Perhaps you are referring to the switch to low sulfur diesel fuel? I believe that started happening in the US around 2006 or 2007.
We've always had to use the glow plugs for 15 to 30 seconds from cold start on our '88. It will fire up after a few revs and a slight increase of the throttle. Perhaps our glow plugs could be cleaned or replaced but there hasn't been any appreciable degradation over the years we've had her, so eh. Bigger fish to fry in our case. As I understand it, modern engines require low sulfur diesel as the sulfur in older fuel can wreck emissions systems, but older diesels should run fine. Not nearly the problems that gasoline users have had with ethanol being added to their gas. David On Fri, Jun 25, 2010 at 10:31 AM, <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Mine is a little slower to start but the last time I put fuel in it was > last August. I suspect that my glow plugs may not be heating as well. > Usually about 2-3 seconds is all it takes to fire off and it currently takes > more like 5 seconds of cranking before it fires. I have brand new batteries > that are fully charged and it cranks very energetically so the glow plugs > (one or both) are my initial suspects. I hold the glow plug button in for 30 > seconds before pushing the starter button and usually it fires after just a > few revs as I said. > > I never really thought about fuel issues. What sort of changes in diesel > fuel have you heard about and how would they alter performance? > > Andy Dalzell > C-27 #6298, Tardis > Sandusky Bay > > >
