Van won't always start when cold...

St0rmer66 · 1 Dec 2008 at 19:05

My work van (Vauxhall Combo 1.3 TDCI) seems to be having a bit of a problem. When it's cold and has been sat for a while it won't start up. The glow plug light comes on, I wait for it to go off then try to start it and the starter motor just goes and goes and goes with out the engine starting. Obviously I don't leave it turning over for too long as I don't want a flat battery. If I turn off the ignition completely and then try again it will eventually work after a few times of trying this (sometimes can take up to 10 times!). I'm just wondering if there is something I'm doing wrong or is there a problem with it? I can call out the AA for free (through my work) so if it's something they could fix I will do that (it's an independent though, not a main dealer). Otherwise it's booked in for a service on 11th December, but I would rather get it fixed before hand if possible.

Any ideas?

atpbx · 1 Dec 2008 at 19:07

needs new glow plugs.
Next question.

St0rmer66 · 1 Dec 2008 at 19:10

atpbx said:
needs new glow plugs.
Next question.

So that's something it'd need to go into the garage for I assume? Is there anything I can do in the mean time to keep me going? It can go into the garage whenever to be fixed I think, it's just an inconvenience for me as all my tools etc are in there!

aproctor · 1 Dec 2008 at 19:19

Unless you fit them yourself yes.

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atpbx · 1 Dec 2008 at 19:20

Nothing you can do, they have worn out.
It will be a pain a in the arse to start when cold (as you are finding out) and when its really cold it wont start at all, so they need replacing.

Dandle · 1 Dec 2008 at 19:22

Try and turn the ignition on and let the glow plug light go out, then turn the ignition off and back on of again and let the light go out again. You can try that a few times before finally cranking the engine over. It gives the glow plugs a lot longer to get warm, if it start easier after that then they are deffinately on the way out but it does help you start it until they are changed.

4T5 · 1 Dec 2008 at 19:22

Yes there is something you can do.
Glow it up 3 times before you crank it & it'll start fine.
More than likely only 1 glow plug has gone down which is why you are only starting to notice it now it's proper cold.
If you are up to changing them youself then let me know & I'll tell you the trick to find out which one is out.

atpbx · 1 Dec 2008 at 19:25

No it wont, he is already doing that and it doesnt work.

4T5 · 1 Dec 2008 at 19:27

Apologys atpbx
Just buy a set of four & sling them in then, **** easy job will take you around half hour.

Dandle · 1 Dec 2008 at 19:31

atpbx said:
No it wont, he is already doing that and it doesnt work.

No he isnt hes letting the light go out then trying to start it, then when it wont start trying again which isnt the same as giving the plugs a couple of goes first.

atpbx · 1 Dec 2008 at 20:08

Dandle said:
No he isnt hes letting the light go out then trying to start it, then when it wont start trying again which isnt the same as giving the plugs a couple of goes first.

The plugs dont all of a sudden go cold after he switches the ignition off.

I only used to fix them for a living, dont mind me.

Dandle · 1 Dec 2008 at 20:20

atpbx said:
The plugs dont all of a sudden go cold after he switches the ignition off.

I only used to fix them for a living, dont mind me.

No but one warming cycle wont have got them hot enough to start. They will get a lot warmer with two or three straight warm up cycles before trying to crank the engine. Its not the same warming them trying to crank the engine for a little while and warming them again but I guess you know that anyway.

SB118 · 1 Dec 2008 at 20:24

atpbx said:
The plugs dont all of a sudden go cold after he switches the ignition off.

No, they go cold when he cranks them over for a bit dragging icey cold air back into the cylinders.

atpbx said:
I only used to fix them for a living, dont mind me.

I won't

@OP, get a set of Bosch Duratherms, cracking plugs. Had to go out just after midnight last night, nearly ripped the door handle off my 406 as the doors were frozen shut, dash thermometer showed 0c, car started after one cycle of the heaters though.

St0rmer66 · 2 Dec 2008 at 08:26

Wouldn't start at all this morning despite trying the trick of letting them heat up a few times before trying to start!

Called out the AA.

It's a business use only company vehicle (I think they long term lease them through "Hitachi Capital"), so I can't do work on it myself. Neither would I want to, it's not mine

.

Bit of a bugger, sat here waiting for them but they should be here within the hour. And all he's probably going to say is that the glow plugs are knackered. Never mind, this is what my manager told me to do, so I will!

St0rmer66 · 2 Dec 2008 at 12:53

Okay, it wouldn't start. He checked the battery first (even though I knew it wasn't that) and then tried putting some "quick start" in the air box to see if that would help. It sounded like it might start at one point but no such luck. So it was towed to the garage to be fixed.

Meanwhile I am borrowing a colleagues van because he's ill today. VW Caddy! :cool:

. So much better than my Combo in so many ways! Shame it looks like a bomb has gone off inside when you open the door! How this guy finds anything I don't know..

First car/vehicle I've driven with traction control too, so I'm experimenting (with all this ice that's around it's mostly not intentional).