Lumberjackwhite
Member Since: 29 Jan 2012
Location: Staffordshire
Posts: 506
  
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| A cheap way of replacing the dreaded glow plugs... |
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Hi all, hope you're well.
Unfortunately it's that time of year again that my 05 Disco won't start.
Has anyone discovered a cheaper than £2500 way of replacing the glow plugs?
A very late for work Landy owner.
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 3rd Dec 2014 9:52 am |
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discoteca
Member Since: 08 Mar 2010
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 1477
  
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No, but when the same started to happen on my previous D3 I added a BAS FBH remote so I could warm the engine in advance. If your FBH is working its a relatively inexpensive solution where you know you will be leaving in half hours time. I did it whilst considering what to do about the glow plugs but in the end sold the D3 in the spring (and yes I did tell the purchaser that they needed doing!)
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| 3rd Dec 2014 10:04 am |
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M3DPO
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: Notts.
Posts: 8109
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Fit a dual battery system and use both batteries when starting from cold, two batteries will turn the engine over faster and should improve cold starting, you could try it first with some HD jump leads  It can when others can't,
It will when others won't,
It goes where others don't.
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| 3rd Dec 2014 10:10 am |
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discoteca
Member Since: 08 Mar 2010
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 1477
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Flack beat me to it 
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| 3rd Dec 2014 10:13 am |
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blue meanie
D3 Decade
Member Since: 04 Aug 2005
Location: Newbury
Posts: 6861
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I gad a similar cold starting problem a couple of years ago when I suspected the GP's were at fault;
> I have dual batteries - made no difference, would just crank away for ages ....
> I have a remote for the FBH -not a special BAS one but has done it's job for several years nicely
Starting problem would only happen below about 3C, so I assumed it was the glowplugs, it went into the dealers and a crankshaft position sensor fault was diagnosed; they changed it and the problem went away (all sorted under LR extended warranty). I can only assume that when the temp is below a certain level that something shrunk and a tolerance was breached. Not amazingly helpful for you I know as the sensor isn't exactly cheap to change either but it would definitely be worth getting error codes checked before assuming it is actually the GP's IMO and theeeeennn......???
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| 3rd Dec 2014 10:23 am |
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Lumberjackwhite
Member Since: 29 Jan 2012
Location: Staffordshire
Posts: 506
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Thank you for the replies so far, folks. It's much appreciated.
I've just been made redundant and this couldn't have come at a worse time 
Flack, can you please explain how the FBH would do the job that the glow plugs won't?
(I just want to make sure I get this right as money is tight!)
DM
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| 3rd Dec 2014 11:20 am |
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johnnychainsaw
Member Since: 24 Nov 2009
Location: West Sussex
Posts: 1222
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Basically the fbh will warm your engine before you start it, so long as you activate it 30mins before hand. I had the remote installed last year and it definitely does the job and the bonus is your heater will be blowing warm air as soon as you start the engine
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| 3rd Dec 2014 12:21 pm |
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Lumberjackwhite
Member Since: 29 Jan 2012
Location: Staffordshire
Posts: 506
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Thanks Johnny.
How much fuel does it use?
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| 3rd Dec 2014 12:36 pm |
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Moo
D3 Decade
Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 13912
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Not enough to notice.
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| 3rd Dec 2014 12:40 pm |
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Lumberjackwhite
Member Since: 29 Jan 2012
Location: Staffordshire
Posts: 506
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I've read before that FBHs haven't started up.
Why is this?
Is there something I need to check on my Disco to ensure that the remote will work?
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| 3rd Dec 2014 1:08 pm |
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Scarab
Member Since: 11 Jun 2011
Location: Hastings
Posts: 1283
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Wait for a cold morning (below 9 deg)
Start the car up (assuming it does  ) and lift the bonnet. If It's a very cold morning you'll see exhaust smoke coming from the wheelarch under the FBH. It's the thing on the right hand side of the engine, forward of the battery box with its own little exhaust.
After a few minutes carefully feel the exhaust pipe, if theres no smoke that is, to check if it's on - if you've got the smoke from the wheelarch then it's fine and it's started.
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| 3rd Dec 2014 1:15 pm |
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J@mes
Member Since: 10 Nov 2008
Location: Bomber County
Posts: 4547
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FBH Controller did nothing to help mine start when it had 4 plugs down!
But if you want to try it and if money is tight you can make one for about £80 - all you need is a box, (£5) an RF plip off ebay (£10) and a webasto timer (£55), some 3 core flex (£1/meter), an inline vehicle fuse (£2) and about an hour of your time.
Instructions are available in the Wiki.
I just sold one in the FS section last week actually  2014 D4 XS
2005 D3 SE - Gone
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| 3rd Dec 2014 1:18 pm |
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Navigator
Member Since: 17 Mar 2010
Location: Stay at Home. One of the lives you save could be your own.
Posts: 5104
 
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M3DPO wrote:Fit a dual battery system and use both batteries when starting from cold
I remember Ford using dual batteries to start rally cars. It worked very well, except that as they used the batteries in series (that is 24 volts) on a 12 volt starter they replaced a lot of starters. A vaccine does not stop you catching a virus, or passing it on, or getting ill from it, really ill. It does reduce the likelyhood of you dying when really, really ill. Stay Alive - KEEP AWAY FROM PEOPLE.
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| 3rd Dec 2014 1:33 pm |
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Lumberjackwhite
Member Since: 29 Jan 2012
Location: Staffordshire
Posts: 506
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J@mes wrote:FBH Controller did nothing to help mine start when it had 4 plugs down!
This is what concerns me.
I can pay the circa £250 for a remote but if it doesn't work it's going to leave me in a whole heap of unessecary sh*t.
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| 3rd Dec 2014 1:46 pm |
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