Hi , just to say hello as I'm new here cos I just got a Dexta!!

I'm just finishing my second Dexta restoration after about eight months work on and off (weekends mainly). In our climate (I am in Lutterworth, Leicestershire) you should not need any easy start to get it going if everything is ok. The key to starting is to ensure the glow plug/ primer pump is working. Using this, mine will start with no trouble below freezing.

From the original Dexta operators manual, the cold starting sequence is:

1. Fuel on, open throttle to about two thirds. If you have a Dexta with the Minimec injection pump, press the 'cold start' button on the side of the injection pump body.
2. Press primer pump button once.
3. Press and hold glow plug button for about 30 seconds (you will probably hear a pop from the air inlet when the fuel on the glow plug ignites).
4. Keeping the glow plug button pressed, immediately operate the starter lever and repeatedly operate the primer pump (by my reckoning you need three hands at this point!).

With luck, the engine will start within 20 seconds or so.

DaveW

The glow plug is easy to replace, it just unbolts from the inlet manifold. They are, however, robust parts (basically just a coil of thick wire) and I think if yours is not working, it is more likely that the wiring or the glow plug button on the instrument panel is at fault.

To test the glow plug, connect a wire from the battery negative terminal to the terminal on the glow plug (The battery should have the positive terminal connected to chassis on the Dexta). Use a thick wire capable of carrying at least 30 Amps, and it would be a good idea to put a 30 Amp fuse in series with it just in case. If the glow plug is working, the inlet manifold should get hot after 20 to 30 seconds.

I'm not sure how much a glow plug would cost, but I think they should be fairly cheap from a UK salvage yard/ dealer. If you do need one and cannot find a source, mail me and I will give you a few contacts I have used.

You might find that the primer pump is seized (They are prone to this). If so, keep feeding ease-it oil down the side of the button. One of mine started working after a few weeks of trying, so it might work for you.

I found the glow plug button wasn't working on my last Dexta. I carefully opened it up, cleaned the contacts and smeared them with Vaseline. It works fine now, so you could try this if yours does not work.

Keep us posted.

DaveW.

That's right about the "easy start". You don't want to use it as the pistons will burst on the Perkins with very little of it being used.