2001 ford fiesta 1.8 TD (di engine) - diesel fiesta will not start

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Mon 5 Jul 2010 14:07
2001 ford fiesta 1.8 TD (di engine) - diesel fiesta will not start - daniel_johno

Hi,

I was hoping someone could help shed some light on the issue I am having with a y reg diesel fiesta Turbo Diesel.

It has not been started in over a year but was running ok before it was taken off the road. I got it transported to my garage last week and fitted a new battery and glow plugs to it. The engine turns over ok on the starter and the long you keep it going the faster it turns over until you think its is going to start but it never does.

After trying to start it i get white smoke out the exhaust so it is getting fuel and also when I unscrew a glow plug and earth it gainst the block it glows red when the ignition is turned on so I am quite confident that the glow plugs are getting powered ok.

I loosened the nut on the fuel pipes and turned the engine over till fuel leaked out so I am pretty sure the injection pump is working ok.

Is there anything else I could try? as I am now at a loss. The only thing I have noticed is after I have been turning over the engine for about 20 seconds the water temperature light comes.

Any help or advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Daniel

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 5 Jul 2010 22:15
2001 ford fiesta 1.8 TD (di engine) - diesel fiesta will not start - Peter.N.

Probably low compression as a result of the oil draining from the pistons and rings, if you persevere it will probably start, try using easystart or towing if all else fails.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 5 Jul 2010 22:34
2001 ford fiesta 1.8 TD (di engine) - diesel fiesta will not start - daniel_johno

Thanks for that.

I bought a can of easystart after work and used about half of it while trying to start the fiesta but still no luck. It gets so close to goign but just wont start and then the starter starts to smoke so i have to stop. The diesel in it is over a year old so am wondering if diesel is like petrol and has a 'use by date'?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 6 Jul 2010 10:47
2001 ford fiesta 1.8 TD (di engine) - diesel fiesta will not start - Peter.N.

I have not known diesel to degrade but you could try feeding some fresh stuff straight into the pump. Does it actually run on easystart? if so it sounds as though the pump timing is retarded, although I can't see how. How old is the cambelt?

Edited by Peter.N. on 06/07/2010 at 10:47

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Looking for a garage you can trust? Honest John's Good Garage Guide has thousands of reader recommended garages, plus how-to guides and tips on servicing.

The Good Garage Guide

From which small car to buy at which price point to the best UK-built cars, our Top 10s have the lot. Click now for your shortlist.

Unsure of what to buy? Our Top 10s are here to help you....