Nissan Primera P12 diesel, slow starting in cold

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   Engine: F9Q
Winter is coming and I've noticed that when parked over night and outside temperatures are around 0C my engine takes longer than usual to start. Not that it's any problem, yet, but I'm thinking it might be a warning that there will be a problem starting when it gets colder.
Normally this car starts within 2 seconds holding the key in start position, even in winter. Now, at 0C outside, it takes more like 5 seconds to start. On days when outside temperature is more than 3C, it starts within 2 seconds, as normal.

I suspect the glowing system to be the cause of this. BUT, I've had a failing glow relay before, and that caused the glow indicator light to not show before starting. Now the glow indicator comes on as normal.
I've had a glow plug failure before as well. That did throw a fault code, with a red warning light in the dash. And even with a totally dead glow plug, the engine did start within the normal 2 seconds, even in -10C.

As a result of the mentioned events, I replaced all of the glow plugs and and the relay a few years ago.

As far as I know, there isn't really anything else to the glow system. What else could be causing this?
Battery is good - starter turns the engine in normal speed. Fuel filter issues should be showing other symptoms as well, which this car does not show.

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petterg Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List NPOC Guest Joined: 01 Jun 2014 Location: Norway Online Status: Points: 364	Post Options Post Reply Quote petterg Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Nissan Primera P12 diesel, slow starting in cold Posted: 16 Dec 2020 at 3:39am
	Engine: F9Q Winter is coming and I've noticed that when parked over night and outside temperatures are around 0C my engine takes longer than usual to start. Not that it's any problem, yet, but I'm thinking it might be a warning that there will be a problem starting when it gets colder. Normally this car starts within 2 seconds holding the key in start position, even in winter. Now, at 0C outside, it takes more like 5 seconds to start. On days when outside temperature is more than 3C, it starts within 2 seconds, as normal. I suspect the glowing system to be the cause of this. BUT, I've had a failing glow relay before, and that caused the glow indicator light to not show before starting. Now the glow indicator comes on as normal. I've had a glow plug failure before as well. That did throw a fault code, with a red warning light in the dash. And even with a totally dead glow plug, the engine did start within the normal 2 seconds, even in -10C. As a result of the mentioned events, I replaced all of the glow plugs and and the relay a few years ago. As far as I know, there isn't really anything else to the glow system. What else could be causing this? Battery is good - starter turns the engine in normal speed. Fuel filter issues should be showing other symptoms as well, which this car does not show.

petterg Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List NPOC Guest Joined: 01 Jun 2014 Location: Norway Online Status: Points: 364	Post Options Post Reply Quote petterg Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 16 Dec 2020 at 4:34pm
	This morning it was -1C outside. Then I measured the glowplugs. The resistance between glowplug + and a screw on the engine block was 0.53, 0.55, 0.67 and 0.69 ohms. While all plugs were disconnected I had 11.95V on the wires while glowing. Battery voltage was 12.43V while glowing. When switching ignition off, the voltage on the wires dropped to 10.65V, and it stayed there until one of the wires got connected to a glowplug. Then the voltage dropped to 0 quickly. All cables had the same voltage. What I find strange is that 11.95V is quite a drop from 12.43V when there should be no current running in the circuit, other than the voltmeter. Does this indicate current leaking to ground in the glow circuit?

petterg Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List NPOC Guest Joined: 01 Jun 2014 Location: Norway Online Status: Points: 364	Post Options Post Reply Quote petterg Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 25 Dec 2020 at 5:53pm
	Seems like the issue was some kind of bad connection to the glowplugs. After I disconnected them all to measure the plugs, the problem has not occurred.

timeshock! Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List NPOC Member Joined: 29 Jan 2006 Location: Newcastle Online Status: Points: 14111	Post Options Post Reply Quote timeshock! Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 26 Dec 2020 at 10:29am
	Hopefully that is a result

petterg Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List NPOC Guest Joined: 01 Jun 2014 Location: Norway Online Status: Points: 364	Post Options Post Reply Quote petterg Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 10 Jan 2021 at 2:31pm
	Problem is back. Reconnecting glow cables does not help this time. When outside temp is -8C starter has to run for almost 20 sec before it starts.