1.6 HDI No Glow-plug pre-heat light...

[Gym.Hodgson]

Just bought a 206cc 1.6HDI Allure '56 68k. Steering's livelier than me old Diesel Clio, I've just discovered I have intermittent cat heat shield rattle (least I think it's that - "stones in a can" sound) then tonight it struck me; after a week of driving the 'new' car, I had not seen the coil/pre-heat light come on at any point!
Search, search and search a bit more & relax.

Borrowed from a post by 'Welly' on the 406 forum...

"[The glow plugs do exist but] because the High Pressure (hot) injection sprays such a very fine mist then combustion takes place very easily and not much pre-heating is needed.

The ECU controls the plugs like this:

Engine coolant temperature/Pre-heating duration
- 30 °C 16 seconds
- 10 °C 5 seconds
0 °C 0,5 seconds
10 °C 0,25 seconds
18 °C 0 seconds
40 °C 0 seconds
During the starting phase, the plugs are supplied in the following cases :
Engine coolant temperature lower than 20°C.
Engine running at more than 70 rpm for 0,2 seconds.

Post-heating allows the operation of the heater plugs to be prolonged following the starting phase.

Postheating is used to reduce pollutant emissions during the first few minutes after starting.

Engine coolant temperature Post-heating duration
- 30 °C 3 minutes
- 10 °C 3 minutes
0 °C 1 minute
10 °C 1 minute
18 °C 30 seconds
40 °C 0 seconds
Parameters which can interrupt the postheating :
Engine coolant temperature lower than 20°C.
Injected fuel flow exceeding 35 mm3.
Engine speed greater than 2000 rpm."