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Starting Vauxhall Diesels - David Withers
I just posted the following note way down the page under another topic but thought it might be useful to repeat it here as a new subject ....

A lot of recent correspondence about difficult starting of diesels seems to relate to a particular Vauxhall diesel engine. I understand that, with these engines, the accelerator pedal should be fully depressed for starting at temperatures below 10 degrees C. This will give an enriched mixture by over-fuelling and may answer the cold-starting problem that has been aired in this forum several times.
Re: Starting Vauxhall Diesels - Richard P
It is the 1.7d or 1.7dr as fitted to Cavaliers and Astras (non turbocharged) engines which this applied to. I still have my 1994 Astra 1.7d estate (recently got a Vectra DI) and fortunately have never had any statrting problems in over 100K miles. On cold mornings I used to cycle the glow plugs a few times and press the accelerator down by about a sixth of it's travel. I once tried starting it as suggested and you should have heard the noise and seen the smoke!! (normally it never produces much, if any, visible smoke).
Do not start a car by pressing the accelerator if it is turbocharged, the turbo bearings will not like it!