ford transit 1999 SWB first start trouble

[Genesis2k]

hey all

i've had my tranny now for about 3 months, i've had it in for a service, replaced the bat etc.. the problem is when it's cold outside it just wont start!!! it's direct injection diesel and it always sounds like theres not enough power to get it going

i thought about renewing the HT leads or something, but before i start throwing money at it i could do with some advice...

i've had RAC out 2 it once and they said it was the pump timing.. i took it to a diesel specialist and he said it was fine, but could be this, this or this each time the price was getting higher and a guess shot..


cheers lads

 

[Spark123]

Do you have HT leads on a diesel?
Have you checked the glow plugs? What's the compression like when it's cold?

 

[softlad1971]

There are no glow plugs on this engine. The only thing that stops it from starting from cold if it starts first turn when warm is it is not turning over fast enough. This could be a bad battery or the cables from the battery to the starter, or the starter itself. I would check the cable connections first.

 

[^neo^]

I've got an LDV with the same engine and have the same problems. Changed battery, alternator is charging ok, so i'm putting it down to starter.

I'll leave it til it really won't start!

 

[Genesis2k]

cheers lads, i'll go make my local garage happy when i ask for a new starter motor to be fitted

 

[orion13]

cheers lads, i'll go make my local garage happy when i ask for a new starter motor to be fitted

Listen,Im not a mechanic but I can tell you that I have been down this road many times with transits.
Every year,the same thing.Gets to a certain temperature outside and----no chance,it just wont go.
I had one auto electrician out who said it was the starter motor,but after charging me £££s,it made no differnce.Same with the battery,alternator,etc,etc.Everyone telling me this and that but no solution.
I personally feel that it may be something to do with the engine clogging and needs an oil change.You know,oil is maybe too thick and because of the cold,it wont let the engine turn quick enough.A mechanic said that this was rubbish but I have exlored most other avenues.One thing for certain,no one is coming up with any answers to solve the problem and there must be hundreds of vans out there with the same problem.
Anyone shed any light on the matter???

 

[fushionjulz]

Check the earthing strap form the engine to chassis and make sure that there is a good earth with zero resistance between the earthing point and the battery negative.

It could be the starter, but it may also be a poor ignition switch contact or a poor positive battery feed as well.

 

[orion13]

Check the earthing strap form the engine to chassis and make sure that there is a good earth with zero resistance between the earthing point and the battery negative.

It could be the starter, but it may also be a poor ignition switch contact or a poor positive battery feed as well.

Definately not the starter,its a new one.Also,it starts perfectly in warmer weather and will start all day long once you get it going.Thats what is so strange about it.The temperature just has to drop slightly and it wont go.Even with a booster it can struggle.The colder it is the worse it becomes.Dont think that this is electrical but I could try the earthing suggestion.If it was a poor connection,why will it start in better weather and when its been running a while?

 

[Stivino]

Are we to assume that the cold start devices are in perfect working order?

 

[orion13]

Are we to assume that the cold start devices are in perfect working order?

This model doesnt have glow plugs.Not being a mechanic,what else should I be looking for.When you try to start it up the symtoms are like that of a dead battery but the battery is OK.

 

[fushionjulz]

Check the earthing strap form the engine to chassis and make sure that there is a good earth with zero resistance between the earthing point and the battery negative.

It could be the starter, but it may also be a poor ignition switch contact or a poor positive battery feed as well.

Definately not the starter,its a new one.Also,it starts perfectly in warmer weather and will start all day long once you get it going.Thats what is so strange about it.The temperature just has to drop slightly and it wont go.Even with a booster it can struggle.The colder it is the worse it becomes.Dont think that this is electrical but I could try the earthing suggestion.If it was a poor connection,why will it start in better weather and when its been running a while?

because electrical resistance will increase if there is moisture in a poor connection...in good weather it will a)be dry and b) the metals expand and make joints that bit tighter

 

[orion13]

Check the earthing strap form the engine to chassis and make sure that there is a good earth with zero resistance between the earthing point and the battery negative.

It could be the starter, but it may also be a poor ignition switch contact or a poor positive battery feed as well.

Definately not the starter,its a new one.Also,it starts perfectly in warmer weather and will start all day long once you get it going.Thats what is so strange about it.The temperature just has to drop slightly and it wont go.Even with a booster it can struggle.The colder it is the worse it becomes.Dont think that this is electrical but I could try the earthing suggestion.If it was a poor connection,why will it start in better weather and when its been running a while?

because electrical resistance will increase if there is moisture in a poor connection...in good weather it will a)be dry and b) the metals expand and make joints that bit tighter

Many thanks for that.This is the first logical explanation anyone has yet given.I will try this out and see what happens.I woul d have thought that the auto electrician might have suggested this.He did clean up the battery connections but didnt do anything with the earth wire,etc as far as I remember.

 

[fushionjulz]

It is quite common for the earth strap to break...That will give a poor earth as the only remaining earth route for the engine (and components on it, such as the starter) will be through any metal/metal interfaces...Given that these corrode and that there is a resistance differential between alloy and steel, then the symptom of poor cranking could easily be a poor earth.

Equally, though, it could well be a poor positive feed to the starter as this is direct from the battery...make sure the starter terminals are tight, the starter is tightly bolted to the bell-housing and that the positive lead is in good condition (including the ring terminal) both on the starter and on battery...

I should add: it is worth checking that the new starter was correctly installed and is the correct item for the engine...Diesels have a much heavier crank, flywheel and the compression ratio makes them a lot (and I do mean a lot) harder to turn over than a similar petrol engine...
If the starter was (for example) from a petrol transit, it may well fit, but be of low enough power that the moment the oil thickens due to the cold it doesn't have the power to spin the engine fast enough to start it...

 

[Peter.N.]

Failing all else you could add another battery, if you have room for it, this will have the effect of turning the engine over faster, which is what it needs when its very cold. Try the effect of connecting another battery in parallel with yours using heavy short leads and see it that improves things first. The other option is 'Easy start' a lot is not good for the engine but you may only need a sniff to start it.

Peter

 

[Wangerman]

hey all

i've had my tranny now for about 3 months, i've had it in for a service, replaced the bat etc.. the problem is when it's cold outside it just wont start!!! it's direct injection diesel and it always sounds like theres not enough power to get it going

i thought about renewing the HT leads or something, but before i start throwing money at it i could do with some advice...

i've had RAC out 2 it once and they said it was the pump timing.. i took it to a diesel specialist and he said it was fine, but could be this, this or this each time the price was getting higher and a guess shot..


cheers lads

Try disconnecting the EGR valve. A lot of the older DI trannys suffer and bypassing the EGR works did to a few on our fleet which were pigs