Starting a diesel in the cold

[Lefty Two Drams]

Really cold here (warmest all day has been -6 and it was -13 at 0830 today.)

I replaced the battery in my old shogun because it was flat and wouldn't take a charge, either froma trickle charger or jump start.

The glow plugs are working (took one off to check it). but iI took the fuel filter off to check for ice But it's OK.

Any suggestions? I tried pointing a hair dryer at the fuel lines, filter and the block for 30 minutes but no joy.

[Parrot of Doom]

Does the fuel filter have a water separator? Check for ice in there. Also make sure no air is being drawn into the pump.

/edit: doh saw you'd taken the filter off. If that's true the fuel system will be full of air. Keep cranking, if its self-bleeding it'll go eventually.

Edited by Parrot of Doom on Friday 8th January 18:10

[HereBeMonsters]

In what way is it not starting? Is it turning over on the starter?

Could be frozen diesel - whack about 5 litres of petrol per 40 litre tank in it and see if that helps.

[Gas Monkey]

Have you tried repeating the glow plug cycle by turning the ignition on/off waiting for the light to go out each time, keep repeating this 10 or so times before attempting to start it. Failing that, try a bit of easystart/brake cleaner down the air intake....

Did it look like it was getting any fuel when you took the glow plugs out, does it chug any smoke on cranking?

Edited by Gas Monkey on Friday 8th January 18:14

[Lefty Two Drams]

Gas Monkey said:

Have you tried repeating the glow plug cycle by turning the ignition on/off waiting for the light to go out each time, keep repeating this 10 or so times before attempting to start it. Failing that, try a bit of easystart/brake cleaner down the air intake....

Edited by Gas Monkey on Friday 8th January 18:12

Really?

To clarify, the starter is turning fine but it seems that no fuel is getting through - it's not firing. This morning I managed to get it to run for 30 seconds but not on all cylinders and it wouldn't rev past 1000rpm...

Frozen diesel was my first thought.

I'll have a go with the petrol trick, thanks

[Parrot of Doom]

You've most likely got air in the system.

[Iain328]

Lefty Two Drams said:

Gas Monkey said:

Have you tried repeating the glow plug cycle by turning the ignition on/off waiting for the light to go out each time, keep repeating this 10 or so times before attempting to start it. Failing that, try a bit of easystart/brake cleaner down the air intake....

Edited by Gas Monkey on Friday 8th January 18:12

Really?

To clarify, the starter is turning fine but it seems that no fuel is getting through - it's not firing. This morning I managed to get it to run for 30 seconds but not on all cylinders and it wouldn't rev past 1000rpm...

Frozen diesel was my first thought.

I'll have a go with the petrol trick, thanks

Not if its a common rail engine I wouldn't !!

Can you get the thing into a garage anywhere to just let it warm up a bit?

[roscozs]

We have had a bad time with Ford Ranger fuel filter heads freezing up this last week. The only way we can get them to start is to force the fuel to the pump with a hand primer.

[paoloh]

Lefty Two Drams said:

Really cold here (warmest all day has been -6 and it was -13 at 0830 today.)

I replaced the battery in my old shogun because it was flat and wouldn't take a charge, either froma trickle charger or jump start.

The glow plugs are working (took one off to check it). but iI took the fuel filter off to check for ice But it's OK.

Any suggestions? I tried pointing a hair dryer at the fuel lines, filter and the block for 30 minutes but no joy.

Sounds like frozen diesel.

[T_Pot]

take a cable from the live on the battery and arch it on the glow rail, this is the flat metal strip running the length of the cylinder head on the pass side, only needs arching for 5 to 10 seconds, if car starts fine then, the ECU for the glow plugs is dead, its a very common fault and easily fixed

[taldo]

crack your injectors of a little and wind it over on the starter youll see if any fuel is getting thru then. does sound like frozen or at least thickened derv like! depending on where your tank is slung might be an idea to gently warm it through to bring the vicosity of the fuel down a bit. hot air blower thingy should do the trick, if its really that frozen i wouldnt have thought heating the lines would do much good at all at this stage, you need the fuel in the tank to come back up to temp. someone with more knowledge/experience may be able to help further i suspect.

[slipstream 1985]

i had the same thing car turned over and over then started up. couldnt get the car into the garage for the night so had to leave it out.

[Elskeggso]

Frozen diesel IMO

Edited by Elskeggso on Friday 8th January 18:58

[p1esk]

Lefty Two Drams said:

Gas Monkey said:

Have you tried repeating the glow plug cycle by turning the ignition on/off waiting for the light to go out each time, keep repeating this 10 or so times before attempting to start it. Failing that, try a bit of easystart/brake cleaner down the air intake....

Edited by Gas Monkey on Friday 8th January 18:12

Really?

To clarify, the starter is turning fine but it seems that no fuel is getting through - it's not firing. This morning I managed to get it to run for 30 seconds but not on all cylinders and it wouldn't rev past 1000rpm...

Frozen diesel was my first thought.

I'll have a go with the petrol trick, thanks

I certainly wouldn't put any petrol in it - not with any diesel engined vehicle. There's too much risk of ruining the fuel pump, apart from any other damage it might cause.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[Gas Monkey]

Iain328 said:

Lefty Two Drams said:

Gas Monkey said:

Have you tried repeating the glow plug cycle by turning the ignition on/off waiting for the light to go out each time, keep repeating this 10 or so times before attempting to start it. Failing that, try a bit of easystart/brake cleaner down the air intake....

Edited by Gas Monkey on Friday 8th January 18:12

Really?

Not if its a common rail engine I wouldn't !!

Can you get the thing into a garage anywhere to just let it warm up a bit?

It's a £500, 10 yr old Shogy according to the OP's profile, so unlikely to be common rail.

I'd spray a shot of the devils brew to determine if it is a fueling issue or just a glowplug issue.

Edited by Gas Monkey on Saturday 9th January 01:19

[HereBeMonsters]

p1esk said:

Lefty Two Drams said:

Gas Monkey said:

Have you tried repeating the glow plug cycle by turning the ignition on/off waiting for the light to go out each time, keep repeating this 10 or so times before attempting to start it. Failing that, try a bit of easystart/brake cleaner down the air intake....

Edited by Gas Monkey on Friday 8th January 18:12

Really?

To clarify, the starter is turning fine but it seems that no fuel is getting through - it's not firing. This morning I managed to get it to run for 30 seconds but not on all cylinders and it wouldn't rev past 1000rpm...

Frozen diesel was my first thought.

I'll have a go with the petrol trick, thanks

I certainly wouldn't put any petrol in it - not with any diesel engined vehicle. There's too much risk of ruining the fuel pump, apart from any other damage it might cause.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

Have you ever run a diesel in freezing conditions? When I lived in Georgia the usual mix was 10 litres petrol to 30-40 litres of diesel, to stop it freezing up. Obviously that didn't work in the summer, but it was brilliant in the winter. Who knows, probably wouldn't work on a modern, highly strung common rail, but this was Georgia in winter. You did whatever you had to do to survive. I've suggested a far less potent mix, which even if it doesn't work, will do no damage to the car.
A colleague of mine filled up his A6 2.7 diesel with 50% petrol before he realised his mistake. Ran fine (with a lot of soot) until he half emptied the tank and put more diesel in there.

[DaveL86]

HereBeMonsters said:

p1esk said:

Lefty Two Drams said:

Gas Monkey said:

Have you tried repeating the glow plug cycle by turning the ignition on/off waiting for the light to go out each time, keep repeating this 10 or so times before attempting to start it. Failing that, try a bit of easystart/brake cleaner down the air intake....

Edited by Gas Monkey on Friday 8th January 18:12

Really?

To clarify, the starter is turning fine but it seems that no fuel is getting through - it's not firing. This morning I managed to get it to run for 30 seconds but not on all cylinders and it wouldn't rev past 1000rpm...

Frozen diesel was my first thought.

I'll have a go with the petrol trick, thanks

I certainly wouldn't put any petrol in it - not with any diesel engined vehicle. There's too much risk of ruining the fuel pump, apart from any other damage it might cause.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

Have you ever run a diesel in freezing conditions? When I lived in Georgia the usual mix was 10 litres petrol to 30-40 litres of diesel, to stop it freezing up. Obviously that didn't work in the summer, but it was brilliant in the winter. Who knows, probably wouldn't work on a modern, highly strung common rail, but this was Georgia in winter. You did whatever you had to do to survive. I've suggested a far less potent mix, which even if it doesn't work, will do no damage to the car.
A colleague of mine filled up his A6 2.7 diesel with 50% petrol before he realised his mistake. Ran fine (with a lot of soot) until he half emptied the tank and put more diesel in there.

There should be no need, any fuel you buy from a UK forecourt at the moment will have additives to winterise it so it doesn't gell at lower temps.

It was -17 here last night and my car started fine with diesel only, I did cycle the glow plugs twice since it was so cold but it would of started without doing so.

[Lefty Two Drams]

fk.

Have tried easy-start and the engine catches and dies.

Have tried starting it with the wifes 2200w hairdryer blowing into the air intake.

Bought 20l of diesel yesterday and left it in the warmest room in the house and put it in the car this morning.

Put 5l of petrol in the fuel tank.

All of the above not solving it makes me think it's slushy fuel.

Any more suggestions? I'm on the verge of calling a mechanic to come and tow it down to the garage to leave it in the warm overnight tonight...

[T_Pot]

have you tried what i posted yet? its free to try and easy and fixed mine

[jagracer]

T_Pot said:

have you tried what i posted yet? its free to try and easy and fixed mine

Lefty Two Drams said:

To clarify, the starter is turning fine but it seems that no fuel is getting through - it's not firing. This morning I managed to get it to run for 30 seconds but not on all cylinders and it wouldn't rev past 1000rpm...

Frozen diesel was my first thought.

I'll have a go with the petrol trick, thanks

If it was the glow plugs wouldn't it have picked up after 30 seconds? The OP has played about with the filter so it sounds like an air lock, my Land Cruiser is a bd to get going after I change the filter.
Unless the OP is running something other than pump fuel,I.E.red or Bio then it wont be ice.