TD5....314000km on the clock...purrs like a cheshire cat. only thing is a total bitch to start from cold. replaced glow plugs...no change. tested each glow plug....when key is turned all 4 showing from 10.15 to 10.27 volts...keeps this voltage for between 8 and ten seconds [im pretty sure it should 20 secs tho??] tested each plug for continuity [disconnect lead...run +ve from battery thru tester] all plugs ok. what now???? think maybe compression is down???

Only a compression test will tell you for certain. Time for a visit to a garage I think.

WAIT!!

Just because there's voltage on the glowplugs does not mean to say they are getting red bloody hot.

However, you in RSA probably aren't trying to start the car at twenty degrees below zero, and a TD5 should start damn quick without a glow at all in your climate.

Remember, it is most important with TD5 engines NOT to press the throttle when starting up. If you deck the throttle then attempt a start, the ECU will throw in VAST amounts of fuel because that is a PURGE mode, and it may flood the engine and make starting very difficult and probably smoky.

Try all future starts with NO THROTTLE and let us know if that helps.

CharlesY

I never start with foot on throttle Charlesy...its fuel injected Tell me if this makes sense to ya...the length of time the glow plugs are on for varies depending on a number of inputs to the ecu.[fuel temp, engine coolant temp, ambiant air temp etc]. from cold, the amps on the plugs should be 25A for 20 secs, then dropping to 12 and staying there until a set of values are reached and ecu sez 'ok boys, shut down'. mine is drawing 25A for 4 to 5 secs and then dropping off to zero!!! it takes 5 secs at 25A for the tips to start glowing, so basically they are just getting hot n sweaty, when they suddenly get doused in cold diesel. if one or more of the inputs to the ecu fails, the ecu defaults back to a pre-determined set of values, but, these values will make it difficult to start[according to the service manual] one of the inputs to the ecu is screwed [i hope] or my ecu has lost a marble or two. me thinks i must get the old girl hooked up to a pc. i dont know how to determine which of the sensors is screwing around.[if this am da problem]

Why did you ask?

i asked cos i was hoping sum1 in here had an answer. no one did so abt 5 hours and many posts later i managed to figure out how the fooken thing works. now im hoping sum1 can tell me how to check whether a sensor is fooked cos i dont wanna go the 800 or so km to the nearest landy dealer with a 'puter if i can do it meself. does that make sense to ya CharlesY??

K...kinda got this thing licked....when cold the most important inputs are from the ECT and ambient air sensors. the input from this pair of thugs will determine how long the glow plugs pull 25A for and what amount of fuel to inject. so....pull out ambient air sensor....connect up voltmeter, immerse in hot water....resistence changes. do the same with ECT sensor...nothing moves. found the bastard!!!

CharlesY...hope u dont mind me posting my findings

Bushtoy said:

K...kinda got this thing licked....when cold the most important inputs are from the ECT and ambient air sensors. the input from this pair of thugs will determine how long the glow plugs pull 25A for and what amount of fuel to inject. so....pull out ambient air sensor....connect up voltmeter, immerse in hot water....resistence changes. do the same with ECT sensor...nothing moves. found the bastard!!!

CharlesY...hope u dont mind me posting my findings

Click to expand...

Me mind!?
Not a bit.

We all live and learn all the time.

Go for it!

CharlesY