Wont start

right here we go, my diesel 2.5na wont start, tried towing it round the block but no joy, I now have a totally flat battery and am actually awaiting the AA to attend (I`m at home)
I`ve recently fitted a new set of champion plugs (off ebay) and it did seem as if it was getting harder to fire since fitting
Could it be my glo plugs?
I put the ignition on and removed the stop solenoid wire and I can claerly hear that click on and off!
I primed the system too!
Any ideas anyone?
Many thanks
Important point, I usually park on a sloped drive facing downhill, but this time it was facing uphill, could this have an effect, fuel draining away in pipes or something?

You can test the glow plugs easily by removing them, holding the main body with some grips(they get really hot) take a live feed off the pos + on the battery and put it to the screw thread on the end of the plug and then put the body off the plug to the neg -. after a few seconds the plug should glow if good. If they are all ok check that there is a live getting to the glow plugs when you turn the key to heat them.
other than that it sounds as if the fuel system is air locked, undo the inlet banjo bolt on the injection pump and pump the primer untill fuel flows out, tighten it then undo all all the injector pipes, turn over the engine until fuel shoots out of them, tighten them and she should start. if you still have no luck let us know and i will see if i can help more
Graham

Did the AA man come and sort it?

thanks for the reply, the AA man came, he was a subby cos they were busy, and he didnt have a clue, in fact admitted as much, he arrived with a low loader to load me up, (weird cos I was at home), I had to get a bit assertive with him and got him to pull me round the estate til it started.

I have a strange feeling it was the `new` glo plugs i picked up on ebay, cos it failed to start on Thursday morning too, although it had loads of crank in the battery, so I`m leaving it til Sat morning when i`ll put the old plugs back in and bench test the new ones as per the above thread (thanks Graham)

I`m no stranger to mechanics, electrics etc, but why is it when your mates motors wont start you usually sort their problems, but when you get your own they always stump you, is this a variable of sods law?

I do have a sneaky suspision that the new plugs are in fact rejects or something, anyone else bought em off ebay (12 quid a set Champion ch36)

Anyway i`ll update after Sat cos I think that this thread will be useful to someone in the future

Ok heres the update, changed the glo plugs back for the old ones, tested an old one by resting it on the head while connected, took about 40 seconds to get red hot, so no problems there in my opinion, then changed the fuel filter, inc all the rubber seals, now it starts fine, even better than before with the new filter.
Now I wait 40 secs on position II on the ignition and it usually fires on the 3rd or 4th spin, not bad considering the 197000 miles on the clock.
Incidentally I tested one of the new plugs and it took ages to get red hot, so they all went in the bin.

Are you sure that not both sets of glows are not great as if you put one across a battery with a piece of heavy duty wire (good thick stuff) they should be hot (ie red hot) within 10-12 seconds all along their length. Having then on for that sort of time will not do your battery much good as they do take a fair amount out of it. A reasonable engine should start without glows after about 6-10 turns. Hope thats of help,
Hugh.

Its OK, I have a new battery and alternator, this works for me.

Hope u left the seller -ve feedback!

Hi glad you have it fixed just a bit scared of how you test glow plugs" with thick wire on 1 end and earth the other end out on the battery"has nobody had a battery blow up in there faces,my friend did not pretty,use a meter and just check the resistance its a lot safer and you dont have to remove them either STAY SAFE.