do I have to wait before firing up??!

[jadefox]

I just had this really random thought, and you'll all know how blonde I am when I ask it - but....Old diesels use to have a little light on the dash which had to turn off before you fired them up...do the new ones have that too? After driving a petrol for so long I haven't even given that a second thought - am I ok to just turn the key without looking for a light?

 

[tikw2124]

Hi Jade, not an expert but, my 270 Cdi (2002) has the 'Glow' plug light (Orange) which should go out within a couple of seconds, well mine does.
Hope this helps.

 

[sweeper]

I just had this really random thought, and you'll all know how blonde I am when I ask it - but....Old diesels use to have a little light on the dash which had to turn off before you fired them up...do the new ones have that too? After driving a petrol for so long I haven't even given that a second thought - am I ok to just turn the key without looking for a light?

They do still have a light, and you should wait for it, however, modern direct injection engines do not need so much preheating and will start no problem at temperatures down to freezing without waiting.
I, and i'm sure many others, turn the key and wait a second or two before starting even in a petrol, this gives all the electronics time to boot up, and although not strictly neccessary i feel happier doing this. (so how blonde are you? i think that was a good question, so my guess is you're not a true blonde?)

 

[jadefox]

Thanks Keith!

And Sweeper, thanks for your reply - and I am indeed not all that blonde, although my husband wouldn't say that....he's say paroxide!!

 

[BTB 500]

Some diesel auto M-Bs have "touch start" where you just momentarily flick the key to the 'start' position, then you can let go and it will spin it over until running. Found this in my Vito's handbook

 

[jadefox]

I think mine might have that, I thought it turned itself on really 'oddly' when it first turned over! It kind of did it without me really having to push the key....so it might be that I do have that.

 

[kwakdonut]

It does - my winter cold start operation is.... key in, turn on, wait for glow plug light to go out, start engine, idle for 15 secs to allow oil to circulate. drive and enjoy....!!!

 

[recycled]

mine is buy a petrol and save yourself the hassle of waiting for a light.
there are enough lights as it is
:bannana: :bannana:

 

[Bazzle]

It will heat up on the autostart feature.
Just turn key fully on and let go

Bazzle

 

[jadefox]

Just another observation about the starting.....

Occasionslly, I turn the key and it doesn't actually do anything (no turn over or engine.... nothing.) This is always resolved by turning the key back again waiting for the light, then its fine. I had put this down to me not waiting for the light, though I'm not 100% sure this is when it happens. Hubby has said this has happened to him only a couple of times, but its when he turns it straight on from the wrong position (without waiting for the light).

Not sure if anyone else has experienced this?

 

[BlackC55]

Some diesel auto M-Bs have "touch start" where you just momentarily flick the key to the 'start' position, then you can let go and it will spin it over until running. Found this in my Vito's handbook

All auto MB's with the DAS 3 key (electronic one) have tip-start.

 

[glojo]

We had this debate a month or so ago when some owners of new Mercedes diesel powered cars\4x4's were complaining how these vehicles might not start instantly when cold. These folks had failed to read their handbooks and were not allowing the glow plug to go out. This act only takes the briefest of moments and will not cause any delay, so yes our cars do have a glo plug facility.

Regards
John

 

[panason1c]

Just another observation about the starting.....

Occasionslly, I turn the key and it doesn't actually do anything (no turn over or engine.... nothing.) This is always resolved by turning the key back again waiting for the light, then its fine. I had put this down to me not waiting for the light, Not sure if anyone else has experienced this?

That is nothing to do with waiting for the light, it should turn over whether you wait for the light or not...

CDI engines do not need glow plugs when starting, they are only there for cold start 'cleaner' emmisions.

Read the manual for a 270CDI and it states ..'if the engine is at normal temp the engine can be started without the use of preglow'..........having said that i always start mine without waiting when it's cold (and it gets very cold here in winter) and it starts immediately without waiting for the light to go out which proves.

Hope this helps.

 

[BTB 500]

CDI engines do not need glow plugs when starting, they are only there for cold start 'cleaner' emmisions.

Read the manual for a 270CDI and it states ..'if the engine is at normal temp the engine can be started without the use of preglow'

Mine says

Diesel engine: turn the key to position 2 in the ignition lock.

The preglow indicator lamp in the instrument cluster lights up.

As soon as the preglow indicator lamp goes out, turn the key to position 3 in the ignition lock and release it as soon as the engine is running.

You can start the engine without preglow when the engine is warm.

That's not quite the same as you were saying.

 

[panason1c]

BTB 500,
As you will see if you re-read my original post, i re-read my manual and corrected/edited my post prior to you posting.

Waiting for the light to go out is only for emmision requirements, it lessens the amount of smoke on start-up......but it makes no difference as to whether the engine will start or not, unlike non-cdi engines.

 

[glojo]

BTB 500,
As you will see if you re-read my original post, i re-read my manual and corrected/edited my post prior to you posting.

Waiting for the light to go out is only for emmision requirements, it lessens the amount of smoke on start-up......but it makes no difference as to whether the engine will start or not, unlike non-cdi engines.

From a very cold start there is no doubt, no doubt whatsoever that the pre-glow on a modedrn CDi engine will assist at start up. Once the engine is warm then I fully agree that there is no benefit in waiting. The smoke at start up is caused by the fuel not igniting. Use the glow plug and hey presto, no smoke. Nothing to do with emission controls per sea.

John

 

[jadefox]

Yes but that's what I'm saying, sometimes the car will just not do anything after I have inserted the key and waited for the light to go off - I put it into the second click along (which is the one were you wait for the glow light to go off) and then click it once more to turn the car over and nothing happens! It tends to be when the car has been standing overnight, or for a long period. As I said, then I turn the key right back to the off position and repeat the process and it's absolutely fine and fires with no hesitation....

 

[glojo]

Yes but that's what I'm saying, sometimes the car will just not do anything after I have inserted the key and waited for the light to go off - I put it into the second click along (which is the one were you wait for the glow light to go off) and then click it once more to turn the car over and nothing happens! It tends to be when the car has been standing overnight, or for a long period. As I said, then I turn the key right back to the off position and repeat the process and it's absolutely fine and fires with no hesitation....

Hi Jade,
What your describing is a seperate issue and one that might need further thought. Some cars might require the foot being placed on the footbrake and others might need the vehicle to be in Park etc. If it were an electrical fault, I would expect the symptoms to be more regular. Keep us informed and hopefully someone will come up with a better response.

regards
John

 

[jadefox]

Thanks John

Emma

 

[panason1c]

Use the glow plug and hey presto, no smoke. Nothing to do with emission controls per sea.
John

The point i was making was that a cdi engine will always start from cold without waiting for the glowplug light to extinguish, even if the glowplugs circuit was disabled the engine would still cold-start..

As for you saying that the glowplugs are nothing to do with emmisions...not true......here is part of the article in the link below.....

..."Because of this, some engines require that these glow plugs continue to operate even when engine is already running to regulate emission.

Among the automakers who also include these glow plugs in the vehicles they make is Mercedes Benz. Being a German automaker who lives in a country where cold season comes and go, they made their Mercedes Benz Glow Plug to be precisely engineered to work in this season and to reduce emissions and attain a significant fuel economy"....

http://www.guang-an.com/Directory/articles/1173.html