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[twiglet]

The old cavvy that I use for work has developed a rather annoying fault...

When I first turn on the ignition from cold (say first thing in the morning), the glow plug light comes on for a split-second, then goes off again.  If I turn the key off and on again, it does the same thing again.  The only way I can get the light to stay on (and actual get the the glow plugs hot) is to turn the engine over briefly.

This has to be an electrical problem...

Any ideas? 

[Marks DTM Calib]

Glow plug relay faulty......how well does it start when its cold and when were the inlet shims last adjusted

[twiglet]

If I coax it into letting the plug light stay on properly, it starts on the button.

No idea on the inlet shims... I had the car 6 months and done 10k in it.... tell me more! 

[twiglet]

Update...

Got in the car tonight, and the battery was too flat for the car to start (engine only just turned over, but not quick enough to fire).

This is a problem I had 3 months ago. Back then I replaced the alternator and battery. I also put a volt meter in the car so I could monitor the charging voltage.

Everything has been fine for 3 months, but now it seems I'm back to square one! One I jump started the car, I was getting between 12.5 and 13 volts on the meter on the way home. Once I got home, I killed the engine, and it restarted on the turn of the key!

I can only think that I must have a drain somewhere, and I keep thinking its related to the issue with the glow plugs...

Please can someone help before I go completely insane!!! 

I have a complete spare set of relays, so if someone can tell me which one is the golow plug relay, at least I can swap that out for starters. 

[Lazydocker]

Update...

Got in the car tonight, and the battery was too flat for the car to start (engine only just turned over, but not quick enough to fire).

This is a problem I had 3 months ago. Back then I replaced the alternator and battery. I also put a volt meter in the car so I could monitor the charging voltage.

Everything has been fine for 3 months, but now it seems I'm back to square one! One I jump started the car, I was getting between 12.5 and 13 volts on the meter on the way home. Once I got home, I killed the engine, and it restarted on the turn of the key!

I can only think that I must have a drain somewhere, and I keep thinking its related to the issue with the glow plugs...

Please can someone help before I go completely insane!!! 

I have a complete spare set of relays, so if someone can tell me which one is the golow plug relay, at least I can swap that out for starters. 

ISTR that there is also a separate charging relay on those too :-/ :-/

Long time since I owned mine (although it did go from 70k to 370k in my ownership ) and I replaced 2 alternators before I found that out at a cost of about £300+VAT each

[twiglet]

Hey Paul, I should have known that you'd have the answers!!

I'm sure I've changed the charging relay (its black and is hidden up behind the dash to the right side of the drivers foot well??) It's only there to bring the dash lights on if the alternator fails I think.

So where is the glow plug relay?

[Andy B]

Hey Paul, I should have known that you'd have the answers!!

I'm sure I've changed the charging relay (its black and is hidden up behind the dash to the right side of the drivers foot well??) It's only there to bring the dash lights on if the alternator fails I think.

So where is the glow plug relay?

There's something finned to do with the glowplugs clipped to the battery tray of my GM engined 1700 low blow X17DTI Astra.  :-/

[Lazydocker]

Hey Paul, I should have known that you'd have the answers!!

I'm sure I've changed the charging relay (its black and is hidden up behind the dash to the right side of the drivers foot well??) It's only there to bring the dash lights on if the alternator fails I think.

So where is the glow plug relay?

Pass... Haven't owned an Izuzu engined car for about 10 years!

[twiglet]

Hey Paul, I should have known that you'd have the answers!!

I'm sure I've changed the charging relay (its black and is hidden up behind the dash to the right side of the drivers foot well??) It's only there to bring the dash lights on if the alternator fails I think.

So where is the glow plug relay?

Pass... Haven't owned an Izuzu engined car for about 10 years!

Next question then Paul...

Do you know of a good (cheap) auto electrician around our way? 

[Lazydocker]

Hey Paul, I should have known that you'd have the answers!!

I'm sure I've changed the charging relay (its black and is hidden up behind the dash to the right side of the drivers foot well??) It's only there to bring the dash lights on if the alternator fails I think.

So where is the glow plug relay?

Pass... Haven't owned an Izuzu engined car for about 10 years!

Next question then Paul...

Do you know of a good (cheap) auto electrician around our way? 

Nope... Much as I detest auto electrics I tend to do my own! Just a thought though, check the condition of the crimps on the battery terminals.

I'll ask around for a spark for you

[Marks DTM Calib]

I was getting between 12.5 and 13 volts on the meter on the way home.

Thats to low so check the alternator connections, battery connections and engine ground strap.

The alternators are not cheap due to the presence of the vac pump on the back of them.

[Marks DTM Calib]

Ow yes, the shims.

The valve clearances are set on this power unit using shims. Over time the valves (normaly the inlets) recess slightly and the valve clearances drop. This has two key affects:

1) Cold starting gets harder as the valves are slightly open and hence compression is lost

2) Power drops

Idealy they need checking every 40K miles.

[hoofing it]

I was getting between 12.5 and 13 volts on the meter on the way home.

Thats to low so check the alternator connections, battery connections and engine ground strap.

The alternators are not cheap due to the presence of the vac pump on the back of them.

If memory serves me wright is there not and oil feed pipe at the back of the alternator thats prown to leaking oil into the alternator :-/

[twiglet]

I was getting between 12.5 and 13 volts on the meter on the way home.

Thats to low so check the alternator connections, battery connections and engine ground strap.

The alternators are not cheap due to the presence of the vac pump on the back of them.

If memory serves me wright is there not and oil feed pipe at the back of the alternator thats prown to leaking oil into the alternator :-/

Got underneath the car today to check the oil lines, and all is well.  No signs of a leak anywhere, and the alternator is bone dry!

While I was there, I changed all the relays in the black box in the engine bay, hoping that one of these might be the glow plug relay.

I have now noticed that when I turn the ignition on, something seems to be holding down the battery voltage to about 10v for around 5 seconds.  Then a 'click' can be heard, and the battery voltage rises to just over 12v as it should be.  Is this the glow plug circuit pulling the voltage down, or something else?? 

[Lazydocker]

Could well be... Just out of interest, is the battery definitely good?

As for the shims... I never had to adjust mine but it was well maintained and did mainly long journeys