Hi
Just out of interest, and for those knowledgeable people on here.
My Girlfriends 08 C4 is a 1.6 diesel, having driven petrol engines for most of my life I was always familiar with the fact that having a diesel meant that when you started you waited for the Glow plug light to go out and then it started.
However the C4 (which is a very nice car to drive) has no lights and starts on the key 1st time just like a petrol engine.
Is this the norm these days (am I that out of touch with advancements in car engineering)? And how does it work? What happens to the pre-heating in these cars
Many Thanks
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I have the same engine (although in a Xsara Picasso) and my experience is you might see the glowplug light come on for half a second or so on a very very cold morning; this time of year you are unlikely to ever see it on.
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Modern direct injection diesels are 'easier' to start (in terms of per-haet required) than the idirect injection engines of a few years ago - this, coupled with ceramic glowplugs that heat up in a fraction of a second rather than 7 - 10s of the old style metal ones, and possibly also putting the plugs on as soon as the door is opened means the engine will start immediately - unless it's really really cold - in which case you might need a couple of seconds of heating. And a good battery!
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I think that some diesels turn on the glow-plugs when you open the door (courtesy light switch), so that by the time you put the key in the ignition they are all but ready to ignite.
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Can turning the engine over before the glow plug light is out do any harm?
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ah, thanks for clearing that up for me
Thanks guys
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I really liked that 110hp diesel C4, a silent rocket, and went well over speed bumps too.
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My 2003 Passat sometimes showed the "glow plug light" for 3 seconds on a freezing morning in depth of winter, but my new Mondeo seems to need only a second or so even on frosty starts.
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On most modern diesels, the glowplugs are used more for post-starting emissions control than for starting in the first place. When our Scenic popped a glowplug, the starting performance was completely unaffected. Had it not been for the "Check Injection" error on the dash, I would never have known about it. As far as waiting for pre-heat before starting, I seem to remember this only happening about three times since I've owned it, and only then when it was a good few degrees below freezing. Most mornings, you press the button and it fires up in the same second or two as it does when hot.
Contrast that with my old indirect injection Mondeo TD and Peugeot 306 D Turbo, both of which needed 5-6 seconds of pre-heat on every cold start, and which were noticeably more reluctant to fire up even with one plug down, accompanied by clouds of diesel smoke out of the back when they did eventually catch.
Cheers
DP
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You should try a C15d van!, turn key pre-heat lights up, put seatbelt on, spark up ciggie, get comfortable, wait a bit, light goes out, turn key and with a puff of smoke the beast is running.
And thats in the summer, if its really cold it takes even longer.
Gotta love old diesels though, never fails to start.
CBG
Edited by corblimeyguvnar on 24/09/2008 at 11:39
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I have an old road test from 1974 of a Merc 240D, it required 75 seconds pre-heating at below 0 celsius ....
Also had a max speed of 88mph, did 0-60mph in 24 seconds, and 35mpg .... things have moved on a bit, thankfully.
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I really liked that 110hp diesel C4 a silent rocket and went well over speed bumps too.
I have to admit, its a lovely car to drive, smooth and very quiet i really like it a lot
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I've driven the car and engine on separate occasions. SWMBO had a C4 1.6 petrol as a hire car which we both thought was a brilliant bit of design and very good to drive. I've tried the 1.6 HDI 110 engine in a Peugeot 206 (a car I don't like very much) and was well impressed. I can imagine the two together make a very nice car indeed.
Cheers
DP
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it really is very nice, very comfortable and refined my girlfreinds is the auto one and while i will always prefer manual cars i do like driving it.
Edited by redlightzone on 24/09/2008 at 14:45
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