Re - 1986 1.6 Diesel Transporter

[nenenaiad]

Hi,

I would be very interested to hear from those of you who have a 1.6 Diesel Engined Transporter, whether or not you need to use the "Cold starting device" when starting from hot and of any other starting up foibles you may know of.

Regards

Dave

[Llamapup]

Dave

There has been some discussion of using the cold start lever in the thread below.

https://club8090.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=45922

In summary though, it appears that few of us in these warn British isles ( )find that the cold start lever provides much of an aid in starting our T25s unless it is very very cold out indeed.

I understand that the lever adjusts the injector timing. If you are getting any benefit from your cold start lever during hot starts then it suggests your timing might be out of adjustment. There should be no need to use the lever when the engine is warm.

I had troubles cold starting, but now that I have replace my glow plugs she fires up first time in all temperatures.

Thanks

Chris

[wee bugger]

mine makes no noticeable difference....starts first time with or without even over last few weeks

[peasant]

Mine starts as soon as I show it the key every time (unless there is a really hard frost)

Having said that, it sounds somewhat healthier on startup when the lever is pulled. So I pull it. But not when I start, but just before I turn it off, so that it's pulled already when I start again the next time. It gets pushed in again as soon as I reach second gear after driving off.

Pulling the lever on turn-off, in conjunction with turning off the lights, the radio and gathering all my stuff before I actually turn the key also gives the engine a few seconds idle time to let the turbo slow down before it gets starved of oil.

All in all, I think that's a rather good "ritual" to have to make life easier for your engine.

[weldore]

mine runs lumpy and smokey when its below 4 degrees without ,it but after 5 mins of ticking over if i put the cold start in its fine.before it warms up it runs smooth and clean with it out,during last year i never needed the cold start and it didnt seem to make any difference if i did use it

[kit]

Mine will not start without it any time or weather, but I think my timing might be out, runs smooth once started though.

[nenenaiad]

Hi,

Thank you for all the replies.

The 1.6 in question has all new heater plugs and replacement reconditioned injectors.

The injection pump and valve timing has all been checked and are spot on. The injection pump timing is set to 0.86mm.

I can get it started from cold but it is reluctant, with much whitish smoke ( which to me suggests unburnt fuel) which gradually disappears on warm up. Once warmed up, and with now no glow plug indicator lit, it becomes difficult to start again.

I notice an interesting note in Bentley's on page 28.26 "when starter is engaged there should be voltage at glowplugs. If no voltage, repair wire from glow plug relay terminal 50 to starter motor or replace glow plug relay." (It's a new relay )

Presumably this is over-ridden by the fact that the sensor is showing the engine is warm and according to the wiring terminal 50 just Tees in to the starter solenoid feed anyway.

Any further thoughts I would be interested to hear them.

Regards


Dave

[weldore]

could it be possible that your cold start is stuck in the on position,have you actually checked the mechanics of the cable pulling and pushing on the cold start

[Syncro G]

My glow plug relay doesn't glow when the starter is turning, it does glow before and after cranking when the engine is cold though (its a later relay, thats why it glows after starting, maybe they didn't bother with the glow during cranking feature on them?). Cold start leaver doesn't change the engine note on mine, but it does start slightly easyer with it pulled, most noticeable when you ignore the LED. My current rail is broken in two and bolted back together at one of the plugs, don't think that helps it start but it does, so I haven't got round to sorting it.

[DanO]

I've got a 1.6TD, didn't even know about the cold starter lever until i asked on the other thread refered to earlier........I'm still not sure but by my right knee there's something that looks like it could be pulled out of the dash panel. I've never needed to use it the South coast is a bit warmer than inland.

[caveman]

First of all replace the buss bar for the glow plugs. They pull a lot of current and if the bar is broken, perhaps the glow plugs behind the break aren't lighting up.
Make sure the cold start lever is working at the pump. You must be able to move it either with the cable or by a long thin screwdriver. If it was in the wrong spot when the pump was timed your timing may not be a 86mm it might be as low as 80mm. If you do or if it's easy for you to do you can put the timing up 95mm. Mine is at 1.00 which a bit too high,but i like the extra power. Last [but really first] how is the compression ? A little low is okay but if there are more than 2 cylinders lower than 300 lbs. it will be hard to start at anytime.

[nenenaiad]

Hi All,

Thanks for all the replies.

The cold start device mechanism works fine. When pushed in the arm on the injection pump is against it's stop, as it was when the Injection pump was timed.

The current to all the glow plugs commences at about 48 Amps and slowly drops due to the characteristic of the NGK Y - 918J glow plugs fitted.

For those of you who have mentioned a compression test - yes, am starting to think along those lines or perhaps the injection pump itself.

Any thoughts - let me know.

Regards


Dave

[caveman]

When you check the glow plugs it makes a difference how warm the motor is. Also the reading is to be taken JUST before the relay shuts off. With a cold engine [say 40-50oF and below] Each plug should pull approx. 10-11 amps, so x 4 =40 + amps total. If the motor is hot they will only pull 6-7 amps. Since you're reading is 43 amps as they light up, i think you may have one burnt. Unfortunately these specs are for bosch GP's but i'm sure the NGK ones will be close as otherwise the relay would not load properly and possibly burn eventually.

[caveman]

Also the whitish smoke tells me the timing is off, but not if you have a burnt plug. Then again, if it's hard to start hot, it's the timing or the pump itself. How is the fuel flow as you see it in the clear line? Lots of bubbles?

[nenenaiad]

Hi,

All the glowplugs are new, and are of the type recommended for the engine.
Certainly with this type of plug, the current starts to fall as soon as the glowplugs are turned on. It starts off at about 48 Amps. When the engine is warm the glowplugs are not intended to be on as the sensor will be telling the relay that the engine is warm enough to start without them.

Me thinks that if the engine compression is low, then although the engine is warm the air is not being compressed enough to burn the fuel properly, hence the white smoke. With no glow plugs on it makes it worse.

All speculation on my part/

I intend to do a compression test to try and see what is going on here. Will report back.


Cheers


Dave