sp00k

sp00k

Well-Known Member
I was wondering what the pro's and con's of using the glow plugs on a 200 TDI engine are?

As mine used to be a 2.5 NA, my glows are activated by holidng the key in a pre-start position for a period of time, so I have very fine control over them.

As it's got colder, I've been giving it 5 seconds on the glows before starting on the first start of the day. The engine fires on the first half turn. It also fires without drama without using the glows.

Regardless of using the glows, I always get a puff of black smoke when I start. When it's cold I get the odd bit grey smoke in the first minute of running in very small quantities which I've always put down to incomplete combustion.

Am I just wasting battery power by using the glows? Is there a specific temprature when I should be using them? How many seconds are best?
 
sp00k said:
I was wondering what the pro's and con's of using the glow plugs on a 200 TDI engine are?

As mine used to be a 2.5 NA, my glows are activated by holidng the key in a pre-start position for a period of time, so I have very fine control over them.

As it's got colder, I've been giving it 5 seconds on the glows before starting on the first start of the day. The engine fires on the first half turn. It also fires without drama without using the glows.

Regardless of using the glows, I always get a puff of black smoke when I start. When it's cold I get the odd bit grey smoke in the first minute of running in very small quantities which I've always put down to incomplete combustion.

Am I just wasting battery power by using the glows? Is there a specific temprature when I should be using them? How many seconds are best?
Click to expand...

I'd rather have them in then not have them at all,
 
I have had my Defender 200 tdi for four years now. Here in France it can get down to -18C in the middle of winter. I never give mine a second thought when starting. I just jump in and turn the key and it fires up, I don't think it even turns over once. It has always put out a puff of black smoke on start up even when hot. I was told with a 200 TDI it injects more diesel on start up which is what causes the black smoke. I have never had to wait for the glow plugs to warm up.
I have on occasions left it on an open car park at the airport for two to three weeks in temperatures of below -12C or at the Ski resorts in -30c. Still starts as normal.
 
on a diesel the heat is generated by compression. it won't harm anything if it starts fine without the glows.

it also won't harm anything if you use them either, and any charge wasted is made back by the alt.

modern cars require glows to help with emissions to help with the issues you described re cold engine combustion.

if your engine gets a bit low on compression like my 2.25d hump, then you need glows to start no matter ;)
 
Well it was the coldest it's been since I've had this engine, about 2 degrees this morning with a heavy frost. I had a go at starting without the glowplugs and the engine turned over twice before firing, but it sounded tired like it was turning over too slowly. I get the impression that if it had been turning fast enough, it would have fired right up. I suspect the battery is not the best.

EDIT: Actually, scrap that, it's probably a poor earth on the engine asI used to use this battery to turn over my 2.5 NA battery for 30 seconds at a time when the glows were knackered on it. So unless the battery has suddenly died, it should be fine.
 
my 300tdi's the same. if i jump in a turn key without waiting it takes 2-3 turns then starts up but if i give it a a few seconds 1st it starts on half a turn.

Mine also chucks out a cloud of black smoke when started which does annoy me because it never used to before the timing belt snapped and i think the garage may have not done a great job of timing the pump. Also the 1st 30 secs down the road it chuck a bit of white smoke but its fine once its warmed up abit.
 
sp00k said:
Well it was the coldest it's been since I've had this engine, about 2 degrees this morning with a heavy frost. I had a go at starting without the glowplugs and the engine turned over twice before firing, but it sounded tired like it was turning over too slowly. I get the impression that if it had been turning fast enough, it would have fired right up. I suspect the battery is not the best.

EDIT: Actually, scrap that, it's probably a poor earth on the engine asI used to use this battery to turn over my 2.5 NA battery for 30 seconds at a time when the glows were knackered on it. So unless the battery has suddenly died, it should be fine.
Click to expand...

easily tested. get a jump lead. when cold stick one end on the bat neg, the other on the engine bracket (or wherever).

see if it turns over any better. if so, then it's an earthing issue. :)
 
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