freda 2.5td slow start from cold problems

[Rifster]

hi all,
I have a 1995 Ford Freda 2.5td that is giving me some problems on cold start in the morning. It was all good until few weeks ago.
Now it takes time to start in the mornings, I have to give it some gas to start then it ticks over. The idle has gone a little lower then before and makes the motor shake when on idle and it feels like its worse on fuel. Can anyone advise on this ?? thanks

[Snail921]

see http://igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/view ... ilit=lumpy for something similar. I found that the number one vacuum solenoid was not working as it should. Changing the circuits over from number 2 made it work so it wasn't the solenoid. It had 12V + going to it but the solenoid is activated by the return being made by the PCM. Not wishing to muck about with the PCM or the loom I wired in a switched earth with a rocker switch on the dash. Now for cold start I put that down and fire up. Once it's warm enough for number 1 to close I switch it off and the idle falls to what it should be.
Regards,
Brian.

[Snail921]

This link may be more helpful
http://igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/view ... 12&t=66903
regards,
Brian.

[haydn callow]

Failed glow plugs??

[Simon Jones]

Is it lumpy when it starts and some light grey smoke from the exhaust? That would point to the glow plugs as Haydn suggests.

[Snail921]

I can't answer for Rifster's vehicle but in mine, the problem occurs after the glowplugs switch off. i turn on the ignition, glowplug light illuminates, goes out, start. All runs fine until just after I hear the glowplug relay disengage. Then it starts to cough and splutter.
As you can see from the previous thread, I, together with many others, suspected glowplugs. Changed them with no appreciable improvement.
Regards,
Brian.

[haydn callow]

On a bongo."when the glow plug light goes out' it does not mean the glow plugs have switched off....they switch on/off/on/off until a certain temp is reached......this switching cycle means the plugs have a limited shortened life......I put a switch in the relay supply so I could manually switch off....this increases plug life significantly. Mind you its a bugger when you forget to switch on before starting,

[Rifster]

Thanks people ... I will try glow plugs first !

[mikeonb4c]

In my experience you should never (need to) gas a diesel Bongo when starting. To do so seems to me to be likely to quench the glow plugs, making the problem worse. If I gas my diesel straight after starting from cold in cold weather, it will start to misfire. I always leave it to tick over for a couple of minutes before driving off. I agree with what other posters have said about likely causes. Good luck, keep us posted.

[Rifster]

If I dont put some gas on cold start it wont start at all but once its started I leave it for 5 mins before moving off. I have also noticed that my idle is down slightly and the motor shacks on idle. Its idling just below the 2nd line which is around 600. Is it best to change the glow plugs, fuel filter and clean out the banjo filter to start with ?? Thanks.

[Gasy]

Good places to start
Filters will prob need doing anyway
Do the air filter as well

As said tho check out them plugs and relayS

[teenmal]

You also need the check the FICD...this controls the cold start RPM and also (when used)compensates for the Air con compressor Load .

FICD= Fast Idle Control Device.


Good Luck.

[mikeonb4c]

You also need the check the FICD...this controls the cold start RPM and also (when used)compensates for the Air con compressor Load .

FICD= Fast Idle Control Device.


Good Luck.

Am I right in saying there are separate controllers for each and that you can swap them over as a way of checking if one of them is duff? Can't remember exactly where they are located but someone will advise, or else search threads for 'idle' perhaps as its been discussed many times.

What rpm does it tick over at once warm?

[Snail921]

They're on the drivers side, just in front of the inlet manifold. Z and Y on this diagram http://lushprojects.com/bongopartsmk2/c ... 1of02.html
Both should produce vacuum when cold, the left hand one should close at around 10 degrees and the other at near working temp. If you pull the vacuum hoses of while running you can check for vacuum by putting your finger over the end.
Regards,
Brian.

[Snail921]

they switch on/off/on/off until a certain temp is reached.

from cold i have power to the glowplug busbar from switch on for 12 seconds. After that there is no further power to the busbar throughout the warmup to working temp and well beyond.
The book says "The long-afterglow feature activates the glow plugs for approximately 10 minutes after engine start when the engine is cold." Failure to do so, it suggests, means a fault in the PCM. I've asked this before, where do find the PCM? Apparently it looks like a grey box but no amount of looking in the engine compartment or under the bonnet has shown up anything
Regards,
Brian.