Rough starting when cold......

[shoosty]

My Deli has had an eventful beginning to the new year. I had a new glow plug relay installed after the poor thing was stolen and damaged with a screw driver to the ignition. After it was fixed at a dealer it was firing up no problem over the past few weeks even in the minus temps.

Last week on my own I tightened the alternator belts that were squealing and now all of a sudden my van is starting up and idling very rough for 10-20 seconds after start up. Sometimes is stalls out and I have to restart again sounding something like a car that had run out of gas. There appears to be no bad smoke and after I have driven the van and warmed it up the bad starting goes away.

Could any of this be related to the poor idling when cold or is this a new symptom of its own?

The glow plug click is there and they seem to be doing there job or is something missing with the timing?

I also thought it might be a very old (original?) Fuel Filter but again when the van has warmed up it starts up first crack and the poor idling is no existent.

What about the injectors?
This might be way off but someone told me that using a lot of (fuel start spray) in to the air intake is very bad and can dry out the injectors. This is worrying if true because I used like half a can of the stuff to get my van going the old fashioned way (twice) so that I could drive it after being stolen when the glow plugs were damaged.....

What to try?

[jessef]

If it's only rough at startup, check the voltage going to the plugs and see if there is any at all. Sounds like your plugs are not working properly.

[MardyDelica]

check fuel filte r.
this will help you.
cheers;

[Golf Cart]

Shootsy,

If the rough idling levels out smooth after 10-20 seconds after start-up , there could be an air leak in the fuel system.

[CVI]

Check all your glo plugs. Sounds like one is out.

[shoosty]

Thanks for the tips,

Found I have 2 burned out glow plugs......(1 and 4) sounds very related to the cause. Hope it turns out.