Yesterday I moved my fiesta in the alley as I went to pressure wash the driveway. After when I went to start it, the engine management light stayed on. Today I used a diagnostic test and it mentioned the Egr. Am then planning on cleaning the Egr but wanted other peoples thoughts. I bought the car 2 months ago and I've just been driving it in and out the driveway and in and out the alleyway and my insurance for it is starting on the 16th July which would be when it'll be properly driven on the road. The glow plugs are also going to be changed as theres smoke which comes for 10secs and it idles rough until properly warmed up which is most likely pointing to the glow plugs 

You shouldn't regularly be running a diesel on journeys of under 7 miles for just this reason.  Clean the EGR, then a good long drive to get the engine nice and hot at speed for at least an hour is what you need.

 

Check the glow plugs are getting power before spending money on new ones.  The relay that powers it fails more of then than the plugs themselves.

Thanks Jethro, my insurance for the car starts on Sunday so will have a good drive in it to empty any soot out. For the past 2 months since I've had it it's been just in and out the driveway / garage which I'm sure would of accumulated soot along with the glow plugs. If the relay of the glow plugs failed wouldn't there be an error message? May see though if all glow plugs are getting power to them. Just makes me more worried and doubt about the car

"The glow plugs are also going to be changed as theres smoke which comes for 10secs and it idles rough until properly warmed up which is most likely pointing to the glow plugs "

glow plugs can snap off when trying to undo them. if the car is usable I would probably not try messing with them. I agree that the symptoms could well be one or more glow plugs not working but the gain of fixing them is not that great (if it is usable) compared to the pain of a problem in trying to fix them.

You may well not get an EML.  There's no sensor on the plugs to report back whether or not the rail is getting voltage.

 

By diesel standards its a low compression unit and the plugs don't come on anyway until the ambient temp is quite low.  I can't recall the exact figures but its well down in single digits degrees C.

Thanks both of you. I know the risks of changing glow plugs but if any snap Im not depending on driving anywhere as I'm on holiday plus I have my other car. It'll also tell if the glow plug(s) or relay is not working. 

Just was looking at the price of the Egr valve and they are going for £100+. Just hope that the valves were unable to open due to the soot build up than the whole thing going wrong. Best just to blank it 

Repair it properly.  The EGR reduces output of the three main nitrous oxides, and pollution with these substances is linked to 20,000 deaths a year in the UK.

That does scare me Jethro, I don't know if it's just me but when I take a good breath in I don't feel satisfied. Hope my lungs aren't getting damaged from these fumes. Anyway I got the glow plugs changed. Got my dad to do it as he takes his time and managed to get them all off without snapping any. Three of them were sooty so that may explain the rough starts. Also did a service and found the diesel filter and air filter weren't done recently which upsets me as the previous owner said he did that recently. With the Egr valve my dad cleared the error code and the EML hasn't come on since. If the light comes again relating to that then may just buy a new one. Hopefully tomorrow when starting the car it will start normally with no smoke =)