What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
Diesel Starting Problems - Ford Fiesta - Tony45
I have a ford fiesta 18d m reg... last week or so it has been a pig to start..battery and starter motor replaced 6 months ago..when i do get it going it is fine for the rest of the day...it just hates mornings for some reason..can anybody point me in the right direction
Diesel Starting Problems - JamZ
It sounds like it could be either the fuel filter or faulty glow plugs. If the fuel filter has not been changed in the past year or 20,000 miles it is most likely that. Otherwise you might want to get the glow plugs checked out.

I Hope that helps!
Diesel Starting Problems - elekie&a/c doctor
When you say it is hard to start do you mean it cranks over slowly,or that it cranks ok but doesn,t fire up?If it is the latter ,it could be the pre-heat glow plugs not working correctly.Check operation of yellow warning light on dash .should come on for at least 5-10 secs from cold.
Diesel Starting Problems - DL
Sounds like glow plugs for sure...
Diesel Starting Problems - Tony45
Took it to the local garage, he said that 3 plugs were down....so i have just had new heater plugs fitted, fingers crossed all will be ok tommorow morning...I was wondering is it still possible to start on just one heater plug...?
Diesel Starting Problems - DL
No...it will be almost impossible to start an IDI engine with only one functioning heater plug.

Easy-Start would help, though!
Diesel Starting Problems - Tony45
it was a pig to start first thing...used to spray lots of wd40 to get it started...
Diesel Starting Problems - PhilW
When the glow plug relay went on my old BX I started it with no glowplugs for a couple of days but it took a battery in top condition and many turns - and the white smoke produced was not popular with the neighbours since it looked like a locallised "peasouper" - not to be advised except in emergencies. I suspect your car with new glow plugs will start first turn tomorrow! Money well spent!
Diesel Starting Problems - Tony45
New heater plugs and it started first time....Thanks for the help
Diesel Starting Problems - 007
I have a neighbour who appears to have the same problem and propose to give him a printout of this thread.

To be even more helpful...please would you let me know roughly what it is likely to cost to have new plugs supplied and fitted.

Is it the sort of job which can be done while you wait?
Diesel Starting Problems - DL
While u wait? Yeah, some cars yes, others no.....due to access to the plugs.

Roughly £65+VAT for a set, fitted.
Diesel Starting Problems - 007
Thanks for that quick reply.

Just one other question please...if the plugs are not replaced, is he doing any harm to the engine?
Diesel Starting Problems - Tony45
They Charged me £54.00 all in...money well spent
Diesel Starting Problems - madf
a set of new plugs at Halfords is about £20..
madf
Diesel Starting Problems - PhilW
Get good ones , not cheap. I bought some cheap ones which went within a year - good ones had lasted about 8 years and new "good" ones were still going strong after 5 years when I sold the car
Diesel Starting Problems - PhilW
007,
Can't imagine it is doing the engine any good, and it certainly won't be doing the starter and battery any good either. Has the car got a cat 'cos I would imagine that could be damaged and a new set of glowplugs is comparatively cheap. The sound of his engine churning every morning probably doesn't do much good for neighbour relations either
Diesel Starting Problems - 007
Thanks, Phil, for such a comprehensive answer. You have scored a 'hole-in-one'!!!
Diesel Starting Problems - Ford Fiesta - Nitro2202

Hi everyone, my sister in laws 04 reg 1.4 TDCi occasionally won't start, it turns over once then dies. Then sometimes it will immediately start ok but sometimes it just turns over and won't fire for 5 mins or so. Then it's ok. It seems to be after short journeys although this may be a coincidence. RAC and Ford have seen it and are stumped, any ideas?

Diesel Starting Problems - Ford Fiesta - Peter.N.

Common rail engine engines are a completely different kettle of fish, the first thing to do is have the codes read. You possibly have a faulty sensor or low fuel prerssure.

Back to the 1.8 Ford engine. My son has one in a P100 pick up which has always been difficult to start and whil a new battery and glow plugs improved it the problem is still there so I did a further investigation the other day.

What I found was that the alternator output was low at 13.6 volts and although charging the battery it was never completely full. The most telling thing I found was that there was only about 7.5 volts on the front glow plug which I suspected was due to a faulty relay, not so, it was due to high resistances in the wiring.

The lead from the battery to the relay was getting hot t the battery end so I crimped a new terminal on which cured that but I still had a lower voltage on the front plug, I checked and was getting a 1.5 v drop on the actual link leads so I made up one new one to go from the common terminal to the offending plug. The voltage is still not as high as I would like but it is starting much better now, an alternator or regulator change is the next move.