ford escort diesel starting probs

[appytiser]

Ive just bought a ford escort van, 1999 T reg with genuine 67k diesel non-turbo. Anyway it has a bit of a starting problem. Ive checked all the glow plugs individually and all work fine. I checked the battery voltage and that was 12.5v. I then checked the voltage on the glow plug buz bar and that was only 10.6v. Could this be the problem cos I would have thought that the 2 readings should have been the same. If it is a problem what could be the likely cause and how do I rectify it.
Thanks in advance for your response

 

[ratm]

Were the glow plugs connected when you tested the voltage?
Was the relay on or off when you were taking the readings?
Did you remove the glow plugs and wire them direct to a battery to see if they glow at the tip where they're supposed to glow? Continuity testing is useless for glow plugs as they quite often fracture in the middle of the carbon tip and the current doesn't get to the end where it's supposed to be. Seeing as they still heat all be it in the wrong place they still show continuity but they have little or no effect.

 

[naebothernoo]

some glowplugs operate at a lower voltage than the battery. the voltage may be stamped on yhe plugs have a goob look

 

[kevplumb]

dont go by the light on the dash either listen for the relay clicking

 

[appytiser]

Were the glow plugs connected when you tested the voltage?
Was the relay on or off when you were taking the readings?
Did you remove the glow plugs and wire them direct to a battery to see if they glow at the tip where they're supposed to glow? Continuity testing is useless for glow plugs as they quite often fracture in the middle of the carbon tip and the current doesn't get to the end where it's supposed to be. Seeing as they still heat all be it in the wrong place they still show continuity but they have little or no effect.

The glow plugs were connected (still in engine) when I checked the voltage and the relay was on. When the relay cut out the voltage dropped to zero.
I removed each plug and tested on a seperate battery and they all glowed on the tip as they should

 

[Belle427]

check that they are staying on long enough

 

[appytiser]

check that they are staying on long enough

the relay stays on for about 7 seconds

 

[Belle427]

have you removed a plug and tested it on the bus bar cable rather than a battery just to see if it glows?

 

[appytiser]

have you removed a plug and tested it on the bus bar cable rather than a battery just to see if it glows?

no cos i assumed if theres a current to the bus-bar the plugs should also have a current but I will check tomorrow just to make sure.

 

[ratm]

Check the bus bar with no plugs attached. The reason the voltage reads low is because of the voltage being drawn off by the plugs. If you put the tester on the battery it will drop a bit when you switch the glow plugs on. If it's not your glow plugs it's probably a fuel problem. Does that model still use the hand operated plunger type lift pump? They have a habit of going faulty and drawing air if you use them to draw the fuel through after a service. If so seal it up with instant gasket and use a bulb type pump to suck the fuel through.