Starting Issue

[barachello]

Having read through some of the other related threads I ahve a quick question.

 

Basically my galaxy is taking about 5seconds of cranking to start, and a black puff of smoke comes out the exhaust.

 

 

The engine seems to turn over normally, and I have had the battery and starter tested, and both are ok.

 

Would I be right in assuming that the problem may be the timing ?

 

It starts perfectly throughout the day, and only seems to suffer this problem when left overnight - or long long periods.

 

It will always start, just takes its time in the morning (like most of us )

[Saif Rehman]

What motor do you have? Diesel or petrol????

[barachello]

What motor do you have? Diesel or petrol????

 

sorry

 

97 galaxy aspen 1.9 tdi

[Saif Rehman]

With the cold weather now upon us it could be the glow plugs. I can't see how it could be the timing if your car has only starting doing this recently.

[barachello]

I have only owned the car for 2 weeks

[Scorpiorefugee]

Before you get too involved and spending too much it might be worth checking the time the glow plug light comes on in a morning. If it merely flicks on an off, it might be as simple as the coolant temperature sender. This is in 2 parts and the bit that fails has no effect on the temperature gauge. Another clue is that the fan comes on for a while after switching the engine off after a bit of a run. It is not easy to locate as it sits behind a few bits and pieces top front centre of the engine. If you find it, try disconnecting it but be careful as the wires will be brittle and tend to break off, especially the ground/earth. if your engine now starts more quickly and the glow plug light comes on for up to 15 seconds you may have found your problem. Edited November 1, 2009 by Scorpiorefugee

[barachello]

Before you get too involved and spending too much it might be worth checking the time the glow plug light comes on in a morning. If it merely flicks on an off, it might be as simple as the coolant temperature sender. This is in 2 parts and the bit that fails has no effect on the temperature gauge. Another clue is that the fan comes on for a while after switching the engine off after a bit of a run. It is not easy to locate as it sits behind a few bits and pieces top front centre of the engine. If you find it, try disconnecting it but be careful as the wires will be brittle and tend to break off, especially the ground/earth. if your engine now starts more quickly and the glow plug light comes on for up to 15 seconds you may have found your problem.

 

thanks for the reply.

 

My glow plug light comes on for about half a second, then goes off again.

 

Would anyone have a pic of the temp sender so as I know what I am looking for ?

 

thanks

[seatkid]

The glow plug light activity is no indication of glow plugs being alright. The glowplugs come on and stay on for several seconds after starting when the engine is cold started even though the glow plug light has gone out!

 

95% likely its a glow plug problem - very easy to check and change glowplugs. Look at the FAQ.

Edited November 2, 2009 by seatkid

[Scorpiorefugee]

Seatkid,

 

I am very reluctant to contradict but I had exacly this problem when I got my first and now late lamented S reg and spent a lot of time checking for the truth on this 'cos there was a lot being written about this coming on and running at different levels during the period following starting.

 

I hooked a meter and a Scope onto the actual feed and watched it on several cold starts.

 

Result - total compliance with the lamp and positively nothing other than full power for up to about 5 seconds on cold mornings although I didn't check it on seriously sub-zero conditions.

 

I could not detect any situation where there was a low power condition and the only deviation was the fact that, if the glow plugs are not needed, somewhere between 10 & 15 centigrade probably, the power was not supplied to the glow plugs even for the 1/2 second that the lamp flashed.

 

My problem was down to the temperature sender and it ran without further probs in that area for the best part of another 100K. As you have noted on more than one occasion, these things don't really need glow plugs unless it gets really cold. Mine would start in about 5 seconds without glow plugs even in sub zero temperatures. It just took ages to start when it was warm, but that is another story.

 

It only takes a few seconds to unhook the sender for a test and even if it is easy to replace the glow plugs, I'm such a mean and lazy old s*d that I would have just lived with cranking the d*mned thing on cold mornings. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Edited November 3, 2009 by Scorpiorefugee

[seatkid]

Can't argue with that Scorpio!

[Floydey]

Check/replace the camshaft position sensor. The one on my Mk2 Tdi had been disconnected for some reason. Starting for me was always 2-3 seconds turnover before firing. Now the sensor has been replaced it fires up immediately.