diesel motoring in cold weather

[Steve]

Anyone got any tips they want to share about diesel cars in cold weather?

The only thing i know about is glow plugs, but the glow plug light doesn't work on my car - so how long should it take for the plugs to do their work in cold weather?

I attempted to start the car earlier (temperature around freezing), left it about 5 seconds between ign on and starting, and the starter turned twice and cut out. no action. engine started second time (5 more secs), but started very rough. Should I be leaving it longer for the glow plugs?

its a ford fiesta 2003, by the way. the only time i saw the glowplug light was as i was driving out of the ford dealers after a service, and it only lit for half a second.

 

[JohnD]

Best get that indicator fixed

Only tips I know:

Cut down on the chip fat in your tank

Buy some new diesel (the refiners make "winter diesel" which is resistant to cold temperatures (has more anti-waxing additives I think). After this past week I would expect all the tankers to be full of it.

This is "battery season" so if your battery is on the way out, this is when you can expect it to fail.

Down here in the sunny south, none of that applies, as we're so much nearer the equator

 

[Steve]

Do all forecourts sell winter diesel? I mean, do they do this as standard in winter?

I dont use chip fat Only Morrisons finest diesel oil for my car.

There is some corrosion on the steel retaining bar over the battery, with white powder being a result. I brushed it away in the summer, but the white powder has re-appeared between the bar and the battery. Is this something to be concerned about? I posted a picture ages ago, but i cant find it now.

 

[yes2mud]

JohnD,Usually,the major oil companies start to deliver "winter diesel"around october,Not sure how much different it is to summer fuel now as since the reduction in sulphur content and different additives going in, it's very light anyway.

Crafty1289,try heaters for about 15 seconds on cold mornings(frosty)like we have at present.You may have the heater bulb gone,you really need to get this checked and also test the current draw on the plugs themselves.Some modern diesels don't light up the heater lamp on mild mornings because they don't need heat much.You may see the lamp just blink when mild,and stay on for 15-20 seconds when frosty.Yours is modern but you should have seen it today.It's possible your heater relay is duff,and she's starting without any heat.Get it checked if you can't do it yourself,before it don't go at all.

 

[yes2mud]

Yes,all sell winter diesel but if you ask the kiosk staff,they probably won't have a clue.Oil co's blend it and send it usually without notification.

Corrosion on the battery clamp is not killed by brushing off.Remove it and hit with boiling water.Paint with hammerite.Keep battery top clean and dry,clean terminals and treat with vaseline or better,copperslip,it won't melt in high underbonnet temperatures.

 

[JohnD]

coppergrease is great stuff for nuts and bolts, but it leaves a permanent stain on clothes if you brush against it.

I wash off with hot water; then clean with detergent (and rinse) if dirty or greasy. You can get hand creams with emulsified vaseline or similar in water, which brushes on easily (the water later evaporates leaving the clean protective coating)

Check that the battery connections are tight.

A modern maintenance-free battery should not generate much white fur unless it is being overcharged.

 

[breezer]

My diesel astra doesnt have a glow plug light, either that or the lamp has failed, starts first time everytime.

and yes its very cold here (well outside) 3 days this week had to scrape ice off windscreen

 

[Belle427]

the light will also extinguish long before the plugs are de energised,ive got about 15 seconds on a 1993 escort td,may be worth popping a multimeter on them to check the time they are on and see if the relay is doing its job

 

[yes2mud]

Breezer,all astra diesels have a glow plug light,right back to the 1.7 before the low-blow.They come on(on the old ones)every start no matter what the temp.is or if you just stopped for fuel for instance.So your bulb has gone I guess.
ch427,you are right,the light goes out when it's heated up enough to start,but the plugs stay on to improve combustion and reduce emissions.Vauxhall call it the "afterglow".Didn't we do all this on a peugeot a few weeks back?

 

[Spark123]

Re Craftys Fiesta
Fixing the indicator may not be streight forwards, if the info I have is correct the instrument pod indicators are shown as LEDs. The ECU sends a signal to tell the LED to illuminate using the canbus datalink.

 

[yes2mud]

Hmmm,led's are usually very reliable and outlast bulbs by ages.Does this look like a dealer diagnostic session to see why the led not getting energised?

 

[davieboy]

on this fiesta the "glow plug" light is actually the engine malfunction indicator (MIL). doesn't work like most glow lights. should only come on and go out very quickly.

 

[yes2mud]

Thanks for that davieboy,you can't keep up with all the advances with some cars unless working at the dealers.So about crafty's car,are the heaters on when ignition is on but no lamp to prompt you to crank it?

 

[2scoops0406]

Put the key in the ignition, and turn it on. What the f*** are glow plugs ?

 

[yes2mud]

Eddie M,don't know if you are taking mick or not here.Someone with 3340 posts has been around a bit and should know really.
Anyway,if your a petrol man and diesels are a mystery,glowplugs,aka,heater plugs,come on with the ignition and warm the air up in the cylinder or pre combution chamber to aid starting and reduce emissions.You put the ignition on and relax for a few seconds while the heater lamp is on,then when it goes out you crank her over and start up.