Poor start up from cold. Diesel engine.

motorguy

AdrianC said:

Grumpy diesels from cold are almost always glow plugs.

They wouldn't have started at all back in the day, but with common rails they will do, because the fuel is much better atomised and combustible when it's injected. These days, they're also used a lot for emissions management, even when the engine's warm, so I'd not be surprised if you get an engine management light.

"The battery light" is the (lack of) charge light - probably because the revs were too low for the alternator to be putting any output out. ~12.5v is about what you should be seeing with everything off, engine not running, while 14-14.5v is what you want to see with the engine running.

I agree with Adrian.  Most likely glow plugs.

worth checking - switch the ignition on and instead of waiting just for the glow plug light to go out, wait until you hear the solenoid "click".  This could be an easy 10+ seconds later, then start the car.

If it starts better then, then glow plugs are your likely issue.

JustAnotherSaver

motorguy said:

AdrianC said:

Grumpy diesels from cold are almost always glow plugs.

They wouldn't have started at all back in the day, but with common rails they will do, because the fuel is much better atomised and combustible when it's injected. These days, they're also used a lot for emissions management, even when the engine's warm, so I'd not be surprised if you get an engine management light.

"The battery light" is the (lack of) charge light - probably because the revs were too low for the alternator to be putting any output out. ~12.5v is about what you should be seeing with everything off, engine not running, while 14-14.5v is what you want to see with the engine running.

I agree with Adrian.  Most likely glow plugs.

worth checking - switch the ignition on and instead of waiting just for the glow plug light to go out, wait until you hear the solenoid "click".  This could be an easy 10+ seconds later, then start the car.

If it starts better then, then glow plugs are your likely issue.

Sorry but you're talking to a guy who sticks the subtitles on pretty much anything if they're available So i'm not hearing too much.

When I turn the key I hear electrical goings on behind the dash. Not sure what they are. Didn't have those noises in my last car that's for sure.

I can't remember if i've said it in this thread as i've spoken with a couple people at work about it too so may have said to them - but I have tried turning the key 2-3 times and waiting for the glow plug light going out and THEN starting, rather than starting it off the glow plug light going out only 1 time.

Result on that was it started better. Not great, not perfect, but better.

I'll be chasing up getting it booked in tomorrow and seeing where we're at (get discount through work you see but I have to wait to get it booked in). I don't really want to get rid of it if it's a simple fix, especially not at this time of year. I also don't want to be throwing money in the bin if it's the costly fix. So i'll see what they say.

forgotmyname

Glowplugs often stay powered long after the light on the dashboard has gone out.

Current car the light goes out almost instantly but the glowplugs were still powered 20 seconds later.

Nobbie1967

forgotmyname said:

Glowplugs often stay powered long after the light on the dashboard has gone out.

Current car the light goes out almost instantly but the glowplugs were still powered 20 seconds later.

It was my understanding that the light tells you that the glow plugs are still warming up and to wait until the light goes out before starting. I assumed they stayed powered as long as the ignition was on.

coffeehound

forgotmyname said:

Glowplugs often stay powered long after the light on the dashboard has gone out.

Current car the light goes out almost instantly but the glowplugs were still powered 20 seconds later.

OK I'll bite:  how do you know they're still on?

forgotmyname

Nobbie/ coffee.   No the light goes out after a set period which varies with the temperature but most modern cars the
light goes out within a couple of seconds even at very low temperatures.

But the glowplugs can stay powered for longer which helps the emissions on a cold engine and helps combustion when its
really cold.

Several ways to tell when the plugs are still heating, an OBDII dongle will usually show the plugs are still active or
you can use a voltmeter on the power feed to the plugs.

JustAnotherSaver

I was looking for a thread I'd made when I saw this thread had new comments.

As I don't like when other people don't bother to update threads, here I am.

I got it booked in and the mechanic said all 4 glow plugs were knackered. Whether they were or not, who knows.

I'd say generally speaking it does start better, however it's not 'great'. At times I do still question what's going on with the starting. For example, some times after I've taken it to the gym and I then go to start it an hour later, it doesn't fill me with confidence. Not all the time and not as much as it was doing but some times.

Got the gearbox oil changed at the same time and finally something positive I can say about the car. What an absolute difference that has made!!

No exaggeration, I actually hurt my wrist this time last year trying to change from 1st to 2nd each morning. It was like a sprain pain that I ended up having for a week or so just purely due to how stiff the change was. So much easier now due to the oil change.

getmore4less

Are you doing loads of short trips and have it sitting about, a lot of people on reduced use.

That will take it out of the battery

Batteries have a date code.
You can find out how old it is.

I start here and then shop around.
https://www.tayna.co.uk/car-batteries

Worth getting a decent maintenance charger if into older higher mileage.

Ctek or a clone from Aldi/Lidl etc

I have the ctek 5amp.

I had a warm start problem with a diesel that turned out to be battery(original 12y old).
Long story and found the solution on the owners site fuel cut off when warm.

Definitely worth looking around for the sites that cover your car.

motorguy

forgotmyname said:

Glowplugs often stay powered long after the light on the dashboard has gone out.

Current car the light goes out almost instantly but the glowplugs were still powered 20 seconds later.

This has been my finding also.

I'd a car a number of years ago that was hard to start.  I took it to my mechanic and he told me to wait until notably after the glow light had went out.  You could physically here the "click" of the solenoid (though granted, that might not be easy done on all cars).  They definitely do stay on as you say, and continue heating after the light goes out.

It completely transformed the car - just waiting those extra few seconds before starting it.

JustAnotherSaver

getmore4less said:

Are you doing loads of short trips and have it sitting about, a lot of people on reduced use.

That will take it out of the battery

Batteries have a date code.
You can find out how old it is.

I start here and then shop around.
https://www.tayna.co.uk/car-batteries

Worth getting a decent maintenance charger if into older higher mileage.

Ctek or a clone from Aldi/Lidl etc

I have the ctek 5amp.

I had a warm start problem with a diesel that turned out to be battery(original 12y old).
Long story and found the solution on the owners site fuel cut off when warm.

Definitely worth looking around for the sites that cover your car.

Thanks for the link

How do I actually find out how old the battery is that is on the car at the moment?

Yep I have a Ctek charger. Have put it on a few times but doesn't really make a difference.

I'll generally do a 10 mile drive to work. Couple mile of 30 zones with around 8 mile of 50 zones. Then obviously the same back.

A couple of times a week I'll start the morning with a 10min/3.0 mile drive in 30 zones to the gym. An hour later it'll then be taken on a 13.5 mile / 20 minute drive via a fair stretch of motorway and then 50mph A-road. It's mostly starting after leaving the gym where I'll find the issue.

And that basically sums up my use of the car. Obviously there'll be other times where I do other journeys but that's basically it.