Starting a diesel car...

[macdad]

Dont't know about the cdti's but the Dti's are a pig to start at this time of the year,in paticular when the temp is hovering around 4 c (not cold enough to activate the glow plugs) .
What i tend to do is, and this is from a cold start, car in neutral ...clutch fully down and very importantly press the accel slowly half way down...then turn key..my car will chug a little then start to pick up then eventually start ,once it picks up just a blip or two on the throttle and shes away after maybe 3 or 4 seconds but it allways starts fisrt time doing it this way.

This car is my first diesel and i was trying to start it like a petrol wereby no throttle used until starting to fire,like i say this is on a dti ..??do the cdti s start the same or is it a straight forward operation like a petrol...by the way if the glows are deployed then the above does not apply...just starts a tad better and easier.

So what do the bulk of you guys do when starting your cars.

[neverlandandy]

me personaly iv got an 08 plate cdti so its ignition on wait for glow plug light to go out and just turn key without touching any pedals

[pricey]

My CDTi's have always been: get in, turn key, wait for glowplug light and away you go.

I do find that it's been taking slightly longer to start but that might be down to the battery.

[Thunder]

i just wait a second or two until the glow plug light to go out
& just press the clutch down through habit

& away she goes

[bigcarman79]

I had an astra with this engine and it always started on the button, whatever the weather! The glow plug symbol always illuminated for about 1 second in cold temperatures (anything below about 7 deg.) You should'nt need any gas when starting any modern car unless theirs a problem.

[Stevel]

i just wait a second or two until the glow plug light to go out
& just press the clutch down through habit

& away she goes

[ROY2593]

me personaly iv got an 08 plate cdti so its ignition on wait for glow plug light to go out and just turn key without touching any pedals

Yes me too! 08 CDTI and I do the same!

Roy.

[poves]

How old is it ?
Check your leak off / spill off pipes for fractures .

[macdad]

How old is it ?
Check your leak off / spill off pipes for fractures .

It's an 03 plate dti 90,000 mls (y20 dth) engine funnily enough on a cold morning first start it fires up no probs(without blipping accel) its just when its not quite cold enough for glowplugs to come on.

?What are and where are these notorious leak off pipes everyone seems to mention.

[poves]

They are the hose type thingys that run between your injectors , if they are leaking you will get bad starting .
To be honest I think my glowplugs always lit up in a morning , doesn't sound quite right to me this , maybe check the relay .