Brass monkeys

[TheBeastie]

Been a tad chilly up here (Edinburgh) last few days - apparently down to -6 several nights and not often above 0 during the day. Morning exercise is scraping The Beastie - followed by extensive shivering for first five miles with window down to prevent windscreen steaming up. Ah the joys! But then once some heat starts flowing all is wonderful again and as long as hypothermia does not hit in those first five miles it is survivable and indeed a talking point .

Anyway my question was I am tending to turn the ignition on and wait till the fuel light goes off then starting the engine. It has always started but it doesn't feel as if there is masses of spare. Is this usual, and is leaving it 20 seconds to warm the right approach?

I do have a new battery I could put in but perhaps this behaviour is entirely normal.

Is there anything it would be wise to do to alleviate this strain on very cold mornings (other than build a new garage big enough to put it under cover). I remember my dad putting blankets over the engine on cold nights and then having to remember them in the morning!

I have read about pre-heaters but not sure if it would be worth it.

Any thoughts most appreciated

Malcy

[white90]

Diesel?

a new set of glow plugs will help if yours aren't working

2 of mine were dead.

easy to test once removed

[TheBeastie]

Thanks, yes it is diesel - 200Tdi

Are they easy to remove and test? If any faulty I would need to order replacements or are they cheap enough to just renew the lot as a matter of course?

Clearly as soon as I do this global warming will kick in and we won't see another frost for ages!

[oggy]

-9 here in Aberdeenshire this morning.

Lock frozen, door frozen to door seal, inside glass frozen, and theres me thinking about going soft top Brrrrrrr

[white90]

easy to remove(but can be stuck sometimes)

once removed

jump leads from battery onto the body of the plug(neg) and the wire connection point(pos)

the tip should glow red in 5 secs if not then replace it, I'd replace the set as a matter of course.

a few on here will say the 200TDi doesn't need glow plugs

strange why they were fitted to the engine then really

[western]

I'd say glowplugs are struggling to help too, try the test as mentioned asbove & if any fail change all 4 LR part number is ETC8847, the genuine ones are made by Beru 12Volts, probe type number 0100226129A, they should reach 850 degrees in about 8 seconds.

you said the fuel light goes out, it should be a 'spiral' logo like a twisted bit of wire that's been wound round your finger or a bar. on mine the glowplug light is the normal 'choke' light [if it was a petrol engined vehicle] later & genuine 200Tdi have the spiral logo.

[TheBeastie]

It is definitely the amber low fuel light that goes out. When I switch on I get the red battery light, the amber fuel light and the red oil pressure lamp. There is no usual diesel warm up lamp and looking along the panel there is no symbol for one so it isn't just a bulb failure.

However since it has done the last 12k miles on diesel I know it isnt a petrol engine

Someone once said it would just fire on turning - which it does - so didn't need a light. Confess I am not sure.

I tried taking a photo of the dash panel but it needed the light on which then put so much glare in you couldn't see much. There are a lot of redundant spaces on the panel where I do not have a park brake etc etc.

Have I been short changed on a warning light?

[western]

Hmm, that's strange as your glowplug light should be on the bottom row directly below the centre difflocked light, as per this picture of a factory built 200Tdi warning light panel & Yes I know that's a left hand drive vehicle but the lights are the same on a right hand drive. & the 2nd pictur is mine [ex-2.5TD which has been a 200Tdi for the last 13 years}

[TheBeastie]

Ah ha

I have checked and mine is like a petrol choke - I overlooked it since I was looking for spiral.

It has never lit up since I have had The Beastie. Should it normally light up?

Sounds as if it might be a case of a dead bulb?

[western]

yes, it should be wired into the glowplug relay circuit, swap the bulb with a known good one & then try a start, just turn on until you get the batt & oil lights & the glowplug/choke one should light up & go out in about 5 to 8 seconds before you twist the key to start the engine.

[TheBeastie]

Thanks western. Bit too cold tonight to do that but I will explore at the weekend. Since I do not have a clue what bulb and unlikely to have one will try it out with the low fuel or oil pressure light and if it works then get some more.

It is nice to have some of the mysteries become explained!

[western]

glowplug warning light should be a 6v 1.2watt capless or wedge type so my parts cat tells me, but IIRC mines a 12v 1.2watt bulb.

[q-rover]

Have you considered a block heater or engine preheater (Webasto, Eberspacher).

I wouldn't be without one in a diesel.

[JimAttrill]

There are lots of people who think that they don't use the glowplugs, but they do. Switch on the 'ignition' and ignore the idiot light, which will soon go out. When you hear the relay go clunk that is when the glows switch off. The length of time depends on the ambient temperature. The glows will heat even after the engine starts, this is to cut down on cold engine emissions.

If you disconnect the glows, then you are not using them

[j90 mud]

another quick way to check is to use a multimeter on the feed to the glow plugs to ensure they are getting power

if so it should spike when they are working but i cant remember the figures when we tested mine .

[TheBeastie]

OK, results of today's inspection. I took off the warning light panel and there was zilch in the glow plug bit, not even a holder. I moved the fog lamp warning light into the glow plug socket and when I switch on the light now comes on with the ignition, but it doesn't seem to go off, nor is there a relay thunk. I waited 10 to 12 seconds then started the engine which started fine (lot milder this evening) and the glow plug light immediately went off.

As a complete beginner in these things I would hazard a guess that the relay has died and it was cheaper for the PO (may he continue to rot!) to take out the bulb than replace the relay.

Does this make sense?

If so is it just a case of replacing the relay at the same time as I replace the glow plugs?

Also, do I need any other bits or do all necessary washers etc come with the new plugs? Memo to self, also remember to get more dash warning bulbs to replace fog lamp warning!

Thanks and best wishes

Malcy

[western]

you need the corect bulb 6v 1.2watt as I mentioned earlier ^^^^, the rear fog bulb is 12v 1.2watts which is OK for a temporary & test use, try the right bulb first if it doesn't go out after 6 to 8 secs then try another relay.

I'll check my glowplug warning light spec in the morning & the glowplugs you can re-use the nuts/washers the secures the wires to them.

[TheBeastie]

Thanks Western. I will now go and swap the bulb back out - now that I know there is a current at least - and then try and get a suitable bulb from Halfords or else the local main stealer on Monday. Will see what goes then. Depending upon results I will add a relay to my glow plug order.

Have a good Christmas everyone!

[western]

I'll be popping in here when I get the chance, so here's hoping they will cure the problem & restore the truck to good health, have a good Xmas too

[nige90]

The glow plugs on my 1987 90 are a activated by turning the ignition key

nearly to the point of engaging the starter (in the spring loaded zone) and

the light comes on at that point.

It's always been a diseasel but originally N/A, now a 200Tdi.

[western]

you should be able to jump in, insert the key, turn on so the ign/oil pressure & glowplug lights come on & once the glowplug light goes out then start the engine, no need to hold the key as you had to previously with the older engine.