Good plugs, blue smoke, bad starting

[Chris P]

The following solution was on the web site, but not obvious, so thought I would make it easy to find.

I had a glow plug replaced as I was having a bit of trouble starting and when tested, one was dead.

The garage (being worth their salt) then tested there was power to the plugs.

Tried to start it the next morning, much smoke and a number of seconds to start. They were perplexed and wanted to do stuff to the engine (knowing the plugs were good). I did a DEEEEEEEEEP search on the website, and found that someone else had had a problem with a fusable link to the glow plug relay (just off the positive battery terminal). Seemed a much more likely diagosis, so I told them, and it was indeed the problem.

Next thing to suspect when you know your plugs are good.
David Edwards previous posting prompted me to send this, as he says he has to get off promptly on Friday...

Cheers

Chris

[antique]

hi i have bean reading your thread the first thing to do if bad starter in morning check power going to plugs if you have power then check plugs i cant work out your garage said you had power but you had to tell them about fuse ? then it worked ? surely if fuse was blown there wont be power to plugs ?

[David Edwards]

Thanks Chris will print this and take it to the garage Friday just in case. Will let you know what happens.

[Chris P]

hi i have bean reading your thread the first thing to do if bad starter in morning check power going to plugs if you have power then check plugs i cant work out your garage said you had power but you had to tell them about fuse ? then it worked ? surely if fuse was blown there wont be power to plugs ?

Sorry - obviously I wasn't clear.

1/ They tested and replaced dead glow plug. I've had so many go that I can now tell when one goes.

2/ They tested there was power to plugs - clearly not fused at that point.

3/ Next day, they try starting and fusable linke has gone, so no power to any plugs, but they don't suspect that, as they KNOW they have just tested all the plugs and made sure they were fine.

Extra speculation that I didn't put in before - they were doing other work on Bongo (fixing dead fuel gauge), and maybe bust the link when doing that - I don't know what order they did the work in.

Cheers

Chris

[alant54]

I don't know much...but I think that BLUE smoke means burning oil....?.....do you use much oil.....I don't....Alan

[antique]

right got it now i have found if one plug goes down replace all 4 saves all the agro later i think if one is going to blow its not going to be long before the other 3 go