[Engine] Berlingo 1.9 Struggling to start

[Dennyboy]

Hi

 Any Ideas. we have a 2005 Berlingo Multispace, On the first turn of the key it cranks a couple of times, like the battery is dying, but the second time it kicks in straight away.  

Have replaced battery, glow plugs, Fuel and Air filter, Glow plug relay. 

The car brings up fault code p1351, Pre heat relay - no connection, but once it starts, the glow plugs are being supplied power from the relay?  

Anything else i can try, or any thoughts ?

Thanks

Steve

[jj9]

Is there power to the glow plugs when you turn on the ignition?  this only lasts approx. 15 seconds if the engine is not started.

When you say... "it cranks a couple of times, like the battery is dying, but the second time it kicks in straight away" . . . 

Is the starter motor turning slowly on the first try but then faster on the second?  

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[oilyrag]

Dennyboy, Are you giving the glow plugs enough time to heat up before then cranking the engine over? Should be a light that goes out to indicate that has happened .

[Dennyboy]

Hi thanks for the replies. 

there is power to the glow plugs. I replaced them all, and tested them.

I turn the key 2 times leaving it for 5-10 seconds before starting, I don't have a glow plug light on the dash? 

The Starter motor turns like the battery is flat the first time, but kicks into life straight away on the second.

[cancunia]

Worth waiting for JJ9's thoughts but it may well be the brushes in your starter motor are worn out. There are 2 options, repair the old starter or replace it.

[jj9]

cancunia, you read my thoughts    

Yes, it sounds like you have a bit of a lazy starter motor going on there.

The 1.9d's were often quite heavy on starter motors, this was often caused if the glow plugs were past their best so the engine required a bit of winding before starting, this resulted in a lot of wear & tear on the starter motor, both on the brushes and on the solenoid contacts.

I seem to recall cancunia refurbishing a starter motor some time back so he will tell you it's not that hard to do if you fancy getting your hands dirty. 

It's also worth checking the cable contacts on the starter motor to make sure they are nice and clean with no corrosion.

No glow plug light on the dash, that could be the bulb out, but I wouldn't worry about that, they bear little resemblance to what the glow plugs are actually doing. 


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[geoff]

I'd physically check the connections on the starter motor are clean and tight first of all as the motor and connections are very very easy to get to.

If you are able to / know how to use a meter to check for voltage drop in the starter motor supply and earth lines then I'd do that as well, if not sure of this procedure just do the above ^^^

Next I'd remove the starter motor and check the epicyclic drive and clean / lube with moly grease as they can dry up and stiffen with age which also contributes to a slow starter.

Cheap easy stuff first is my motto and often it will cure your ills.

[cancunia]

Yep, on my first Berlingo 2.0Hdi I changed the brushes on the original starter motor when it was sow to start in cold weather. It cost about £12 IIRC and there was a really good guide on Youtube about how to do it. It took about an hour in addition to the removal / reinstall of the starter & the starter worked like new afterwards.
Others have opted for a new more powerful starter which costs something like £70-80

Geoff's point is also worth checking, as he says it's cheap n easy to check the connections. A quick test that the battery earth is good to put a jump lead from the battery negative to the engine / gearbox body.

Old school stuff, oft forgotten these days!