black quite quickly, but I am led to believe that's just how diesels are.

I suppose it would have been sensible to investigate properly once I noticed it was taking longer to start rather then assuming the battery was on the way out. But that's with the benefit of hindsight, and a lesson learned.

So for another lesson, care to explain why *two* glow plugs? How is a single failure tolerated?

Thanks for all the responses btw !

Oh, and yes, I have checked for, and changed, blown bulbs (4 so far), not that it has anything to do with the car not starting. :-/

Cheers,

-bernie.

The message from Conor contains these words:

Red Arrows?

Are you sure it's blue and not dirty white? Our LDV was being a pig to start, doing exactly the same thing New set of glowplugs yesterday £30 cured it totally. Funny that I had two diesel passats with the same symptoms and new glowplugs cured them Change the glowplugs, top it up with oil and it'll be fine. The smoke IMO is probably just unburnt diesel - it'll burn a little when it tries to fire, but if the temps aren't high enough in the cylinders, it won't fire and you'll get a lot of smoke out the back - unburnt diesel.

Is there a strong smell of diesel when it won't start? Does the oil light come on when you switch the ignition on? Try cranking it over a lot if the battery will take it, you'll probably find it will start and run fine after about 5 mins of trying! (Tow start would be better to save your starter motor though!!) Then drive it to the garage, get them to change the oil and filters and stick a new set of glow plugs in and you'll be fine.

Mike

Correct. It indicates pressure.

Yes, thats how diesels are. So you last checked the oil FOUR MONTHS AGO? Its supposed to be a WEEKLY check.

The other three cylinders can compensate for the one not firing easier than two compensating for the other two.

When was the last time you checked the pressure and condition of your tyres?

Not really. You, I and everyone else in this group have to share roads with people like him and so does my missus with the kids in the car. If he's not checked the oil once in four months then what else has he not checked? What about tyre pressures? All it needs is for either of the rears to be low and if he takes a corner too fast, the back end can slide out or he could have a catastrophic failure of the tyre (blowout) on the motorway at 70MPH+.

Still think its a bit harsh?

Focus diesels with disconnected glowplugs do it for some dizarre reason. With 360lb of compression it's not f**ked rings causing it either.

Most tubodiesels normally leak oil past the turbo bearings into the air stream and there is engine blowby which apparantly is more of an issue due to higher compression and combustion pressures.

Guy king gave you the best answer, It is 99% that your glow plugs have failed. Once 1 plug fails the rest go quickly as they are all the same age and the remaining plugs have to work longer and have more current to deal with. The smoke you refer to is just unburnt diesel, A simple way to check glow plugs is to remove the common rail ( the electical conection to all four plugs held on by an 8mm nut) and connect a bulb from battery + to the post where the 8mm nut was. My guess is 3 open circut plugs.

The message from snipped-for-privacy@foobar.clara.co.uk contains these words:

Many diesels will still manage to start adequately on three plugs - but most will give up on two. I presume it's 'cos it just can't get enough cylinders firing to sustain running. Losing 1 plug is only 25% down on a nice working system, going from three to two is a 50% drop on an already marginal system.

No, thats mucky white. All diesels do this.

THEN ITS WHITE. Ever tried firing up a 8 tonne Leyland TM thats been stood for weeks in the middle of winter? They didn't have glowplugs. You cranked for ages, got chocked by white smoke and then when it did finally fire, got blinded by tons more white smoke.

You're serving Army? or ex?

Ex. I take it that its a familiar scenario? Nothing like waking up to an early dawns diesel mist caused by a line of MKs and TMs firing up.

If it was running yes, if it won't start then no.

So it would appear :)

you win LOL

Err, it needs COMPRESSION to start.

'Knackered' means a one way ticket to the yard. In some cases it could be worthwhile giving an engine burning oil a bit of surgery. It could be leaking past the valves which is fairly trivial, or it could need a set of new pistons etc and a rebore. If this is coupled with severe crank wear then I would agree that the engine is cost-effectively 'knackered'

Huw

: Yes, thats how diesels are. So you last checked the oil FOUR MONTHS : AGO? Its supposed to be a WEEKLY check.

I haven't checked the oil in my Citroen for five months. Why should I?

Ian