[ShadowBeam]

I got the car just about 3 weeks ago and have been attributing it to cold starts. Temperatures have been around -1 to 5 degrees almost constantly since I got it. It cranks for about 3 seconds usually to start, but now I'm becoming a bit paranoid whether this is normal. I've never owned a diesel before so not sure if it's diesel cold start related. I know my previous petrol could sound rougher in the cold but it never took longer than a second to start.

I usually give the car 30-60s after turning the key 2 times to let the glow plugs heat up. The start itself is smoother some times and rougher others and it's never failed to start, but it's never instant unless say I've already been driving it and stopped it and for maybe up to another hour it would shorter time to start. If I stall or try starting straight after turning off for whatever other reason then it's instant.

Would like some thoughts please! Thanks!

 

[chris9568]

check the resistance on your glow plugs

 

[astraowner]

The wait time from key on to crank seems very excessive.

I would suggest key on, wait max 5 seconds and then crank it.

If the temperature is for example -5 and i get in and i just turn the key directly from "off" to "crank" the car sometimes tries to start for 3-5 seconds and then gives up.

The way i do it is :

Get in
Turn key to ignition
Put seatbelt on
Turn key to crank

When i do this, the car starts up in 1-2 seconds, but i dont see it as a problem if it sometimes does 3 seconds before startup when it is cold outside.

I dont know if you know it, but you dont have to keep the key in the crank position, you only need to turn it to crank briefly, and the car will crank until it detects the engine has fired up.

I do this....Which is a "problem" because i have now been so accustomed to doing it that i also do it in my wifes Corsa, which does not have auto-start, and need active crank position to crank

 

[Valer]

Astra K glow plug operation post 5

"Lazy" starter on bi-turbo diesel

I've had my sportstourer for about 4 months now and have noticed that it is what I would call a lazy starter. A few cranks were needed before she fired up, and even that was a bit slow in pick up to idle. What I have done in the past couple of weeks (since the cold weather hit us) is to switch...

www.astrakforums.co.uk

 

[StokeyBry]

I usually wait for the fuel pump primer to stop and the clocks have done the full rotation, and if it’s really cold just to check the glow plug light has gone off.
I have on occasion had the long 2-3 seconds start up but it’s usually down to cranking too soon and doing it as above I’ve never had the problem.

also check the battery, have a health test done to see if it’s holding its charge well enough or if it might need an overnight charge

 

[casuk]

Bit off topic but how long do you idle before you drive off for me it's around a minute

 

[astraowner]

Bit off topic but how long do you idle before you drive off for me it's around a minute

Personally i do not wait, as soon as the engine is started and i have checked that i have a clear path to reverse out of my driveway, i set off.

So from i start the car until i reverse, it rarely takes more than 5 seconds.

 

[TomB]

I have pretty much the same issue on my 1.6 biturbo. I've owned a few diesels (Opel x 5, BMW) and never encountered it before. I now do the same sort of things as mentioned above. Switch on but don't crank, fasten belt, return mirrors to "out", then crank and she fires up fairly quickly (1-2 seconds). At the present I'm willing to put it down to a quirk of this model engine.