Starting issues

ok, ive done a search and couldnt find anything conclusive to do with my starting issues.

basically, i tried to start it this morning and it fires then dies. now its been pretty much a disaster for a while. it turns over for approx 10-20sec before starting, but now when it does start it dies straight away... unless i gun the gas as soon as it fires. this seems to work ok. i think it may be a fuel problem but i dont know if its the lift pump as i dont get any problems when driving about. surely a weak pump would show some cutting out on hills, under stress etc? and air in the system would throw up loads of other things.

is there a choke on the 2.5n/a? i dont know if there is a manual one or how to adjust it. maybe i need to increase my idle speed or the amount of fuel being injected. saying that i get puffs of white smoke as its turning over before it fires. like i said this takes 10-20sec anyway.

sorry for the babble.

Cheers,

G

is there a choke on the 2.5n/a

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No, no such thing as choke on a diesel, Theres an opener if ever there was one. From your description I'd suspect the glow plugs. Can you put them on heat after the engine has started? If so try it, and see what happens.

Try not to give the engine any revs immediatley after starting cos the oil will not have got round to lubricate everything and could do a bit of damage.

Changed my mind. Well I have had a couple of pints of Guinness. Any how I reckon its the fuel filter. But who knows I'll wake up at four o'clock for have a **** and recommend you change your rear diff oil!!!

I got a N/A engine sat in my trailer.....only done 55.000 but blowing oil out the filler cap.....pressurizing somewhere....just cudnt be arsed to sort it out..got a 200tdi to drop in so if you want another engine to mess with.....pop up to Worcesterhire......bung my £75.....(worth that for the starter motor/alternator/power steering pump alone)....and take it away.......i need some room on me drive....


forgot to say......it started first time .....everytime.....and has never let me down in the 8 years i've been running it....just needs a bit of TLC

Maybe yer truck's just too hard to let you start it Griff?

Or yer injectors are full of yer mates spunk?

ive only done about 4000 miles in it since ive had it and i changed the fuel filter around 3000miles ago. i think you may be right in that its the heater plugs. more than likely the wiring harness. does anyone know if they are wired in series or parallel on a 2.5n/a?

yes marcus my 90 is a bitch sometimes. they could only reach the tire sidewalls with their tiny dicks and they wouldnt know where to find the injectors!



G

The glow plugs are wired in PARALLEL.
Each plug gets full voltage.

Remember that the injection pump is quite clever.

It works in several stages, provided it is set correctly.

Stage one - engine rotates under about 100 rpm = STARTING process. Fuel pump retards timing and heaves in excess fuel. Please note that this stage of the pump is DISABLED if you have your foot on the throttle!

Stage two - tickover. When the engine fires up in stage one, it immediately tries to hit tickover speed, and in so doing exceeds stage one speeds, so the excess fuel and timing retard are disabled as this happens.

Tickover speed is controlled by the tickover governor and this MUST be set ONLY using the little separate lever that leans on the fuel inlet pipe on some N/A engines. If tickover is tried to be set using the main throttle lever, stage two tickover will be unreliable AND starting may be a problem. To tick over properly, the main throttle MUST be completely out of use.

Stage three is the main throttle control governor, and stage four is the maximum revs fuel shut-down governor.

So ..... it is VERY important for starting that the tickover is properly set using the tickover lever, that there is a little free-play or SLACK in the main throttle cable, and that you keep your big boot OFF the throttle pedal when starting.

CharlesY

cheers Charles. that is some great info, if a little over my head! i understand not to pump the throttle when its turning over, ive only been doing it once it fires up/starts. this seems to be the only way to keep it running.

i dont want to start fiddling with settings incase i screw it up. so maybe i will start at the glow plugs and then take it from there. thanks for answering my questions guys.

G

Griffdowg said:

cheers Charles. that is some great info, if a little over my head! i understand not to pump the throttle when its turning over, ive only been doing it once it fires up/starts. this seems to be the only way to keep it running.

i dont want to start fiddling with settings incase i screw it up. so maybe i will start at the glow plugs and then take it from there. thanks for answering my questions guys.

G

Click to expand...

White smoke is usually a sign of "not quite" ignition on a cold start.
If the engine ticks over nicely when it is warm AND if there is a little slack / free play in the throttle cable, then next stage is to check the glow plugs.

It isn't just pumping the throttle that disables the cold start feature of the injection pump - it is disabled if the throttle is in any position except boot completely OFF THE PEDAL!

When the motor is cold, for the first seconds or minute after it fires up, the tick-over governor may not be able to keep it running. That's why you need to hit the pedal AFTER it fires up to keep it going. In a minute or two it should all be warm enough to start working properly on the governors in the pump.

However, good glow plugs are essential in these engines. For all they cost, fit best quality new ones. Use copper-grease on the threads and do not make them tighter than they should be, which isn't very tight.

CharlesY

ok guys, ive got no current/power going to my plugs is there meant to be a fuse and where is the relay that comes off the main wire?

it did the same thing this morning, but after the hot day we have had it fired this afternoon and i took it around the block. all seemes to work fine. now i have to get power to the plugs.

where do i start?

cheers!

G

Backwards is where to start, but in modern cars that isn't as easy as it was in older ones.
!

Trace the wires backwards and find out where they go.

Trouble is to try to make them live so you can check them - tricky, so hit the obvious first, fuse and relay.

There is a FUSE for the relay ..... check that first.

Then identify the relay and make sure ONE of the thick wires to it is LIVE at 12 volts all the time the IGN is ON.

When you turn the key ON, does the relay go "click" ?

It should.

You are nearly sorted!

CharlesY

ok, i traced the wires, they head off behind a plastic shield attached to the bulkhead, they then disappear into it through a grommet!

from the position is looks like its behind the lower dash or behind the fusebox somewhere

does anyone know where i would find the relay? there is a small click behind the clocks when i turn ign. to II. im assuming the relay will be connected to the ign switch?

so its either behind the clocks... or deep deep behind the lower dash/fusebox.

would it be easier to run a fresh live from somewhere?

cheers for your reply's Charles.

G