Indie
Part of things
Wtd : Carlton/205 bits
Posts: 154
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Jan 24, 2013 23:44:51 GMT
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Don't laugh but this is my first diesel ..... bought a £300 BMW 525 Tds Touring Auto as a stop gap / winter car and it's growing on me. It runs fine but in the last week it's been spinning more and more before it will start from cold (and obviously it's been a bit nippy recently) so I ordered some new glow plugs - which I have not yet fitted.
Filled it with Diesel yesterday on the way to work (it starts fine from hot) and got back to it much later and colder after work fully expecting it to 'churn' and it started on the button. It did it again this morning and again tonight.
Ok - I AM NOT COMPLAINING but what's worn out or not working if it will only start promptly with a full tank of fuel ?
Thanks in advance.
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Last Edit: Jan 25, 2013 22:28:53 GMT by Indie
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hkr91
South East
Posts: 559
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By spinning you're talking about turning over?
My 99 Focus takes a good few seconds when it's cold to start - same with the Passat. Once warm, she goes without an issue. Do you wait for the glow plug light to go out? Try turning the ignition on, wait for the light to go out and then rapidly ignition off then on again (so you're applying the glow plugs twice...) and see what happens.
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rodney
Posted a lot
https://www.facebook.com/RD-vehicle-transport-and-recovery-services-525622614268010/
Posts: 1,677
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ignore the glow plug light on diesel cars , wait for the click from the plug relay , takes about 8 seconds , iver got a e36 325 td for a doner car and its the same , the fuel gauge lies to me lol ,
you can get a chip for it to make it faster and a bit better on fuel , i got 1 on mine and its livened it up,.
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facebook: rodney dean / rd transport  |
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taurus
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,084
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It is a common thing with diesels, especially in cold weather, not to let the tank get low. They often start better on a full tank - empty tanks can contain more condensation so the fuel is more contaminated with water.
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bl1300
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,678
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My L200 was starting without glow plugs in the recent cold snap, the fuse for them had blown. It still started amazingly easily so that I could drive down to town for a new fuse.
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Current fleet.
1967 DAF 44
1974 VW Beetle 1303s
1975 Triumph Spitfire MkIV
1988 VW LT45 Beavertail
1998 Volvo V70 2.5
1959 Fordson Dexta
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VIP
South East
Posts: 8,293
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My L200 was starting without glow plugs in the recent cold snap, the fuse for them had blown. It still started amazingly easily so that I could drive down to town for a new fuse. How helpful to the OP. |
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sowen
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 2,245
Club RR Member Number: 24
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Poor Diesel cold startsowen
@sowen
Club Retro Rides Member 24
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Don't laugh but this is my first diesel ..... bought a £300 BMW 525 Tds Touring Auto as a stop gap / winter car and it's growing on me. It runs fine but in the last week it's been spinning more and more before it will start from cold (and obviously it's been a bit nippy recently) so I ordered some new glow plugs - which I have not yet fitted. Filled it with Diesel yesterday on the way to work (it starts fine from hot) and got back to it much later and colder after work fully expecting it to 'churn' and it started on the button. It did it again this morning and again tonight. Ok - I AM NOT COMPLAINING but what's worn out or not working if it will only start promptly with a full tank of fuel ? Thanks in advance. I have a Rover 75 with the smaller BMW 2.0 diesel engine, and they are known to have fuel tank lift pump failure, usually the first sign is difficulty starting when the fuel level gets low. I have no idea if this is also a common or possible fault on the BMW's? |
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Jan 25, 2013 10:35:05 GMT
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I had an E36 like that ,For some reason if the tank was low it took a while to start
Mine was the smallest diesel engine lol .the AA guy said the derv pump was a little old
But they take ages to go pop .Its more than likely just low diesel .
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bortaf
Posted a lot
Posts: 4,549
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Jan 25, 2013 11:51:56 GMT
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No idea what year your is cos you didn't bother to tell us but later cars have a leccy lift pump under the passenger side that goes and the cam sensors go which can stop them starting easy. It's difficult enough to diagnose problems at a distance and even harder when you have no idea what car we are diagnosing  |
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Last Edit: Jan 25, 2013 11:52:37 GMT by bortaf
R.I.P photobucket
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froggy
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,099
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Jan 25, 2013 12:01:27 GMT
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lift pump in the tank every time if it starts with a full tank
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sully
Part of things
Posts: 33
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Jan 25, 2013 13:11:00 GMT
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If you do a google search it's quite common on these engines. The injector pump seals fail along with the lift pump in the fuel tank. There is a trick you can do to fool the car into thinking its warm and it will start much easier. Again google it! But that isn't a solution just a temp fix.
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Indie
Part of things
Wtd : Carlton/205 bits
Posts: 154
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Jan 25, 2013 13:40:57 GMT
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Thank you for the replies so far and I apologise for missing off the year, it's a 1994 525tds Auto.
The car started first turn of the engine when it was warm (ie the glow plug light didn't come on) irrespective of how much fuel was in the tank - As the tank got lower and the weather got colder it took longer and longer to start from cold BUT still started quickly from warm/hot.
I didn't make the connection between the fuel level and the cold start issue until I filled it up so it sounds very much like it could be the pump in the tank.
But can I ask a supplementary ?
Why would the pump in the tank being worn / faulty only make a difference starting from cold with less than 1/2 of a tank and not when it's warm ?
Is it because the fuel drains back into the tank and the pump has to work harder to push the fuel back to the engine ?
cheers, again.
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