Berlingo - Diesel - RPM / Starting Problem (FREEZING?)

[alexx]

I've got a 53 plate 1.9 dw8 engine in my berlingo and it's been faultless starting since I owned it (last year - its an immaculate example and has only had 40k put on it).

However I live in the French Alps now and it drops to about -7 at night and I haven't filled up with fuel since summer and now seem to have problems starting.


It takes about 10 attempts of cranking the engine over in the morning (battery is new and fine) and today it did something especially weird.

Usually once its started on the cold morning its ok but this morning it was as if the revs were stuck and I wasnt get much power at all.

After driving about a minute down a flat road I dropped in my clutch and the car stalled and took 3 attempts to restart it... it was as if the revs were getting limited and then dropping or cutting out entirely...


I was thinking it could be glowplugs originally but I'm now thinking it might be more likely to be non cold treated diesel thats too cold in the tank and struggling to be combusted?

Any experience welcomed.

[Bromptonaut]

Our similar 05 model had glowplug trouble during last year's cold snap. Starting took lots more cranking than usual followed by rough running and lots of grey smoke. Maybe 30 secs until CHT was high enough to sustain combustion. Ran normally thereafter with problem returning only after being left for 3-4 hours.

[tucker]

Alexx

Is the engine management light on?

It sounds like it's in limp mode, which will restrict your revs to a max of 2000 rpm or so as a safety measure.

I would definitely check the glow plugs as a starter.

So has it not been run since the summer then?

I'm not certain but I think it takes alot more than minus 7 to affect diesel.

[alexx]

Hi it has probably not been used for only a month but it has had a full tank in summer thats been used little - I filled up yesterday with new fuel and it still struggled to start - only took a few goes this time but didnt do any of that limp feeling... maybe because I set off at 10am after the sun had warmed it for an hour?

I was trying to think if anything else other than glow plugs maybe effecting it such as freezing coolant? would that cause similar symptoms?

[tintin]

I've got a 53 plate 1.9 dw8 engine in my berlingo and it's been faultless starting since I owned it (last year - its an immaculate example and has only had 40k put on it).

However I live in the French Alps now and it drops to about -7 at night and I haven't filled up with fuel since summer and now seem to have problems starting.


It takes about 10 attempts of cranking the engine over in the morning (battery is new and fine) and today it did something especially weird.

Usually once its started on the cold morning its ok but this morning it was as if the revs were stuck and I wasnt get much power at all.

After driving about a minute down a flat road I dropped in my clutch and the car stalled and took 3 attempts to restart it... it was as if the revs were getting limited and then dropping or cutting out entirely...


I was thinking it could be glowplugs originally but I'm now thinking it might be more likely to be non cold treated diesel thats too cold in the tank and struggling to be combusted?

Any experience welcomed.

---

Going along Tuckers thought - I had a Sprinter which went into the limp home mode ( limits revs ,to 2k I think,until fault is attended to) caused by combination of bad connections (spade connectors) and battery going flat due to non use. New battery and re-making the connections on the engine management unit cured problem, though not before the garage said a new unit would be required (£1500) but after trying one off another vehicle with no success went back to checking connections.
tintin

[Romahomepete]

Could it be water in the fuel? As I understand it french diesel has 10% or more biofuel in it and biofuel is hygroscopic. Now that you have got fresh diesl try draining the fuel filter.

Peter

[ron]

If you have summer fuel,it's possibly waxing & liquifies as the eng/ambient temp rises.Keep topping up with fuel & it should solve your problem.In the U.K. they change to winter diesel in Oct I believe.

[alexx]

Thanks guys I'll keep an eye on it if it gets better and let you know what I discover

[Ol'Jeffers]

Could it be water in the fuel? As I understand it french diesel has 10% or more biofuel in it and biofuel is hygroscopic. Now that you have got fresh diesl try draining the fuel filter.

Peter

Yep that seems likely. At sub-zero temperatures water in the fuel can cause icing in the injector nozzles. I think pk may have something to say about his as he lives in Moscow.

[pk7478]

If you have summer fuel,it's possibly waxing & liquifies as the eng/ambient temp rises.Keep topping up with fuel & it should solve your problem.In the U.K. they change to winter diesel in Oct I believe.

You're lucky guys. In my country you can buy summer diesel fuel in the end of January when we have most strength frost (about -25 Celsius degrees).

---

Could it be water in the fuel? As I understand it french diesel has 10% or more biofuel in it and biofuel is hygroscopic. Now that you have got fresh diesl try draining the fuel filter

Peter

Yep that seems likely. At sub-zero temperatures water in the fuel can cause icing in the injector nozzles. I think pk may have something to say about his as he lives in Moscow.

Yes. I can something to say. When temperature below zero and if diesel fuel contains a water (that's ok for our country) and big quantity of sulphur, diesel fuel changes into gel-shaped substance. LPFP(low-pressure fuel pump) cannot pump. Engine cannot start and all you can do is to wait of a thaw or put a car into warm garage