MK2 2009 Tdci 1.8 starting problems

[cjc79]

Have recently purchased the above car as a cheap runaround...couple of issues with it including new alternator but still having a starting problem. 1st start of the day was taking between 5-10 minutes, turned over fine but no start, eventually would start accompanied by a diesel smell, would then be fine for the rest of the day, got worse over the last couple of weeks until ended up getting a tow from the RAC last week. Would not fire up with easy start and they diagnosed low feel pressure. Garage replaced the in tank fuel sender and all ok...3 days later back to not starting. Mechanic had a look this morning, cleaned fuses/relays and started straight up, suspect this problem may come back up so what could it be..fuel filter/high pressure fuel pump? Any else need checking? Thank you

[unofix]

are the Glow plugs working ?

Have you used FORScan to check for Ford specific DTC's ?

[isetta]

As per unofix, you could do with forscan software . Use in conjunction with a good fault code reader for about 20 quid. Forscan is free for windows and about a fiver for Apple/android versions. Pays for itself very quickly compared  to paying a garage to read codes.

[cjc79]

Hi...when not starting yesterday I got a P0087 Fuel rail/system pressure low, I've not rescanned today while it starts.

Re glow plugs...did suspect that but RAC advised that as it wouldn't start with Easy start that proved that the glow plugs were working...

[isetta]

I can’t really see how failing to start with easy start proves that the glow plugs work. When my previous diesel was having problems and fault code said low fuel pressure I fixed it by replacing fuel filter.  You say the sender was replaced. What was that?   Do you mean the pump in the tank?  I didn’t think they had one in the tank. But I might be wrong.    If it was just the sender to the fuel gauge then I don’t see how that would help, it just affects the fuel gauge reading, nothing else.  As far as I know the high pressure mechanical pump on the engine has to suck the fuel up all the way from the tank. If there is a slight leak in the pipe joints, filter seal etc then the fuel runs all the way back to tank when parked , sucking in air through the leak. And then it will be hard to start because of air in the pipe.   Might not be that but it has been that for many people. 

[unofix]

2 hours ago, cjc79 said:

but RAC advised that as it wouldn't start with Easy start that proved that the glow plugs were working...

Really !!!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣 all I can say is if I ever call the RAC out to my diesel I hope not to get the same guy.

So getting back to real fault finding ............

If you use FORScan then you can set up live date monitoring and monitor the fuel rail pressure 'before, during and after' starting or attempting to start the engine.

Also using FORScan you can monitor the operation of the glow plugs and see if and when they get switched on and how much current they draw.

[unofix]

FORScan: https://forscan.org/download.html

vLinker FS lead: https://www.bmdiag.co.uk/forscan-diagnostic-cable-for-ford-vgate-vlinker-fs

OR

vLinker FS lead: https://tunnelrat-electronics.fwscart.com/Vgate_vLinker_FS_USB/p4541936_21548171.aspx