Ford Transit Connect 2004 Starting problem

[bayhota]

right been having this problem with a ford transit connect. On cold mornings the van with turn over but wont start. Ive changed heater plugs on it, air filter, diesel filter, had it connected to the machine to see if there was a electrical problem, but there wasnt, tested the battery, diesel pump etc . So basically for the past 7 weeks its been a pain the arse some mornings. When i up start it, it starts straight away, but after leaving it for a while maybe 2/3hrs it would start but not the way you would expect the van to start. Overnight on a normal morning, it might take two or three times of turning over it would start, with a heap of reek. Ive had it with several mechanics who all have checked fuels lines and what i had stated but they cant see a problem with it.

The other thing that seems to have occurred around the time when it started playing up, is that sometime when im low or slight high in the revs, the glow light would start flashing and cut out, whilst driving. But because when im driving i restart the engine, whilst out of gear it fires back up again.

Has anyone encountered similar problems? its doing my nut in even the ford mechanics dont know whats wrong with it.

[bayhota]

Basically since then I’ve had the van tested again, everything is ok so they tell me, the battery that was in the van is ok according the mechanics. But they did ask me to test the heater plugs on a morning where I would normally find it impossible to start the van. So I connected them with a circuit tester screwdriver, and this didn’t work, so this eliminated the connection from the battery to the heater plugs.

Then I changed the battery before Christmas, but because of the warm conditions the van started no problem, but during this spell of cold mornings the van is near impossible to start without jumping it. Is there anything else I could look at possibly the earthing of the battery, and would anyone one know where the two earths are?

[gt_addict]

Have you traced the wire from the glowplugs back towards the battery? Mine was broken but still regardless of weather started fine :/

[g-man]

is yours a tddi?

[bayhota]

Yeah it’s a tddi, ive traced back all the wiring from the plugs to the battery. And disconnected the wire from the battery source, and tried to start it when it was cold, without the wire but with the circuit tester and when it was warm and it didn’t start in cold and started when warm with the old battery and new battery.

Whenever I jump it, first turn its start instantally, like what you expect. So maybe the earth needs cleaned of fixed???? This is the only other thing I can think off.

[g-man]

can u get the fault codes read

[bayhota]

There is none. Ive tested it

[gt_addict]

Yep clean the earths up and give it another go.

[Altransit]

I've had this situation twice in the time I've had the TDDi Focus, and it was the starter motor both times
They start to seize up, and turn over too slowly for the engine to fire properly