2009 CashCow - Glowplug code gone!

[beko1987]

9 minutes ago, dome said:

What's the temperature like where you are? I had problems with my K9K Mégane when temps got below about 3-4 degrees which turned out to be glow plugs. Similar to you it would churn for ages and not start. 

2 degrees. 

I've not touched it bar turning it on this morning, going to have another go tomorrow with the primer bulb. I'm letting the glow plug light come on and go off too. 

Currently watching a northern man change the thermostat on one in a megane as I've ordered a new one to fit with the cambelt

[dome]

1 minute ago, beko1987 said:

2 degrees. 

I've not touched it bar turning it on this morning, going to have another go tomorrow with the primer bulb. I'm letting the glow plug light come on and go off too. 

Currently watching a northern man change the thermostat on one in a megane as I've ordered a new one to fit with the cambelt

 

My glow plug fun* started on page 2

https://autoshite.com/topic/47222-domes-shonky-moderns-2009-megane-3-dci-sold/page/5/

[loserone]

Not guilty, I'm building a wall

[beko1987]

Just now, dome said:

 

My glow plug fun* started on page 2

https://autoshite.com/topic/47222-domes-shonky-moderns-2009-megane-3-dci-sold/page/5/

When I've been just turning it over via the starter until it fires it starts to catch and then lumpily run then settle out and be fine after. When I tried this morning after priming it 20 mins before it churned the starter a bit then fired cleanly into life, no spluttering 🤔

[dome]

12 minutes ago, beko1987 said:

When I've been just turning it over via the starter until it fires it starts to catch and then lumpily run then settle out and be fine after. When I tried this morning after priming it 20 mins before it churned the starter a bit then fired cleanly into life, no spluttering 🤔

Ah ok. Primer bulb sounds like a cheap fix hopefully 🤞

[beko1987]

Hopefully. If not the glow plugs don't look too bad. Did you use a removal socket for yours? I'll try and narrow it down to one or the other, but also find out the sympathetic way to start it for now until I get some other bits done

[artdjones]

11 minutes ago, beko1987 said:

Hopefully. If not the glow plugs don't look too bad. Did you use a removal socket for yours? I'll try and narrow it down to one or the other, but also find out the sympathetic way to start it for now until I get some other bits done

Plugs are pretty easy as they aren't as thin as some, so not much chance of snapping them . I notice the Qashqais has a proper dipstick, the Renault versions has a filler cap and dipstick combined that you have to unscrew a ¼ turn. They are quite easy to get a tube down to the bottom of the sump for oil changes.

[EyesWeldedShut]

4 hours ago, twosmoke300 said:

Poor start can be small splits on the fuel primer bulb ( if it’s got one - seems random which ones do and don’t ) allowing air in 

I've had that on Pug HDi in the past - either the bulb or something upstream towards the HP fuel pump, it allows the fuel to seep back into the tank when parked up. Spliced a non return valve into the pipe just before the bulb (but forgot about the engine cover which didn't fit over the new valve - durrrr)

p.s. the cambelt in the CashCow - do you  think your mouse from the Xsara has switched cars, having a wee nibble at the edges?
 

[hairnet]

are ya gonna change glow plugs?

[beko1987]

7 hours ago, hairnet said:

are ya gonna change glow plugs?

Not immediately, will see how it starts with the primer bulb over the next few days. But if not then yea I'll replace them 🤷 don't look awfully expensive for some bosch ones. Xsara never needed it's glow plugs doing though... 

I'm hoping I can persuade the kids to come to my mums for the afternoon so I can quickly wash their zoe then pressure wash the underside of the qq a bit 

[twosmoke300]

7 hours ago, hairnet said:

are ya gonna change glow plugs?

Modern Di diesels barely use glow plugs for cold starting now . Mainly just for post heat to clean up cold emissions . 
Seems that most cars I plug in have a couple of glow plugs out and they still start fine . It’s only on dpf equipped stuff you really need a full set as they are also used during regens etc . 

[Rust Collector]

10 minutes ago, twosmoke300 said:

Modern Di diesels barely use glow plugs for cold starting now . Mainly just for post heat to clean up cold emissions . 
Seems that most cars I plug in have a couple of glow plugs out and they still start fine . It’s only on dpf equipped stuff you really need a full set as they are also used during regens etc . 

My DCi Clio has a couple of fucked glow plugs, still starts reliably as you say which means I haven’t bothered to change them.

@beko1987 I had some slow starting and rough initial running last year, it was a priming problem although on my one it was sludge in the tank clogging the check valve there. Seeing as your bulb pumps and primes (mine didn’t), hopefully it’s just the bulb and an easy fix.

I’ll second the fuel filter thing, I noticed that when changing from a cheapy one to a more expensive one, there were noticeably less bubbles in the fuel lines. I think the quick connectors on the cheap ones aren’t as good.

[beko1987]

Yea, ill do that properly one day, but it looks OK for now, and the car runs fine (once it's going) . 

I've got to disturb it all and remove it to do the cambelt regardless so I'll leave it fully alone for now, then be gentle with the primer bulb as I re-prime it after 😂 Then if I do have to remove and bypass the primer bulb I may as well fit a new filter then, prime the lot up then do twosmoke's fix above (and hope the starter primes it back up nicely again as the only vacuum devices I have aren't fuel rated 😂) 

[beko1987]

Drove over to mums this morning, and as I had Eva with me, we caught a milestone

150k. 30k less than the Xsara has. 

It was very reluctant to start this morning even with a good prime of the bulb... After 3 hours at mums it fired straight up first turn of the key. 

Today I did have a plan. First was to give my stepdads zoe a good wash

It got a good rinse and foam up with the last dregs of my snowfoam, and I had my assistant do the washing

Because what I really came here for was to look under here (and again I'm going to see more in these photos than in real life 😂) 

The short stubby pressure washer lance was mega here, and it rained shite down for ages until

Will see how it is when it's dry, but I went under the whole car both sides, all up the sills, all around the plastics (there is a loose bit underneath it) and all up inside all 4 corners and the mud that rained down was phenomenal! 

That didn't take too long, and the Zoe was done (quick washes today, fuck polishing and stuff) so I had an hour on the QQ... 

Wheels aren't too bad, bit of corrosion here and there but far better than the other style of alloy gets like. 

So much crap and mud came out of ever orifice, from every crack and crevice! Gave it a good wash and re did the zoe as Eva bless her hasn't been trained properly yet

It's spotless on the outside. Hopefully the mechanicals come up well. 

I turned it back on and it started instantly and gave the engine bay a good jet wash. Tons of shit came out 👌

And polished half the bonnet but quickly gave up as I want to get home, and it all needs a clay anyway before that

 

[beko1987]

And back home. I gave it some mild hustle on the way home (wafted up to 55/60 and kept it there) and it holds the road nicely! 

6th is too low for 50mph though, I thought I was getting a random wheel wobble come and go but I think it was the engine labouring, dropping it to 5th and resuming the cruise control had it happier! 

Turned on perfectly fine after a couple of hours sitting each time so it's just being really stone cold it hates... I'm almost going towards glow plugs over the fuel primer for now. Next cold start I'll cycle the glow plugs a couple of times. Maybe even read up on how to test them.... 😂

Time to empty the Xsara and put its battery back. It's spinning over fine now after a couple of longish runs so as long as I don't run it down trying to start it I should be ok

[Fraz]

I’d test them. Cycling the glow plugs a few times didn’t help mine when a few were dead. It just helped the two plugs which weren’t dead heat up nicely 🤣 

[autopaul]

https://www.gsfcarparts.com/products/glow-plug-y-712rs-ngky-712rs?auto_apply_coupon=ROAD15&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA5Ka9BhB5EiwA1ZVtvPtS4oMjhHmvtHDXsXFAbYfNK5PUe0Bn4EA38XrC5qYMV6Ng7qEzJxoC3WsQAvD_BwE

If they're the right glow plugs I wouldn't  even bother testing, I'd just wack a full set in 

[beko1987]

5 minutes ago, autopaul said:

https://www.gsfcarparts.com/products/glow-plug-y-712rs-ngky-712rs?auto_apply_coupon=ROAD15&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA5Ka9BhB5EiwA1ZVtvPtS4oMjhHmvtHDXsXFAbYfNK5PUe0Bn4EA38XrC5qYMV6Ng7qEzJxoC3WsQAvD_BwE

If they're the right glow plugs I wouldn't  even bother testing, I'd just wack a full set in 

I spent more than that but have a £16 set on the way from ebay I ordered last night 😂

After watching a few videos it seemed that I'd be removing and testing them and if they are fucked putting them back in whilst waiting for another set... Or just change them and tick a thing off the list

[bezzabsa]

On 07/02/2025 at 10:57, beko1987 said:

The next day. When the reality of your rash decision that you've been part planning for for months has happened, but you weren't planning for it to happen NOW...

Hello K9K. I think I read that this doesn't have a DPF... I couldnt see the ECU it should have for it that the random forum post I found from 2021 said it should have

The easiest way I've ever checked the overall servicing of a car is to look at the air filter

which wasn't horrible, decent enough! Lots of detritus at the bottom of the air box though. (where is the air intake on this?)

Cordless vac to the rescue

All that refitted, I took the engine cover off (which seems really loose and shite fit... Can I bin it off or is there a knack to it?)

Rocker cover looks like it can be ignored for now

Aux belt isnt falling apart

Coolant looks a very dark green...

Brake fluid looks clean enough and at the right level

It's got oil, and the correct amount of it

I put the engine cover back on and peered down the back of the engine. All looked ok enough, did spot this quite clean/worn clean looking bit on the anti foll bar by it's bush 

What I then did, was realise I could peel enough of the cambelt cover off to check the belt

Which is now immediatly at the top of the to-do list 😯

I left the vacinity of the engine bay and made myself forget about that by going through the boot. Nice plasticky/rubbery boot tray with it (which immediatly blew away and I had to put it on the back seat...)

It does have a spare. Sadly a space saver, no more being safe in the knowledge I have a full sized wheel ready

It was also damp...

Not damp enough that I think it's leaking, it's probably a ton of condensation but it's all been dried out now and I'll check in on it another month

I went around all the glass and cleaned it, the windscreen was filthy and struggled to clear itself with the shite yesterday driving home

And sprayed all the hinges with grease. The front check straps on the doors are pretty knackered, as are the tailgate struts. As is the rear view mirrow, whatever it's doing it's de-laminating...

I noticed that the back passenger side disc 

wasn't wearing as evenly as the drivers side rear disc

but it brakes perfectly fine (so far) so I'll see if that cleans itself up a bit over the next few weeks. 

The back wiper blade was fucked. The fronts were Bosch blades and after a good scrub seem to have come round ok. So I nicked the back wiper from the Xsara, cut it's blade down to fit and fitted that back to the QQ's rear arm

This is the only bit of cosmetic damage bar a few stone chips here and there that there is! Which is fab as that's probably where I'm going to hit it one day too

This all took a couple of hours. Happy enough, I went and got my CD's ready to fit them into the dash and went to start the car... It barely fired again, the battery has no charge at all... Which reminded me, these look shitty

had some greasy crap on that I presume once was some sort of protectant.. Cleaned it all up

and she fired up. Multimeter shows 14.59v on idle which seems a tad low...It also does the stupid relay click of doom the blue laguna used to do, it bought back memories! So, in leui of my having a nice long trip this afternoon (with some nice recovery/breakdown cover on my insurance now) which might fix the battery issue by itself, I grabbed the battery from the xsara and my jump leads

Leaving at 2ish, will chuck £40 of nice* diesel in it and take a nice waft. A nice, sensible, low-revs cambelt friendly waft. Off shopping now...😂

Juke doesnt have an engine cover...I'm jealous LOL

Doesnt your stereo have usb & aux in??? bottom of console if it does have them

[beko1987]

1 hour ago, bezzabsa said:

Juke doesnt have an engine cover...I'm jealous LOL

Doesnt your stereo have usb & aux in??? bottom of console if it does have them

It's only got Aux, sadly not USB. I've got the clarion 6 CD changer though. 

[beko1987]

Some post arrived today! Including the locking wheel key as linked to and guessed at above

Sadly, it doesn't fit 😢 The inner key bit I think is the right size, but the socket itself is too small and doesn't fit over the wheel nut. 

Might go spend out on a service that uses the key card code... Or try the local tyre places and see if any fancy removing just the one on the drivers wheel for me (and letting me drive a mile home on 3 lugs...) so I can crack on with the cambelt whilst sorting the rest out. If they say they can help tomorrow I might buy some wheel nuts anyway and see if they'll take all 4 off

[beko1987]

However, that mild setback out of the way, another part arrived

The new wiper motor. As yes, on Friday it started being intermittent on me 🙄 And the v5! 

She was an oirish car once? Is that going to cause any issues or can I just ignore it? 

I want to drive it to work tomorrow, but no wipers will be a huge pain, so 6.20 after getting home from work I got cracking! 

Really simple job tbh. My small puller was critical to get the arms off

And 5 plastic clips later access is fucking amazing

I undid all the bolts and bought the whole assembly inside 

Got the old motor out

Popped each circlip off in turn on the mechanism and cleaned the mating faces out and put fresh lithium grease in everywhere and generally tidied it up

That was fairly easy. What took 20 minutes of figuring out and looking at the above pic I fucking luckily took, I got the motor and mechanism aligned, and got the wiper arms fitted nicer than they were before, the drivers blade clipped the edge of the trim on its most upward stroke before. 

I fired the car up which only took 2 key cycles and mild churning tonight (it's a tad warmer today) and went mad at the wipers and all seems good! The washer jets are shit but work well enough and have been added to the list down the bottom 😂

I've posted on our local fb group to see if any of our tyre places could take the wheel bolts out or if anyone's had it done before, then tomorrow I'm going to call ASM as they might be able to help, and provide 4 other wheel nuts perhaps

[beko1987]

OK next question 😂 Are all the wheel nuts rhe same? The car in the pic of this listing has different alloys than mine. 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/116411227601?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=6wB9kCYNS-W&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=QOvj0cTJQtq&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Someone who works at Karma Cars (a local place I took the Xsara to for tracking after the Mot fail repair last year and was never happy with the job...) has said they can remove the locking wheel nuts at least 

[busmansholiday]

28 minutes ago, beko1987 said:

Are all the wheel nuts rhe same? The car in the pic of this listing has different alloys than mine

No. You need the correct length (my Merc had a steel spare and a set of shorter bolts to use with it) and chamfer on them as well as the same size head (I had a single 14mm head one on the Note whilst the others were all 15mm). 

[beko1987]

20 minutes ago, busmansholiday said:

No. You need the correct length (my Merc had a steel spare and a set of shorter bolts to use with it) and chamfer on them as well as the same size head (I had a single 14mm head one on the Note whilst the others were all 15mm). 

Thanks! Will get a normal nut off and see what it's like. Ive got a space saver steel spare and no other nuts with the car (which doesn't mean it shouldn't have them 😂) 

I'm going to ring Asm tomorrow and see if it's not beneath them as a vehicle recycler to sell me some nuts, then at least I can eyeball them there and then. Otherwise I'll persuade the local garage to take the drivers side locking wheel nut off at least and I'll drive 0.9 miles home on 3 nuts and I can do the cambelt! 

I do have the key card for the car so I should only do so much fucking about before just trying one of the online money back services... Problem is that works out probably as expensive as having them fucked off once 🤔🤷 (assuming I'm not about to have massive nut issues fnarr) 

[beko1987]

Couldn't resist! Fetched my big toolbox out and found the 21mm socket, put my coat over my dressing gown and popped a lug nut off

Perfect. Looks identical to the cheapo sets on ebay so I've ordered a set of 5 for £17. I've had people working at 2 local places say they can get the locking nuts off so I'll stay a bit hopeful, and can just chuck these on once their done. 

[beko1987]

Popped open the old wiper motor too out of curiosity

It looks saveable, the cog isn't stripped, the grease is very dry but equally I can't see that it's an original part and it's crusty as fuck so even if I did spend half an hour on it it won't be watertight anymore... 

The ball joints on the wiper mechanism themselves are a bit worn, one especially popped off a bit too easily... New mechs are sub £30 though, almost as if it's a common problem 😂 Should be fine for now though and if required in an emergency I know now I can pull and flex back the trim from under the windscreen and whilst loosing some blood and swearing on the hard shoulder of the m40 probably pop it back on to get home 

If I'm going to put any time into pointless things on it I want to work out how to strip the wing mirrors down and lubricate all that as they are very loud when they fold in. And once they are quieter and nicer I've seen Ali express auto folding with the locks kits about... 😂🤔

[beko1987]

Drove to the office today, picked up my mate and about halfway through the trip he asked if I got the wipers done and I said I had! And with great confidence pulled the screenwash stalk and.... They did a quarter of a wipe before stopping fully 😂😡

It's dry today so I'm hoping I don't need them for the way home and can strip it down and see what has popped off. Worked fine loads last night, I guess that was all the use it was gonna give. 

[beko1987]

Panic over, 

I pulled the car round to the back corner of the office car park and had the wipers and scuttle back out. The main nut holding the mechanism to the motor had fallen off so I assume I just didn't tighten it correctly. 

It's marginally wrong now as it does a tiny downwards nudge then sweeps so I set the blades a bit higher for now and they work fine, will re-visit another day 😂 I didn't hold the mechanism fully properly when tightening the nut back down

I think from the email activity I've had the glow plug sockets and drop links have arrived and are sat outside of the house 

[beko1987]

19 hours ago, Tayne said:

Isn’t that a Northern Irish plate?

NI is still part of the UK so can’t see any issues, I assume there is no mention of import on the V5?

Its also possible that someone in England (or Wales or Scotland) bought that plate and the car has never crossed the Irish Sea.

I think your right. @abir246 told me he's had similar before and they didn't even change the plates. 

If the car earns its keep in the distant future I want new number plates. The current ones have Reading Trade Centre all over them which is I assume when whatever service history it did have went through a shredder. 

I'm half expecting the cambelt kit and coolant today. I'm wfh for the rest of the week now so am in to receive it all