405 turbo diesel bad to start

Hi,

My 1994 405 turbo diesel is becoming more difficult to start in the
morning. It's done 100k miles and it's taking longer and longer for
the engine to start - I let the heater light go out then activate the
starter, the engine turns fine, it fires then stops. It seems to need
the throttle pedal pressed hard down, then repeated attempts to turn
it over eventually starts the engine, with a cloud of black smoke
(assuming that's just excess fuel in the cylinders). Once it's been
running in the day it starts just fine. I've done nothing to it
recently except put a can of diesel injector cleaner in the tank.

I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction....

TIA
Richard

 

What you describe is exactly how I used to have to start diesels before
heater plugs (glow plugs) were used - Foot to the floor and run the starter
continuously until the engine not only fires but starts to rev. It sounds
to me as if a new set of glow plugs would make the world of difference.

Keith Willcocks
(remove .nospam from address to reply)

 

Yeah, glow plugs the likely culprit. May be just one.
If it's the No 1 it's a sod to change, as reported here and by my garage.
A

 

Hi,

I guess I'd change all the plugs at the same time, for good brand parts
(Beru, Bosch or whatever, i.e not Halford's plugs).
Another point : the cyl. no1 is on the gearbox side, the 4 is on fuel pump's
side. I guess no4 is the hardest to get.

 

My mistake, sorry. :/((((((((

 

Loooking at the engine, I'd say the No4 is the hardest - it's right
behind the fuel pump.

I tested the voltage today and that's ok - a good 12V at the plug
leads while the orange light is on and for a few seconds after it goes
out.

However, measuring the resistance of the plugs, they read about 20
ohms - so I'd guess they are all pretty poorly. I've ordered 4 new
plugs and I'm hoping for some success.

Thanks for all the help!

Richard

 

Hi,

Correct, as it's a pre / post heating module (in french PPR = Pré/Post
chauffe Rapide). Anyway you should hear the relay click.

At such values, no need to say if it's for each plug (i.e all disconnected
from live wire) or all in parallel (all plugged to the live, where value
should be /4) - definitively too high. From my 205's technical book it's
said about 2ohms per glow plug, a value which should be almost the same on a
405.
Good point to replace all 4 glow plugs at the same time, as I explained
above. If one died, the others should follow (although it isn't an absolute
rule).

 

Thanks for the tips about glow plugs! A new set of Beru plugs and the
car's a different animal! It starts perfectly and runs so much
better......

Thanks again,
Richard