astra merit diesel struggling to start

lancenotalot · 7 Feb 2008

My astra merit diesel has been struggling to start in the morning for about the last 10 days.I turn on the ignition lights wait for glowplug light to go off(about 10 secs) then turn the engine over,it turns over many times then but wont start.On about 2-3rd attempt of this it will fire up and then gives off a lot of blueish grey smoke.any ideas please

wotan · 7 Feb 2008

Your problem is probably the glow plugs, just because the light works does not mean that the glow plugs are working.
Fairly cheap to replace about 8 quid each.

Wotan

Nige F · 7 Feb 2008

or the relay for the glo-plugs

or both

Watchmaker · 8 Feb 2008

If it starts and runs normally, when the engine is warm, then the problem is very likely to be glow plug related. A test meter, on the glow plug circuit, would indicate whether or not the wiring/relay is passing full current but, if the glow plugs are fairly old, a new set should make a lot of difference.

lancenotalot · 9 Feb 2008

Are they difficult to change?Have changed spark plugs before but not glow plugs,any ideas where I maybe able to view or download some info or pics or would I be best to get myself a haynes manual?

wotan · 10 Feb 2008

Glow plugs are easy to change, just look for a heavy wire connecting all four plugs, remove the nuts, then remove and replace each glow plug in turn, you may need a deep socket to remove the plugs.
Once they have all been changed, replace the heavy wire, putting the nut back on each glow plug.
Then rest happy in the knowledge that no matter how cold the weather, your car will start easily, (providing you have a good battery) which on a diesel needs to be a heavy duty one.

Note:- if you enter (changing glow plugs) into Google, you will get some good info.

Wotan

lancenotalot · 10 Feb 2008

Well although it was a bit awkward I managed to change them this afternoon,will see if it makes a difference in the morning.Thanks to everyone who posted answers

lancenotalot · 12 Feb 2008

Well it was exactly the same when I started it yesterday morning so could have been the glow plugs,I even cleaned the buzz bar for a better connection when I changed them.
I will have a look at changing the relay and see if that makes a difference.

lancenotalot · 12 Feb 2008

Well it was exactly the same when I started it yesterday morning so could have been the glow plugs

Sorry that should have been couldn,t have been the glow plugs

Nige F · 12 Feb 2008

well, you haven`t wasted your time with the glo-plugs, because they don`t last forever

I had similar....mechanic sorted relay-started fine then-- and then suggested plugs as they`re relatively cheap+ easy to fit

lancenotalot · 12 Feb 2008

Wouldn't start this morning so had to call the AA out and guess what?there was no power going to the new glowplugs and guess why?Because the lemon that fitted them forgot to connect the lead to the buzz bar

I felt a complete dick.The AA man assured me that it was an easy mistake to make but I have vowed never to try anything ever again and spend the rest of my days vegetating in front of the television watching soaps

telecaretech · 13 Feb 2008

check the voltage at the glow plugs when theyre on. the wiring to them cna somestimes bee a bit dicky and you might only see about 9 or 10 volts there. if it`s the isuzu engine check the valve clearences, when theyre out it`s damn hard to start when cold.

astra merit diesel struggling to start

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