Rough running

[iMatt]

Hi. This is my first post on the forum. We have recently purchased a 2.5 Diesel 4WD. All has been well until this morning. The engine sounded very rough on start up. It settled down a bit after a minute or two but when I checked the rear of the van the exhaust was chucking out a fair bit of black smoke.

I caught the bus to work rather than risk it. I tried it again tonight thinking it might have been an issue starting on a very cold morning. Same story, rough running and smoke. The driveway has a black mark across it where the exhaust has been spewing.

I'll book it in for a check up but are there any thoughts about what I should be looking at? We love the van but it's cost us a lot already to get on the road. I don't want to be faced with a serious engine issue.

Thanks

Matt

[Northern Bongolow]

it is unlikely to be anything major so thats the good news.

it probably is one of 2 things. possibly needs new glow plugs or the cold start solenoids are knackered. both normal stuff.

if you use the search tab at the top of the page, click it, then type in subject, leave the other bits blank then search. search for glow plugs, or cold and start and solenoids, (the AND is important, as it helps the search for certain words.).

then click on each heading and have a good read. .

if you start the bongo and give it a little bit of throttle, does it run smooth or stay running rough.

[iMatt]

Hi. Thanks for the reply. The reassurance is welcome.

It does seem to calm down a bit but still seems to be noisier (not sure if this is just the fact that I'm listening more attentively).

I'd love to have a go at replacing the parts myself but I'm too busy at work at the moment so I'll book it into Dore Service Station. They did a service last week. They were very helpful but they had checked the glow plugs as part of the service.

It's the big black mark on the drive that shouts out sick engine.

Matt

[mikeonb4c]

Hi. Thanks for the reply. The reassurance is welcome.

It does seem to calm down a bit but still seems to be noisier (not sure if this is just the fact that I'm listening more attentively).

I'd love to have a go at replacing the parts myself but I'm too busy at work at the moment so I'll book it into Dore Service Station. They did a service last week. They were very helpful but they had checked the glow plugs as part of the service.

It's the big black mark on the drive that shouts out sick engine.

Matt

Out of interest what work did the garage do as part of the service? I wonder in particular how they checked the glowplugs (or why, as i didn't think were generally checked unless there was a suspected problem).

[iMatt]

I've just gone back to the paperwork for the service and you are right the 'spark plug' item has not been checked but underlined instead and 'diesel' highlighted. So they have clearly indicated they have not been checked or were not possible to check. Diesel engines are a bit of a mystery to me.

I'll book it in this morning and ask them to have a look. They seem really up to speed with all things Bongo.

I hope that this is the root of the problem.

Matt

[Bob]

Black mark on the drive could well be no more than soot/unburnt fuel. If the problem is as above when you start some unburnt fuel will exit via the exhaust and diesel being an oil will leave said stain.

[mikeonb4c]

I've just gone back to the paperwork for the service and you are right the 'spark plug' item has not been checked but underlined instead and 'diesel' highlighted. So they have clearly indicated they have not been checked or were not possible to check. Diesel engines are a bit of a mystery to me.

I'll book it in this morning and ask them to have a look. They seem really up to speed with all things Bongo.

I hope that this is the root of the problem.

Matt

I think i'd give the garage a call to discuss symptoms and maybe fix up to visit and show them the problem. Does this problem only happen when starting from cold 1st thing in the day? I'd strongly suspect glowplugs if so.

[iMatt]

New glow plugs and all is well. Thanks for the help and advice.