ZD30 CRD Cold Start Issue with white smoke

[Flex]

Now the mornings are getting cold I'm am having a issue starting my ZD30 CRD (2008 GU 6) It takes around 4-6 seconds of cranking to start the motor. Then when it does start there is a burst of white smoke (misty in appearance). After it starts everything is normal. Warm/ Hot start has no issues. Any clues?

[growler2058]

Knackered glow plugs?

[threedogs]

A few things I would do is clean the Maf sensor, clean the air filter.
Run some injector cleaner next tank full of diesel.
Sounds to me like battery on its way out, only because you say its only happened since its been cold
Time will tell I suppose

[KiwiAngler]

x2 on battery on way out

[threedogs]

more on the battery does it sound slow when it cranks or fast like a new battery??
If it is your battery and you replace it don't forget to use scourer on the terminal posts
and inside connectors
what side of Melb are you on?

[Flex]

Thanks everyone for your responses. I'll try the MAF/ air cleaner on the weekend.

Do the CRD run glow plugs? How do you check if they are running on start up?

It's not slow when cranking, sounds normal speed. I'm located North-East Melbourne

[Col.T]

G'day Flex,
yes, it has glows. The 'spiral' white dash light indicates it's on when starting.
I believe if the battery's cactus, if you put a multi-meter across the terminals whilst someone cranks the motor (when cold ) you'll get a huge voltage drop regardless of whether it shows 12V plus or not.
A good battery will drop but not much below 12V, I think. Might check mine tomorrow AM after a 9oC night.
Luck,
Col
Guessing the white smoke is simply fuel unburnt whilst cranking.

[Flex]

This morning was a cold one (4 degrees C) and the motor took around 4 secs to start with a puff of white misty smoke just after starting. I notice that the glow plug light came on for like half a second max. Is this normal? or should it stay on for longer?

[Hodge]

This morning was a cold one (4 degrees C) and the motor took around 4 secs to start with a puff of white misty smoke just after starting. I notice that the glow plug light came on for like half a second max. Is this normal? or should it stay on for longer?

My crd glow plug light stays on for 2-3 seconds on mornings like this. Then it starts no dramas, no cranking, just fires up within the first few turns.

Sent from my SM-G900I using Forum Runner

[mudski]

Not sure about the CRD'S but with the di's, the light turning off on the dash doesn't mean the glow plugs are off. The glow plugs actually stay on for a few minutes after the car has started.

[Hodge]

Not sure about the CRD'S but with the di's, the light turning off on the dash doesn't mean the glow plugs are off. The glow plugs actually stay on for a few minutes after the car has started.

Yeah that's right, and some of them had a ceramic tip burn off, and bounce around in the engines internals, not sure which model it was though ? Some folks installed a manual timing kit or something.

[my third 256]

x2 with growler glo plugs knackered or relay
sonds like its using compression to fire diesel
hence white smoke (unburnt fuel)

[Flex]

How would I go about testing my glow plug relay or glow plugs themselves?

[my third 256]

multi meter take out and check one lead to top one to bottom and see if you have a circut

[Flex]

I've found a trick to my problem, basically turn the car to ignition wait for the glow plug light to go off (after about 2-3 seconds) then start the engine. Starts every time with no issues.

[happygu]

I've found a trick to my problem, basically turn the car to ignition wait for the glow plug light to go off (after about 2-3 seconds) then start the engine. Starts every time with no issues.

Flex,

You are now doing it correctly, as you are meant to wait for the Glow Plug Light to extinguish before proceeding with the starter. The Glow Plugs will rapidly preheat the combustion chamber which helps the diesel to self ignite under compression - remember there are no spark plugs like a Petrol motor which initiate the combustion process. Cold diesel is very hard to get to do anything at all - it is not like Petrol where you throw a match at it and it goes wooosh. The heat assists the self-combustion process by raising the temperature of the diesel.

From Wikipedia.....

Gasoline (petrol) is a fuel for use in a spark-ignition engine. The fuel is mixed with air within its flammable limits and heated above its flash point, then ignited by the spark plug. To ignite, the fuel must have a low flash point, but in order to avoid preignition caused by residual heat in a hot combustion chamber, the fuel must have a high autoignition temperature.

Diesel fuel flash points vary between 52 and 96 °C (126 and 205 °F). Diesel is suitable for use in a compression-ignition engine. Air is compressed until it has been heated above the autoignition temperature of the fuel, which is then injected as a high-pressure spray, keeping the fuel-air mix within flammable limits. In a diesel-fueled engine, there is no ignition source (such as the spark plugs in a gasoline engine). Consequently, diesel fuel must have a high flash point and a low autoignition temperature.


Mic

[threedogs]

Not sure about the CRD'S but with the di's, the light turning off on the dash doesn't mean the glow plugs are off. The glow plugs actually stay on for a few minutes after the car has started.

I was told when the glow plug light went off it was time to start the engine, yes/no?

[Hodge]

It's standard practice to wait till light is off before cranking. I've had this drummed into me ever since I started being around diesels. I'm pretty sure even the manual says so too.

But as mudski said, when the light goes off , they're warm enough to start the engine , but plugs remain on for a little while longer. Im pretty sure the time is reduced greatly on the common rails compared to Dis.

Sent from my S4 using Forum Runner

[threedogs]

Plus there is a glow plug mod from memory that cuts down the time the plugs are glowing.
there was a thread recently on it