Xsara 98 1.9TD estate grumpy this morning

DingleBerry · 6 Nov 2007 at 13:39

It took me four attempts to get the damnable bus to start this morning, its normally OK on the first attempt, although it does tend to miss fire a bit before it gets warmed up. I've never had a diesel before this one. Does it sound like the glow plugs are getting a bit past it. The only other thing I can think of is compression which isn't beyond the bounds of possibility because the oil's not been changed for 2 years at least (and yes it is on my todo list).

Tesla · 6 Nov 2007 at 13:41

Give the car a full service and a new set of glow plugs.

Bill101 · 6 Nov 2007 at 15:26

If you are changing the glow plugs yourself, then order a new set of knuckles (unskinned)

The oil should have been changed 4 times by now!
Maybe the injectors are getting blocked as well, try some fuel additive to give them a chance of being clear.

DingleBerry · 6 Nov 2007 at 15:32

Bill101 said:
The oil should have been changed 4 times by now!

Yup, wasn't my car then though, we've only had it a couple of weeks. It was free from my girlfriends parents so we can't really complain. They didn't change the oil when they had it so it might have been even longer. Its a wonder its still going really seeing as it was driving from gatwick airport to cambridge and back everyday for about a year.

PardonTheWait · 6 Nov 2007 at 15:33

Thank you for a wonderful mental image of a grumpy car hiding under the duvet and hitting the snooze button

a1ex2001 · 6 Nov 2007 at 16:00

warm the glow plugs two or three times before trying to start the car (turn key until glow plug light goes out, turn off ignition, repeat a couple of times and then go for the start) this used to work wonders in my old diesel on the cold mornings. Give it a good service as well it's only fair once in a while!

Dangerous Dave · 6 Nov 2007 at 16:11

Does certainly sound like the glow plugs if it works like the Xantia the glow plugs stay on for a while after the lights go out, when they were going on my dads Xantia I waited for the click from the relay before giving them another warm up cycle and did this a couple of times before starting it up.

I would also flush the engine out maybe even twice before putting new oil in as 2 years with no oil change is not good for these engines when they were designed to have the oil changed every 6k.

Stonedofmoo · 6 Nov 2007 at 17:27

Get Bosch Duraterm glow plugs. They sell them on a well known auction site.

They seem to be regarded as the best. I have a set I'm just about to fit as I've had the same problem the last few days.

dalin80 · 6 Nov 2007 at 17:30

any set will probably out live the rest of the car anyway so i wouldnt be too fussed about buying the best.

DingleBerry · 7 Nov 2007 at 12:02

its done 150k so its a bit past being pampered with top quality parts! I'll pop over to the motor factors this afternoon. Any idea what grade oil it takes. Helpfully it has been divorced from its hand book.

Stonedofmoo · 7 Nov 2007 at 15:54

Bosch duraterms aren't more expensive when you consider for a few pound more they will last 2 times the cheap ones down motorfactors

And 150k is just running in an XUD.

10w40 semi synth.

DingleBerry · 8 Nov 2007 at 10:44

Ah well I've got the cheapy motorfactor ones now. 150k probably is just run in....if its been looked after enough. This hasn't!

Changed the oil last night, good lord it was opaque. Found a massive oil leak from somewhere though. The bottom of the engine/gearbox behind the sump is COVERED in black sludge. Fun fun! The new oil is already black, but I guess its an improvement. I wasn't brave enough to do a flush, god knows what might have happened.

Citron have also kindly hidden the glow plugs under the intercooler. Which incidentally has a horrible oily sludgy black mess on what I presume to be a breather. Not to mention the horrible slimy black mess in front of the oil filler. I'm hoping that's just from inept filling.

Its a damn good job this was a free car!