Kangoo engine problem

6th March 2011, 23:25

Not a saxo... but wasn't sure where to post this and was hoping someone might be able to offer some advice

Got a kangoo 1.9 diesel. Basically every time I get in first thing in a morning, turn the ignition, glow plug/coil light comes on, goes off again, turn the key further to start the engine and it starts but idles really lumpy and the glow plug/coil light comes back on again and stays lit

then if you turn the engine off and back on again it starts fine, idles fine, drives fine and the light stays off. it's also fine all day then aswell. even after about 5 hours without starting it'll start and drive fine first time. it's just when it's been sat about 10 hours overnight i have this problem. although there has been two occasions over the last two weeks when it's started fine first time in the morning

i did try leaving the engine running one time when it was idling lumpy and the coil light had come back on and the lumpiness disappeared after a few seconds but the light stayed lit. then when i tried to drive away it was jerky and the power delivery wasn't right. so i knocked it off, started it up again and it drove fine

any ideas what it might be?

the light is same as this:

cheers, chris

6th March 2011, 23:31

could be a few things mate, i have same prob on the berlingo ive jus bought (same engine)

first port of call for me is new glow plugs, they dont last very long and i planned on replacing anyway, along with a good service.

its most probs your coilpack tbh(or moisture in), but if not done a good service or change plugs in a while or your ownership.... id do this also

7th March 2011, 11:04

Diesels work on compression, the glow plugs just help it on cold starts. I'd put it down to being cold in the morning and it struggling on that initial start up.

8th March 2011, 23:38

thanks for the replies

i've only had the van a couple of weeks, it has come with some service history so will check that and do some myself along with new glow plugs and see does that help

1st June 2011, 00:38

Fitted new glow plugs weeks ago. Didn't seem to make any difference. If anything it just made it worse...

Basically now, on a cold start, the engine will try and start for ages, during which time puffs of white smoke will come from the exhaust, then when it finally catches and starts there'll be a big cloud of white smoke and the engine will run as normal. Then it's fine starting all day until the next morning when the engine is cold again. It's like all it needs is that small amount of heat and it will start up fine no trouble

I've had a look on google and it looks like white smoke on startup is unburnt diesel fumes, which could point to a number of different problems. One is compression and therefore possibly head gasket. No mayo on the filler cap though, no oil in the coolant and the level in the header tank doesn't drop. So I'm thinking it's not that

One thing I am wondering is it could be the glow plug relay? So the glow plugs aren't working at all. Which is why changing them did nothing and why they don't seem to give the engine that bit of heat it needs to start. That bit of heat that turning the engine over a few times in the morning generates. Then that bit of heat remains all day, allowing the engine to fire up as normal despite the glow plugs not doing their job

What do you think? Any other suggestions? What do you think my next port of call should be?

Thanks in advance

Cheers, Chris

1st June 2011, 18:10

first port of call is the EGR valve well known for blocking up and throwing the engine management light on.
I think there is a vid on you tube on how to remove and clean it.

Try this before anything else as 9 out of 10 times that's all it is and it's free to clean it.

1st June 2011, 18:33

why don't you just take it to a garage and get them to plug into it to find out what that says.

2nd June 2011, 23:19

Thanks chaps will clean the egr valve then if no joy will get a code reader on it

Thanks, Chris