Mondeo diesel start problem

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Fri 25 Nov 2005 20:40
Mondeo diesel start problem - DaveKent
Hi everyone.

I have a 97 mondeo diesel 1.8 hatch

I'm having big trouble starting the car now the cold weather is here. I changed my glow plugs a week ago and all seemed ok but as its got colder its got harder and harder to start.

This morning it wouldnt start at all.(I do turn the glow light on and off 3-5 times before I try and start). I've just change the glow plugs as i've said. The car will turn over fine but wont catch. This morning I tried so much I drained the battery. I put jump leads on it from the mrs car and after two attemps...yippee, its alive!!

I'd like to know what you guy and gals think before I start spending money for no reason.

Might I need a new battery, could it have something wrong with the starter motor, could the feed to the glow plugs be bad?

What do you think the probly might be?

Many thanks,

Regards,

Dave
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Fri 25 Nov 2005 22:53
Mondeo diesel start problem - Crinkly Dave
How old is the battery, surely not the original

Have it tested with a high discharge meter before looking elsewhere, I would suggest
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Fri 25 Nov 2005 23:33
Mondeo diesel start problem - DaveKent
How old is the battery, surely not the original



I dont know. I bought the car in august.
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Sat 26 Nov 2005 06:34
Mondeo diesel start problem - mrmender
Rembering that the ford 1.8 turbo is a bit of a dog of a diesel and is renown for cold start problems do all the usual glow plugs battery etc. Also worth checking is the wax stat on the timing advance for cold start on the fuel pump is working correctly
But one other tip since it's one of the old school diesels you can also cold start it on FULL throttle when cranking over without doing any damage,it will smoke a bit when it does fire up. It also can be a help to depress the clutch to reduce drag from cold gearbox oil
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Sat 26 Nov 2005 08:38
Mondeo diesel start problem - bikemade3
Totally agree, mine also struggles in the cold 0 degrees c and below, to aleviate it i give switch the ignnition on and off 3 times each time letting the glowplug light go out and on the 3rd time a extra 5 seconds before i try and start. This works, with a full throttle it'll catch. Been like this ever since i bought the car and the plugs were changed last year. Starts first time in the warmer months.
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