Corsa 1.3cdti 2004-confused-brand new glo plugs & STILL an issue for cold starts??!

DEBTMONKEY1A

:beer:Morning,

Please be gentle with me-not too mechanically minded (!).

Bought the above 6 weeks ago-very pleased with it. It's been fully serviced, MOT till Jan 13-full service history, mileage (91000) checks out. Only modification is an eco re-map around 5 weeks ago for fuel economy (boy was it worth the money!).

Ok...1st noticed a problem starting on a cold (-2 ) morning a day or so after buying car (before the remap). Took about 5 goes to fire up & when it did there was for a few secs lots of white smoke (I did press the accelerator a few times which I gather you should not do).

As weathers been mild/warm since usually starts 1st/2nd time. Battery power seems fine. However with the cold back again (I live in the pennines near Huddersfield in Yorkshire) I've had the problem again. Usually starts 4th/5th go (no white smoke to speak of that I notice). I am letting glo-plug light go off-in fact I've done this twice so plugs are warmer.

Once warmed up its absolutely fine-no issues at all. My local garage changed glo-plugs & mechanic said old ones were ok apart from 1 of them-which was 'a bit' low.

Also I spordically get the 'spanner & car' light coming on (but only on say one in 8 journeys???! )-only when cold or within 1 min of engine firing up. On restarting car after leaving key off for 2 mins minimum its gone. Also-& this is probably my ignorance as i've heard all diesels are crap for the 1st 2-300 metres(!)-it runs 'a bit' lumpy for 1-2 mins from starting then fine.

Have any of you kind people any ideas??? Is there anything simple/cheap a mechanically ignorant person can try??? Thanks in advance!

s_b

if has an egr these often stick open on vauxhalls causing poor starting lumpy running
a proper diagnostic machine or even my sykes acr4 with the vaux pod can get these to open and close and sometimes cures the problem rather than having to take it off
you will here it clicking as you activate it
if you cant hear it then its usually jammed and the best solution is replacement (not cheap but its already done the miles) someone will be along in a minute to tell you to blank it off ,dont it wont work on this engine

DEBTMONKEY1A

Thanks! Will get the mechanic to look at that....once been running a minute or so its fine!

vax2002

The EGR valve needs removing, all the gunk scraping out and a wash out in petrol, plus the pipes leading to it, free it off and grease the shaft a little and replace.

DEBTMONKEY1A

Thanks! Do you know if thats an expensive job or how long it would take? Sorry to be ultra thick....but how come it doesn't affect the engine when its warm (ie performance, ride smoothness etc).

vax2002

It will be, you just have not driven one with a clean EGR.

DEBTMONKEY1A

Is there any product that you can put in the diesel to help with this? Do you think there is any other diagnosis or is it deffo this? On another forum someone had posted about 1/3cdti vans-saying the problem was caused by a stretched timing chain? Surely if that was it the engine would be noisy etc???

vax2002

No you can not use snake oil, it is a bolt on part and an hour of the garages time should be able to undo the two bolts, clean it and re-fit it.

DEBTMONKEY1A

Vax-thanks for your help! So...the part shouldn't need replacing-just an hours labour you think??

interstellaflyer

vax2002 wrote: »

No you can not use snake oil, it is a bolt on part and an hour of the garages time should be able to undo the two bolts, clean it and re-fit it.

Just make sure you ask for it to be leaned, a lot of places will want to replace it and I think they are around £100 plus labour

s_b

as i said at the beginning it might be the egr
i also said if you cant get them working properly and hear them click by going through an actuation then they are best usually to replace with new
if you think about it you spend time and money getting the mech to get it off and cleaning it with brake cleaner just for it to stick again in a week
if intending on keeping the car then a new one is best if it is needed