Annie T Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 We have an autotrail comanche, year of manufacture 2011 with fiat ducato engine etc. it is an automatic gearbox engine size 180bhp. We have had it in repair shop now for almost 3 weeks and still they can't sort the problem!! The ECU unit and wires burnt out and having had it replaced the gloplug light is on and won't clear. New glopugs have been fitted and various parts tried all to no avail. Has anyone else had this problem? If so how did you resolve it? HELP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolandrat Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Can it be assumed that it's still in a Fiat main agent if so did they give a reason what might have caused the problem in the first place? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
euroserv Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Hello, The glow plug light normally comes on as a result of a wiring fault so the first thing we need to establish what wiring has been damaged and replaced. There are sections of loom that go into and out of the ECU as well as into and out of the fuse box. The most likely place for a fault of this nature is the loom from the ECU to the injectors, glow plugs and loads of other items that passes from right to left over the engine and down the front. The junction under the fuse box with a blue connector is affectionately known as 'rusty junction' in the trade due to it's propensity to harbour corroded cables; this is a distinct possibility. Finally; there are a number of faults that are attributable to poor earth connections between the chassis and the gearbox. The way to test this is to run a jump lead from the earth point above the front grille to the lifting eye on the top of the engine. Try starting the engine and see if the warning is still showing "Check Glow Plugs". If not, you need an improved (additional) earth strap fitting. If it's still on the problem is in the wiring. It all depends on what has already been replaced really.... Please let us know how you get on. Nick PS; I should also add that replacing the glow plugs before looking for a wiring fault is not clever at all. The glow plugs never fail on these vans. This cannot be at a Fiat dealer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie T Posted December 2, 2014 Author Share Posted December 2, 2014 We have just come back from looking at the problem with the auto electrician at the Fiat main dealer The glowpugs were supposedly changed by the previous owner at the same garage but the garage confirms that they hadn't changed the glopugs and looking at them you can see they haven't been changed. The problem seems to be, water has been sitting in the well where the glowplugs sit. As the vehicle is nose heavy when stood, the water off the roof well has to pour over the front of the windscreen and is supposed to go down the drains at the end of the plastic cover at the base of the windscreen, this plastic cover is made up of 2 parts, sealed in the middle with a type of foam. This foam is not sufficient to stop water gathering and pouring through onto the engine block and standing there affecting the glow plugs. I could see the standing water and where it was coming through into the engine compartment, when I was asked to examine the problem. The thing that has compounded the problem is the vehicle hasn't done many miles since new (only 13,500 miles), so it has been parked for longish periods, where as if it had been run regularly the water would have evaporated with the heat of the engine etc. Looks like more expense to come The question I have is, Fiat are aware of this problem as it occurs in vans as well, so why haven't they come up with a solution to sort the problem once and for all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolandrat Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 Good point about the problem being compounded due to the low mileage and not being used regularly. As the black plastic cylinder head cowl covers the area it's not possible to see unless it's removed occasionally. I would think that many engines will have signs of water getting into the heater plug recesses especially if the engines are steam cleaned before going on sale on a forecourt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 Glow plugs?...........do modern diesels have glow plugs? 8-) .............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallii Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 pelmetman - 2014-12-03 5:41 PM Glow plugs?...........do modern diesels have glow plugs? 8-) .............. Not only do they have glow plugs but they are on a timer that keeps them on until things warm up a bit. So even if you just turn straight to start, the glow plugs will be on. I well remember starting a TVO engine on a very cold morning using a blowlamp and oil soaked rag on fire under the sump! H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
euroserv Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 Actually, for those that are interested, glow plugs are not only used for cold starts these days..... They are run from time to time as part of the process of controlling emissions too! Most modern diesels will start from cold without them and in fact normally do but they assist with the warming process just after starting and run for about 20 seconds thereafter and typically every few minutes for a couple of seconds even when warm. Just thought i would say.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 hallii - 2014-12-03 5:55 PM pelmetman - 2014-12-03 5:41 PM Glow plugs?...........do modern diesels have glow plugs? 8-) .............. Not only do they have glow plugs but they are on a timer that keeps them on until things warm up a bit. So even if you just turn straight to start, the glow plugs will be on. I well remember starting a TVO engine on a very cold morning using a blowlamp and oil soaked rag on fire under the sump! H I thought direct injection did away with glow plugs :-S ............well it did in the 90's :D ............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 euroserv - 2014-12-03 6:00 PM Actually, for those that are interested, glow plugs are not only used for cold starts these days..... They are run from time to time as part of the process of controlling emissions too! Most modern diesels will start from cold without them and in fact normally do but they assist with the warming process just after starting and run for about 20 seconds thereafter and typically every few minutes for a couple of seconds even when warm. Just thought i would say.... Aaah so it's another green gadget ;-) ....................to go wrong :D .............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolandrat Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 Glowplugs!!! Glowplugs!!! The old Gardners had to have a newspaper soaked in diesel then lit and with the air filter removed and the engine cranking over it was stuffed down the air intake. Always started first time on a freezing morning. Some times the glass diesel filter cracked in very low temperatures so it was a trip to a shop for a jar of Robertsons G W jam which was the exact size, the jam was removed and the jar was then filled with diesel, screwed into place and then the starting process began. The good old days, 38 mph with the wind behind you if you were lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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