cold starting diesel

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Clint

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Hello all,
I have a focus estate tdci 2002,had it since new virtually with a genuine 50k on the clock. It's been dealer serviced as per requirements. It's always been a poor cold weather starter...I've had the glow plugs changed, it's had a new battery,fuel filter and I changed the relay fuse..above freezing it starts effortlessly and goes well. Come the frost it's a pig...cranks well but struggles to fire. Could it be it's just underused and coked up? I've read about diesel waxing in cold weather etc..would one of those additives clean it out? Should I stop using supermarket fuel? I'm reluctant to get rid..

Cheers

Clint
 
Definitely stop using supermarket fuel because there is no cleaning additives in the fuel and this is how they are able to keep their costs low.

Sent from my ALE-L21
 
616924


Wynns Xtreme Diesel System Cleaner 325ml

Wynns Xtreme Diesel System Cleaner is a powerful one tank clean-up, designed to protect, restore and maintain efficiency of modern high pressure common rail diesel engines.

Wynns Xtreme Diesel System Cleaner 325ml Extra Info

For all diesel engines
Cleans and protects the engines fuel pump and injectors
Maintains cleanliness of the EGR Valve and DPF
Lubricity additive protects the fuel pump and injectors
View the Safety Data Sheet
 
Thanks for the replies! I took it out earlier for a bit of a run and gave it a thrashing through the gears...plenty of **** blew out. Still got around half a tank of fuel so I'll run it down ,put a cleaner in it and top up at Shell. Any recommendations on a cleaner?

Cheers

Clint

...thanks..
 
My Fabia gave the same issues, together with a little ticking sound. They first thought it was the chain, but it turned out to be the injector and pump. All under warranty luckily.

At first there was not much wrong, but they could see the injection system compensating for the broken one. Funniest thing is; nothing to be noticed whilst driving.. same power and torque, it only ticked when cold.
 
First, what does your local Ford dealer say?
Next 'winter' diesel contains additives which inhibit the formation of gels or waxes in extreme cold weather. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_diesel_fuel .
It seems that if you sell diesel from a filling station you have to comply with the relevant regs.
Although waxing is unlikely to be the problem, if you are still running on fuel bought a few weeks a back given your low running mileage I would fill up with fresh diesel now since it will be appropriate to the current weather.
You could run a trial for a few weeks in the cold weather using filling station rather than supermarket fuel to see if it makes any difference. If it works the extra money it costs you given the mileage you do is pence per week.
At 3500 miles per year you are not really running your vehicle at its best. My understanding is that diesels perform best when warm and when driven for long periods. My own diesel car only does about 9000 miles a year and when not taken on long runs for a few weeks needs to regenerate the exhaust cat converter which is sign of under-use.
Finally has your vehicle has got the correct grade of engine oil for winter temperatures.
 
Thanks terrym
Ford said...
Battery. ..replaced
Glow plugs...replaced
Turbo blown...talking rubbish now!
Oil is what they put in earlier in the year..

Cheers

Clint
 
Any recommendations on a cleaner?



.

616924


Wynns Xtreme Diesel System Cleaner 325ml

Wynns Xtreme Diesel System Cleaner is a powerful one tank clean-up, designed to protect, restore and maintain efficiency of modern high pressure common rail diesel engines.

Wynns Xtreme Diesel System Cleaner 325ml Extra Info

For all diesel engines
Cleans and protects the engines fuel pump and injectors
Maintains cleanliness of the EGR Valve and DPF
Lubricity additive protects the fuel pump and injectors
View the Safety Data Sheet
 
Thanks terrym
Ford said...
Battery. ..replaced
Glow plugs...replaced
Turbo blown...talking rubbish now!
Oil is what they put in earlier in the year..

Cheers

Clint

I am no expert here but my thoughts would be:
1. How often do you use it? - if it is infrequently, a lot of people don't know that diesel is changed in composition throughout the year, with more additives in winter to prevent it waxing. If you have summer diesel in the car then that might explain why. Solution is to fill it up in the station now to get winter diesel in it

2. Does it have a particle filer? Modern diesels have a particulates device which burns off the soot from the exhaust to lower emissions. If you do a lot of stop-start driving then it may be this preventing. if it is struggling then there should be a dash warning light appear (though they don't always). Solution is to burn off the soot by giving a decent drive at full temp.

3. Could it be injectors? If so, fire some of the diesel fuel cleaners down when next filling upand it should gradually clean them. if it is caked then may need several applications to get rid. Some people swear by putting a little petrol in to the tank to clean the injectors but I would not advise as it can muck around with seals apparently and lead to worse problems later on.

hope that makes sense!

Good luck
Zippy
 
Looks like some fresh diesel and some cleaner is the way forward, if i remember right the bottle above treats 20 - 25 litres of diesel so i would not fill the tank.
 
I can only presume they are as they were changed at the dealership around 2 years ago ....but the cold start issue remained..

Cheers

Clint
 
My focus 2008 had the same issue, sucked at starting as soon as it got a little cold, turned out there was a small burn out on the glow plug harness
 
If all else fails -



793797


Bradex Easy Start

If an engine fails to start repeatedly, it may require a starting aid like Bradex Easy Start . It is designed for use in an emergency where the engine won't start, which could be caused by a number of different ignition problems and it can be used on all engines, whether diesel, petrol or paraffin.Simply spray into the air intake for a few seconds. Bradex Easy Start is suitable for all engines including:
• Cars
• Vans
• Motorbikes
• Lorries
• Lawnmowers
• Tractors and agricultural machinery
• Generators and industrial machiner

Bradex Easy Start Extra Info

Starts your engine whatever the weather
Quick and easy to use
Ensures firing even under arctic conditions
Starts ALL engines
Can be used on diesel, petrol and paraffin engines
No damaging effect
View the Safety Data Sheet
 
Back in the 60's I used to blend diesel at one of the Humberside Refineries.

There is little or no difference to the diesel fuels that leave any UK refinery because they ALL have to comply with strict EU standards.

In winter there is a slight increase in the kerosene content to lower the temperatures at which the diesel will start to go cloudy (Cloud Point) and then gel (Pour Point). These temperature specifications are used throughout the UK but to be honest they are probably only required somewhere in the Cairngorms for a few days every winter!

I drive a 1998 motorhome (diesel LWB Transit van base) that has completed over 110,000 miles with the original engine and injectors. Despite passing its MoT with flying colours, the exhaust will start to smoke after every four or five tanks full of diesel.

I mostly use the cheapest diesel fuel I can find (Morrisons Skegness at the moment) and whenever I notice that the exhaust is smoking I add a bottle of whatever Diesel Engine Cleaner is available the next time I fill up. :thumb: :thumb:

I do occasionally treat the old girl to a tank full of a premium diesel such as BP's Ultimate but as to whether or not it's worth the extra money I refer you to the following article ...

http://www.moneysupermarket.com/car-insurance/blog/is-it-worth-paying-more-for-premium-unleaded/
 
If all else fails -



793797


................

No damaging effect
................

Aaaaagh!! The dreaded Easy Start! :doh: :doh:

I recommend that NO-ONE with a diesel engine uses Easy Start ... :nono: :nono: :nono:

... for the most stupid reason imaginable! :doh:

The reason is that engines (especially diesel engines) get addicted to the stuff! I don't know why and I don't know how but it does actually happen as I have discovered to my cost. (Two engines on a boat I owned.)

Use it at your peril :!: :!: :!:
 
I have heard they get addicted to it but I cannot for the life of me think why, if its just a few mornings a year I don't see the harm if as I said 'all else fails'
 
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