Hard starting / White smoke ?

[Browndog]

My mazda 2.5 turbo diesel 140000 km dose not start first turn of key like it used to it now requires 3 or 4 turns.
This is only when cold . i wait for the glow plug light to go off before each turn of key . when it finally starts it blows lots of white smoke. Is this glow plugs or ? if plugs any tips on replacing them this is my first oil burnner. Thanks for any help

[NJV6]

Yip, glow plugs.

Easy to replace. Do all 4, and you'll marvel at how well it starts. Some seem to last better than others, mine lasted 100000km and the sister vehicle lasted 150000 and still going strong.

[DaveM]

Whatever you do, make sure you put antisieze on them when put in

[Browndog]

what do i need to do as far as electricity wise when changing them just disconect battery ? or ? or anything to watch out for ?

[KiwiBacon]

what do i need to do as far as electricity wise when changing them just disconect battery ? or ? or anything to watch out for ?

Yeah they just work on battery voltage and only when starting.

[pagar]

you can test them when you pull them out put a jumper lead fom the neg of battery to the body of the glo plug and then push end of plug onto pos+ (the end that the lead normally plugs onto. the tip of the plug should glo hot within about 5 seconds. when you first start truck does it idle rough til warm?

[Browndog]

Yep rough idle till warm about 1min

[pagar]

yeap at least one glo plug dead.

[NJV6]

Don't bother testing them. Just replace all 4. It is perfectly normal. IF it misfire's for a minute I'd bet none of them are 100%.

[pagar]

Agreed on the replace all 4, but the point of testing them is not to save money but to eliminate a leaking head gasket which is more likely to cause the white smoke, if the smoke was blue grey it would just be the plugs / ang engine oil seeping from valves. I had a mitzi a while back that I drove round for over a year with a leaking gasket. when cold coolant seeps into cylinder and causes white smoke on start, then as the motor heats up gasket swells or positive preasure from running stops coolant till cold again. hence taking ten minutes to test plugs before buying a new set to not fix problem as I did in my Paj only to have mechanic tell me I had a craked head cause I was driving around for so long with a seeping Gasket.

[Browndog]

Got 4 new pugs will test old refit new on sat morn and then let you all know ?

[Browndog]

Replaced all 4 glow plugs started like a dream and no smoke at all whife was stoked and ran well at idle when cold , tested the old ones with battery charger only one was working !!!!!! they cost me $25 each from appco reduced from $32 because i asked for better price what do you ussally pay. Thank for all you advice im very happy not to leave a huge clould behind me on start up.