Nice cloud of smoke and rough start on 1.6 IDI engine

[srgtlord]

So over the past month or so my MK2 golf 1.6 IDI has been experiencing issues upon start up where it feels like the engine is skipping for a few minutes and there is a nice blanket of bluish smoke and then suddenly the cars runs normally.  Originally I thought it was a fuel filter issue but I noticed that cycling the glow plugs multiple times seems to eliminate most of this rough cold start issue. My thought is it might be an injector or 2 with a bad spray pattern.  Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[Jetmugg]

Have you verified that all 4 glow plugs are working correctly?

Steve.

[srgtlord]

Not yet. The bosch duraterm plugs that are in the motor now only have about 1 year's use on them but anything is possible. What is the best way to test the glow plugs? Jumper cables and a spare battery?

[ORCoaster]

Best way I found was to pull all the injectors and cycle the key.  Do it at night and you should see a very red glow in each hole.  The other method is to pull each GP one at a time, and that to me takes more time and effort than four injectors.  I have extra heat shields so I have those pre bent to go in the holes once I am done checking and then just make sure I reform the shields prior to packing them away.

[vanbcguy]

You also can just cycle the GPs then touch the end of them; if they are working they'll be warm, if not then nope.  And yes, I mean the threaded end with the bus bar attached.  Don't touch the other end... :-/

[Derekxj]

Best way I found was to pull all the injectors and cycle the key.  Do it at night and you should see a very red glow in each hole.  The other method is to pull each GP one at a time, and that to me takes more time and effort than four injectors.  I have extra heat shields so I have those pre bent to go in the holes once I am done checking and then just make sure I reform the shields prior to packing them away.

What do you mean by pre-bent and " reforming " the shields?  When you install new heat shields under the injectors you need to bend them???

[EcoTX]

What do you mean by pre-bent and " reforming " the shields?  When you install new heat shields under the injectors you need to bend them???

He means he reforms the old ones instead of putting new ones in.
If you use new ones, you do not need to do anything to them.

[ORCoaster]

That is right, I have like 15 of them around here from various heads,  I use a small steel ball and vicegrips along with the spacer from my compression tester kit.  Have not had a problem with reforming them for years.  But do buy some new ones so you have the spares at hand if you are just getting into the diesel business. 

[air-cooled or diesel]

you need to be careful when you jump glow plugs; what i mean is Dont jump directly at battery; batteries can explode; then you get battery acid all over you as well,,