2017 2.0 Starting issue

[Thugster69]

Hi all,

Been running transits for years and often found answers on here for my van problems but never posted before...

But now need some idea's for a solution...

Vehicle is a 2017 RWD dropside 2.0 - about 85k miles

Issue is with starting from cold, the only way to get it going is to switch the ignition on, leave it for a min, switch it off and repeat the process around 4-5 times. After this then crank the engine and it will hesitantly start up firing first on one cylinder then two then away you go after about 10 seconds. If you try and start before this process then you do not have a hope of it starting.

Once its running it drives perfect and once warm starts first turn of the key.

Changed glow plugs, swapped glow plug module, changed low pressure lift pump in tank, tried everything obvious on the forscan software but don't really know enough about the software so not delved too much into it.

Seems fuel related but taken it to three garages and no one can come up with a fix. We have been told everything from compression issues, glow plug problems, ECU problems, low pressure fuel pump problems, wiring issue's, etc etc.

So, if anyone has any idea on what to start looking for then please let me know before I set fire to it..

Thanks in advance..

No fault codes.

[Thugster69]

Oh yeah, forgot to mention..

It will bump start when cold almost immediately without an issue...

[dieseldel]

i am a transit specialist and these 2.0 mk 8s are coming in thick and fast, we are finding head gasket failures are common but valve seat failure even more so , seems as if the seats are made of a material that becomes porous, re-cutting is impossible replacement seats only option. fitting better quality seats, a light skim, new quality head gasket, new bolts, and bingo instant starting

[Thugster69]

i am a transit specialist and these 2.0 mk 8s are coming in thick and fast, we are finding head gasket failures are common but valve seat failure even more so , seems as if the seats are made of a material that becomes porous, re-cutting is impossible replacement seats only option. fitting better quality seats, a light skim, new quality head gasket, new bolts, and bingo instant starting

Thanks for the quick response..

Sounds like you know what you are talking about and I was hoping it would be something else but it makes sense...

One more question.... why does leaving the ignition on for 5 mins get it started, that part makes no sense to me at all....???

[k33gan11]

dieseldel, Ive the same issue and from Blackpool and looking for your contact details if possible please

[k33gan11]

i am a transit specialist and these 2.0 mk 8s are coming in thick and fast, we are finding head gasket failures are common but valve seat failure even more so , seems as if the seats are made of a material that becomes porous, re-cutting is impossible replacement seats only option. fitting better quality seats, a light skim, new quality head gasket, new bolts, and bingo instant starting

Whats the cosy for this

[alex.hulme]

Hi, ive the same starting issue on 2018 2.0l on just over 70000 been having for a few months. Originally told a injector issue so went to a specialist and now there saying they suspect low on compression although they not done a compression test!?
has anybody tried what 'dieseldel' says and have you had good results? Anywhere to get done in the NW?

[Roberto1983]

Hi do you find what problem was with your bad start. I have exactly the same problem with my van.

[PH318]

Hi all, Paul the newbie here, I have a 2017 2.0 Transit Custom and I'm experiencing the same problem.

It may well turn out to be low compression or porous valve seats, however I'm sure I'm not the only one been googling until my fingers bleed, only to find posts with no outcome reported by the original thread starter.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE can anyone who owns a 2.0 Transit Custom let us know the outcome if you have had similar problems?

I'm not doubting the advice given above, I'm just interested in hearing from van owners if they can report in, especially if they had a different solution.

Thanks a lot in advance

[metalworker0]

see this thread ..some models had bore wash and diluted oil problem -- that i think lead to this

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=230286&p=1857019&hilit=dilution#p1857019


all the best.mark

[PH318]

see this thread ..some models had bore wash and diluted oil problem -- that i think lead to this

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=230286&p=1857019&hilit=dilution#p1857019


all the best.mark

Thanks Mark!

Sorry it's taken a while to get back on here but my van is doing my head in so I tend to leave it the moment until I have more time to play.

That said, SOME NEW NEWS......

Before I get to that I just want to point out a few things.

My van runs perfectly, and always has, apart from when the usual injector problems started, so over boosting codes popped up and it would go into limp mode.
I quickly changed all 4 injectors with genuine ones, coded them in and no issues at all, apart from this weird starting issue began.

Now I know some people may have had bore wash but I'm convinced I haven't and for a few reasons.....

1st, I changed the injectors pronto...
2nd, I have never had any signs of oil dilution , no odor of diesel in oil, no rising oil level, nothing.....
3rd, it doesn't use a drop of oil....
4th, every now and then (maybe 1 in 50) the van just fires straight up as normal, so it can't be lack of compression causing the excessive cranking, can it....?

Getting on towards the NEW NEWS. I can manipulate it to aid starting by flicking the key off and back on quickly after the glow plug light goes off.
I know the glow system does other stuff after the light off and looking at the voltages, what mine does is around 9 volts when the light is on the dashboard and then it drops to 4 volts for a while, before dropping right off after that.

My thinking is that by keeping the 9 volts more prevalent, the plugs will glow better and aid starting more....? Anyhow it definitely has a positive effect on starting.

THEN YESTERDAY SOMETHING NEW HAPPENED!!!

I was moving my van in the yard. I went to start it using my "flick on and off 6 times" system.
It didn't start. What I did notice was that the glow light only stayed on for around 1 to 2 seconds , instead of the usual longer stint..

Now usually the glow system knocks off after around 6 or 7 goes and loads of cranking, however, this time I just tried it again about 30 seconds after it's last go (when it stopped the dash light coming on etc) and....

SOMETHING NEW HAPPENED!!!

The glow light stayed on for a long time, the van fired up instantly!

This has left me wondering if it's an electrical fault and if it's possible that when the injectors had their episode, could the ECU compensate and possibly need a software update?

Could it just be coincidental and the glow plug control unit is faulty, although no errors.... would it throw one up?

I've seen ECU's need replacing before and they don't throw up a code or tell you....?

I have no further experience of this apart from the wife's Fiesta TDCI had something going on a that turned out to just need a software update.

I might be on to something, or not. I'm just not convinced mine has bore wash.

Hopefully one of you that has a deeper understanding of the specific systems on these Transit Custom vans might be able to shed more light on these symptoms/behaviors?

Thanks
Paul

[metalworker0]

You can see here ..similar glow plug problems which at first i didn't understand ,..as glow plugs are wired differently now to what they were 15 years ago.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=230223&p=1856751&hilit=glow+plugs#p1856751

see his final answer

I don't see in your posts that you have taken them out to test them

The 2.2 and 2.4 transits, i hear ..even if the glow plugs fail it still starts quickly and they are there to make it fire up efficiently with no wasted fuel clouds ..

The 2.0 ecoblue may be different and may depend on them ..

There isn't a guru here yet who knows these ecoblue engines inside out, if didn't answer, then may be no one else would ...most problems have been with the wetbelts, adblue, dpfs stop/ start batteries etc, hardly anything to draw on for information .


all the best.mark

[PH318]

Thanks again Mark.

No, I just haven't made any time to test further yet.

I'm old school so anything beyond a relay, testing the resistance, or with a battery is new to me.

What I mean is I don't have experience of a "glow plug control module", so if they can detect different issues and switch on the voltage for longer it's all new to me.

All I know so far is as mentioned, the dash light seems to indicate the 9 volt phase, and if it's on for long enough it seems to start ok, or better.

I'll get the plugs tested eventually and report in again....

Cheers
Paul

[thebrownyfamily]

Hi guys ive got the same issuse, I don't know how to resolve it yet or if anyone know how to, but basically the injectors are opening up randomly these can be confirmed with a noid light

So you go to your van after leaving it for a few days and try starting it and it a nightmare to start key on and off turn turn turn, if you do this process with a noid
light attached your see the min the truck try's to fire the noid light will be working, when it not trying the light will be very dim or not a all meaning the injectors are no opening, the minute you have it running it will start every time no problem until to leave it for 24hours that back to the same problem.

does anyone have anything to add?

Ive spent 10k for 4 different places who were ment to fix it including fords, and a diesel specialist, but no one can work it out

[metalworker0]

The leaving for a few days suggests to me battery drain, voltage, problem.
Not many people know, that with a modern vehicle, its critical to have the full 12 volts or over coming out of the battery...any lower and the systems and modules act up. they will not work on 11.5 volts

So after a few days. test the voltage before you start it up ..if it's low then your onto a battery or charging or draining problem, the draining problem may be due to the alarm immobiliser using precocious power battery needs at the end of its useful life and unable to cope. it starts within the 24 hours because the alternator has freshly topped the battery up.

A tip i can give you is what Paul is doing above, switching the key on and off operates the glow plugs for a few seconds ..doing it a few times gets them good and hot ..but don't make a habit of it as it may shorten their life.

all the best.mark