Transit connect tdci cold start probs

[caterpillar]

Got an 07 connect with 97k on it. had it from new. it was 75hp but has had the ecu remapped.
starts fine above freezing but get the ambient down to zero or below and thats where the fun starts. the engine will start with a fair bit of cranking, but immediatly cuts out and your back to cranking before it does it again. easystart stops it firing at all! if your lucky it will just about catch on, eventually. (If the battery still has enough left in it) It is definately ambient temp related. If you give up with it and the temp during the day gets above freezing, it will start straight away.

[Graham Taylor]

Firstly check your glow plugs.

[caterpillar]

Glow plugs tested out ok, no probs. Engine starts but falters out.

[caterpillar]

Its had a new genuine fuel filter in the last month, injectors, (its on its 4th set) battery, egr, MAF sensor, Temp sensor. and its still not cured it. Its been like this from new. Every winter I have the same problem. can someone throw some light on this problem?

[gt_addict]

I have the same every winter aswell. Even though I changed the Glowplugs a few weeks ago (including the red wire loom and the relay) it still sounds rough in anything approaching freezing. I just drove it easy until it's warmed up a bit.

[walt1984]

Are the glow plugs getting power ?

[gt_addict]

My Glowplugs are all getting power. It has helped slightly changing the plugs but if I try and drive it over half throttle when it's approching freezing then it doesn't like it.

It's only once it's been sat overnight though. It could sit all day at the job site in cold weather and be fine at the end of the day.

[caterpillar]

Well here is the update on mine. Glowplug light started to wink now and then when the engine was running and the engine management light came on, so down to the local ford dealer for a diagnostic, turns out the fuel injector pump is kaput. Down to a mate who runs a garage, he diagnosed the same thing. I thought, well it still runs ok so I will just keep running it. Two days ago the van died on the road and I had to get towed in to my mates garage. pump off and off to the local fuel injection spacialists who told me after testing the pump that it was scrap! £830 + VAT for a replacement was best price anywhere, so I scrapped the van. end of. period. Its been an absolubte dog of a van since I bought it new. it made 97420 miles from new, thats all. Its cost me a fortune to run and repair it in the time I have owned it. I have always run Fords ever since I past my test 40 years ago but this has made me think again.
Replaced it with an 02 ford ranger truck, which is all Mazda, no common rail crap, just proper pump and injectors.

[gt_addict]

Sorry to hear that mate. You must have had a bad one. Mines done 153k now and (touch wood) no real problems just wear and tear bits.

[caterpillar]

Your a lucky feller, or im unlucky! After 10K the EGR failed and I had to have a new manifold, then again at 27K. 3 exhaust systems, 2 pairs of driveshafts, alternator, umteen genuine fuel filters at 45 quid a piece,turbo at 42k, clutch at 43K, two sets of rear wheel bearings below 50K, radiator at just over 60K, Its had two startermotors and 4 batteries, I could go on and on.

Talking to the mechanic at the post office and he told me that the postoffice connects were so bad, they cancelled all the contract orders and replaced them with Peugeots and now he sits in the workshop and drinks tea all day. If its a van for business your after? then give the connects a wide swerve.