Poor Cold Starting And Smoky Diesel

December 18, 2009

Since the cold weather has arrived our Corolla diesel is taking a long time to start and when it finally does, there is a lot of smoke produced, presumably unburned fuel. Is this normal?

Though the original Battery was fine and showing Green OK in the Battery condition window, I bought a new Varta Silver Battery with 750 amps of starting power and it has made no difference to the cold weather starting.

We have owned this car 6 months and have had constant niggling problems with it. The air con lost gas and it took a while to find the leak which turned out to be a corroded pipe under the battery. That was found following advice on this forum.

The radio has failed twice and is currently failed again. The interior light has a poor connection somewhere and and needs a smack to get it to light up and now the horn has failed.

I think it may need a new Honda!!! My Honda Accord diesel started even faster in the cold today than it usually does

Car is Corolla 2 litre diesel hatchback, 2005 with 62000. It runs great but for these niggles and now the cold starting problems.

Anyone had similar stuff happen to theirs?

Cheers

T

December 18, 2009

I would suggest getting the glow-plugs checked out:)

December 19, 2009

If the glow plug light takes longer than normal to switch off before you turn the key then get glow plugs checked. By the way I am assuming you do wait for the glow plug light to switch off before you turn the key?? Also what diesel are you putting in. Petrol is more or less petrol but with diesel putting decent Shell or BP fuel in makes a big different to cold-starting and fuel economy as well as the drive. No need to put v-power or BP ultimate diesel in but if you're using supermarket fuels then this will also explain your issue. At next service do the fuel filter as well as the normal bits...

December 19, 2009

If the glow plug light takes longer than normal to switch off before you turn the key then get glow plugs checked. By the way I am assuming you do wait for the glow plug light to switch off before you turn the key?? Also what diesel are you putting in. Petrol is more or less petrol but with diesel putting decent Shell or BP fuel in makes a big different to cold-starting and fuel economy as well as the drive. No need to put v-power or BP ultimate diesel in but if you're using supermarket fuels then this will also explain your issue. At next service do the fuel filter as well as the normal bits...

We use BP diesel and yes the glow plug light does take longer to go out in the cold weather but my Honda does too and then starts very quickly. I noticed this morning the Toyota was very rattly when it finally started; it quietened dowm afte a couple of minutes but sheesh what a noise. It that normal for this engine?

Cheers

T

December 19, 2009

If the glow plug light takes longer than normal to switch off before you turn the key then get glow plugs checked. By the way I am assuming you do wait for the glow plug light to switch off before you turn the key?? Also what diesel are you putting in. Petrol is more or less petrol but with diesel putting decent Shell or BP fuel in makes a big different to cold-starting and fuel economy as well as the drive. No need to put v-power or BP ultimate diesel in but if you're using supermarket fuels then this will also explain your issue. At next service do the fuel filter as well as the normal bits...
We use BP diesel and yes the glow plug light does take longer to go out in the cold weather but my Honda does too and then starts very quickly. I noticed this morning the Toyota was very rattly when it finally started; it quietened dowm afte a couple of minutes but sheesh what a noise. It that normal for this engine?
Cheers
T

That noise you get is the engine working harder to get warm as quick as possible. I have the same with my SR, I've also noticed it takes a little longer for the glow plug light to turn off before firing the old girl up.

Mine is on 60k and having a new gearbox fitted as we speak :(