When the Astra went in for its MoT on Thursday 17th Jan, the engine was running fine and the test was passed with flying colours. The next day, I noticed that the engine was more hesitant to pick up when I started it; it seemed to improve after a few minutes running, so I was able to drive it into town. Then the snow followed and I didn’t drive it again until today.
When I attempted to start it this morning, it would run for a few seconds, and then die; it wouldn’t even tolerate a gentle dab on the throttle. This happened 6 or 7 times before I could manage to keep it going – I say ‘keep it going’, but it wasn’t running well (running on 3 cylinders?) and when I put a few revs on, there were clouds of white smoke. It wasn’t at all happy so we quickly decided to use my wife’s car instead.
I daren’t use it for a journey, and clearly an investigation is needed. I just wonder if it had been upset by its earlier visit to the garage – ISTR something about problems being caused by the high revs required for part of the emissions test in the MoT. I’ve checked under the bonnet and there’s nothing obviously wrong e.g. water coolant level is fine.
Before I phone the garage, I wonder if anyone has any suggestions as to what the problem might be? [Please don’t just say “it’s a Vauxhall” ;-)]
Cheers Haywain
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Its possible its slipped a tooth on the cam belt?
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Thanks, Z, but afaik, it's a chain on this engine.
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Technically, the next step is a compression test.
The smoking indicates that the fuel is being injected, so, poor compression would explain the poor starting, running, and the smoke.
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Thanks, NC, the smoke did smell very 'diesely'.
In my usual 'glass is half-empty' way, I wonder if they managed to bust a piston-ring during the emissions test.
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Actually it is not a Vauxhall .The engine fitted to these is the Fiat multijet model,notoriously unreliable mainly due to a very poor timing chain set up.Very common for the chain to jump or break .These engines rarely do more than around 70k without major issues.Have you checked the oil level to see if it is reading over the max point?hth
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Glowplug/s. If all 4 aren't working in sync it becomes hard to start and displays the symptoms you describe.
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>>Glowplug/s
With direct injection engines, the glowplugs don't have such a strong effect anymore.
Short of extreme cold conditions, they aren't needed for starting, for example, whereas an older indirect injection engine would struggle to start without them even in the UK.
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"Actually it is not a Vauxhall .The engine fitted to these is the Fiat multijet model,notoriously unreliable"
Yes, I know they are Fiat engines uprated from 70 to 90ps. Like Briggs & Strattons, there are millions of them about - most work well and some don't.
I check the oil level regularly. In 10,000 miles, it barely moves.
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>> Thanks, Z, but afaik, it's a chain on this engine.
Correct.
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This get stranger....... I managed to keep the engine running at about the 3rd attempt this morning. It was still giving out white smoke and firing erratically; it had little power and would only build up revs slowly. With some trepidation, I drove it off the estate wondering if it would make it round a usually busy roundabout. The turbo normally kicks in at about 17/1800 revs, and that didn't seem to be happening. Slowly, it got up to about 3000 revs when the engine picked up, almost like something being unbunged, and it continued down to the garage appearing to run absolutely normally.
At the garage, I stopped and started the engine again - no problem; the engine sounded fine. The chap checked the hoses (they had changed the fuel filter at the service) and all seemed good. He plugged in the black box - and it didn't come up with any fault codes.
I decided to leave the car there overnight so they can check it in the morning from cold. Bit of a mystery!
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>> The chap checked the hoses (they had changed the fuel filter at the
>> service) and all seemed good. He plugged in the black box - and it didn't
>> come up with any fault codes.
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Did he check the turbo/intercooler pipes?
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"Did he check the turbo/intercooler pipes?"
Mmm, I think he did.
The engine ran fine before the service, the symptoms started happening immediately afterwards which makes me think that something had been disturbed. As the fuel filter was changed, my thoughts go back to a leak somewhere around there.
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The lack of fault codes is intriguing, wonder if the exhaust was blocked. Does it sound different?
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>> The lack of fault codes is intriguing
Not if the car/spanner fault light, or the emmissions fault light didn't come on.
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>> >> The lack of fault codes is intriguing
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>> Not if the car/spanner fault light, or the emmissions fault light didn't come on.
Sigh
The lack of car/spanner/emissions light with its subsequent fault codes is intriguing.
I would guess an airlock.
Last edited by: Zero on Mon 28 Jan 13 at 13:00
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These have had a few issues with the turbo wastegate actuator rod sticking.The pivot point seizes .There is a mod to free off the joint and use some aniti seize compound.hth
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Sticking Egr valve also springs to mind.
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As the engine is now running okay, I think you can rule out a fundamental mechanical problem such as valve timing or compression, although an intermittently sticking component is of course possible.
What's needed now is for live data from the car's systems to be checked and monitored for any irregularities, and a full check of the integrity of the wiring. I reckon this is electrical.
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>>These have had a few issues with the turbo wastegate actuator rod sticking
I thought diesels didn't have wastegates?
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Well, here we go - I went down to collect the car this afternoon and it seems fine - but we'll have to see how it starts from cold in the morning.
For 6 years, the car had always started perfectly so logic suggests that something must have happened during the service/changing of fuel filter/MoT. At first, the guys suspected a faulty fuel filter but, after changing it, cold starting became no easier.
Apparently the problem was caused by a build up of carbon in the air-intake - not sure which bit that is, but I'm told it's a relatively narrow pipe. The suspicion is that some of this was dislodged during revving the engine for the emissions test in the MoT. Anyway, this has all been cleaned out now so, hopefully, it should start OK in the morning!
I tend to try to stick on 2000 revs, i.e. just below 70mph in 6th, without revving beyond, say, 3000 when changing up. So - I need to thrash it a bit more - this will greatly amuse my son!
Over the past year or so, I became aware of an engine vibration/stuttering passing through around 1700rpm. Others have reported this too with the 1.3 diesel, though no one seems to have found an answer. It will be interesting to see if that phenomenon could also be connected to the air intake.
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>>Apparently the problem was caused by a build up of carbon in the air-intake
The only way I can think of carbon obstructing an air intake would be by EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation).
Just floor it every now and then until it hits the rev limiter. It's quite benign in a diesel.
I may have maligned carmalade previously with my reference to diesels not having wastegates. Let's presume he meant EGR valves. His later suggestion of a sticking EGR valve could mean it may be worth having it cleaned.
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I called at the garage again today and the chap confirmed that the problem was caused by bunging up of the EGR system, as BT mooted.
I'm delighted to add that, not only was the starting issue sorted out, but the vibration as the car passed through c1700revs seems to have disappeared and the car simply pulls away a lot better.
I have only ever heard positive things said about the garage, CD Friend in Bury St Edmunds, and I would recommend them to anyone. [I should add that I have no relationship with them other than that of a satisfied customer]
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Vauxhall Astra H estate - 07 1.3 TDCi Poor starting/running..... - Zero
