Cold start problem

[slim13]

Hi guys,

I just got a new to me Delica. I'm the first owner since it was imported. I got it from Mardy at Amazing Auto. I'm having trouble with the first start of the day worse on colder days 5deg celcius or lower. I'm in Victoria so it doesn't actually get cold.

I have been cycling the glow plugs at least 2x sometimes more but usually after the 2nd time the light won't come on anymore.

Once I get it started after a lot of turning over and revving the engine to 1200-1500 I get a little puff of black smoke and a whole lot of white smoke. It runs rough for about 30 seconds then it is fine for the rest of the day.

Mardy states that he changed the IP seal and he checked the glow plugs 2x and everything was fine. He is telling me that this is a problem with the design of the van and that there may be air in the lines after it sits and it is normal.

Does anybody have any ideas about what to check? Is this a normal start? I sure don't think so.

Thanks guys!

[Mr. Flibble]

Turn key, wait for glow plug coil light. Wait for it to turn off. Wait until you hear a "click" then start. This will decrease the rough start.

If still a problem, take it to Glenn at Coombs Country Auto.

[mistral]

You say you have already tried cycling the glow plugs to no avail. You may also want to take a look at the glow circuit and how well it's working. That was the problem in my hard-starting situation. See the post I submitted in reply to DeliTan's Tue Jan 05 "Unusual difficult start problem".

[slim13]

Thanks for the tips guys,

I have waited for the click to come and this has helped. I cycle my glow plugs 2x. It's easier to start but still doesn't start well. It usually takes a lot of turning over and pumping the gas. Once I get it going it runs real rough and sounds like it's missing. I'm going to change my glow plugs and I'll check the glow circuit at the same time.

I will report back once done.

Anybody have any tips on changing the glow plugs. Mardy says get the engine really hot before I try to change them to avoid having one get stuck.

Any other tips?

[slim13]

Hi Guys,

I changed my glow plugs and upgraded the busbar. I had the electrical connection going into my first glow plug rather then into the busbar.

After the change it now starts perfect with no smoke!

Just a heads up to anybody buying from Mardy at amazing auto. He told me that he checked the glow plugs twice and that they are working fine.

The glow plugs obviously were not fine! The van had trouble with cold starts from day one. He hadn't pulled them out to check them because they were seized. It took a half hour soak with deep creep to get them off without breaking one. I'm a little disappointed. To his credit he gave me spare glow plugs (cheap ones mind you) just in case these went but he said that they would likely last a year or so. Also with the knowledge that the old busbar design was ineffective, why didn't he just change it when looking over the engine. It took 5min and is a $20 part.