1996 Escort 1.8TD Cold Start Problems (NLC)

[woody]

Posting on behalf of my brother, who knows nothing of cars (I know nothing much of Diesels), but has inherited the family heirloom Escort as a runabout.

I have a 1996 Escort 1.8 Turbo Diesel (50,000 miles) that’s really struggling to start in the cold mornings.

Basically its taking to the 3rd or 4th attempt to get turning over fully and its very (engine bouncing out the bonnet stuff!) rough until I put in plenty of revs and let it idle for 20 seconds or so. Plenty of smoke belching out the rear end too.

Any ideas?

Had the glow plugs replaced 12 months ago (10,000 miles) and installed a new battery. It also had full service & MOT only 25 days ago at local garage in Edinburgh.

Found a similar thread here:
http://passionford.com/forum/showthread.php?t=208532 and bits and pieces online relating to other cars with similar problems.

How do I check the glow plug relay?

I’m useless with anything mechanical but can give it a bash.

Thanks in advance!

[Matelotman]

I had a fiesta 1.8D that had similar starting issues - I fixed it by changing the glow plugs and fuel filter (fuel system will probably need bled afterwards)

[mac]

Sounds like the glow plugs to me Woody.

Basically (and sorry if I'm teaching you to suck eggs) the diesles work via heat and compression - at which point (normally before TDC) the mixutre goes critical and explodes (which is they they bang) - it's the heat generated in the cylinder with the motion of the piston, which is why the car is rough as until all cylinders are up to temp. The clouds of black smoke are coming from the unburned fuel being put in the cylinders.

The glow plugs pre heat the cylinders to make starting easier in cold weather - it's important that the battery is capable of providing the amps requried for the glow plugs and also to allow cranking.


So first thing is to check the continuity between all the glow plugs to make sure none of the wires are broken (glow plugs are normally located beside the injectors and have little machine screws holding the wire on) and that all connections are tight. You can also check that each of them are getting a similar voltage (although I don't know what that should be)

The other thing that maybe causing the problem could be a fueling issue. Has it been ran dry recently? It's possible that there's air in the system, or that it's drawing air in from the priming pump although I would lean towards the glow plugs.


Mac

[David]

On an engine of this generation, it's almost certainly a poor a glow plug (or two) - does it run ok when warm?

New glow plugs and fuel filter (as Mateloman says) should sort it out. If it get really cold then diesel does thicken and heat applied to the fuel filter may help it get going. I'd go easy on the revs, as this take hell out of the engine when starting in sub zero temperature.

[The doomed]

Im here...

Glow plugs were changed last year (10,000 miles ago), is it still likely to be them?
Something online suggested valve alignment... whatever that is...

Its not been ran dry recently. Runs fine when its warm.

So first thing is to check the continuity between all the glow plugs to make sure none of the wires are broken (glow plugs are normally located beside the injectors and have little machine screws holding the wire on) and that all connections are tight. You can also check that each of them are getting a similar voltage (although I don't know what that should be)

-Take it thats easy enough to do (for someone with a spanner and another few bits n piecies, ie not me)

[RDH]

-Take it thats easy enough to do (for someone with a spanner and another few bits n piecies, ie not me)

Get your brother to do it....

[David]

Im here...

Glow plugs were changed last year (10,000 miles ago), is it still likely to be them?
Something online suggested valve alignment... whatever that is...

Its not been ran dry recently. Runs fine when its warm.

So first thing is to check the continuity between all the glow plugs to make sure none of the wires are broken (glow plugs are normally located beside the injectors and have little machine screws holding the wire on) and that all connections are tight. You can also check that each of them are getting a similar voltage (although I don't know what that should be)

-Take it thats easy enough to do (for someone with a spanner and another few bits n piecies, ie not me)

If it is OK when it warms up, then I wouldn't play with the valve/pump or widget alignment. If the glow plugs aren't working then some cylinders won't fire and the un-burnt fuel makes lots of white smoke and very rough running. Yes, replacement glow plugs can fail quite quickly and cheaper ones may not work as well in the cold weather (as we are having now). Use OME (Bosch ?) if you can.

You can also try leaving the glow plugs on a few seconds longer before you turn it over - count to five after the glow plug lamp goes out. The glow plug are kept switched on until the engine is up to a pre determined temperature.

Good Luck

[The doomed]

Never realised the glow plugs stay on, was under impression had to turn off and back on to heat them further. Will give it a bash in morning and see whats what.

cheers guys.

[renmure]

My Toyota HiLux truck is a diesel and it has a little switch on the dash which makes the revs idle higher in cold mornings after starting. Never really had a diesel before so not sure if that's a standard feature on diesels or a novelty on Toyotas

[mac]

My Toyota HiLux truck is a diesel and it has a little switch on the dash which makes the revs idle higher in cold mornings after starting. Never really had a diesel before so not sure if that's a standard feature on diesels or a novelty on Toyotas

Older diesels used to be started on full revs, so it may be a throw back to this. Or it could just be that one of the transfer boxes has a take off for aux power and this is used to give it a bit more omph.


Mac

[robin]

Mac is right - I'm sure the higher idle speed switch will be for ensuring the engine produces enough power for driving something else - either mechanical via the transfer box or a winch or similar.

The glow plugs need pre-heating to ignite the fuel; once the engine has done a few revolutions the heat produced in the cylinders keeps them glowing and the electrical pre-heat circuit can be switched off.

Your one sounds so bad that I might suspect the pre-heat circuit is not feeding the glow plugs at all - you should see +12v or so at each glow plug when you first turn the ignition on - if you don't check the fuses and relays!!

Cheers,
Robin

[The doomed]

Cheers - will get the voltage checked out tomorrow