Labours when starting

My 2003 TD5 labours when starting, particularly from cold. Other than that it continues ro run perfectly. Always does start but starter motor has to work harder than it used to. Any ideas chaps?

Glow plugs not working.

Makes sense given it started when the weather turned. What's their lifespan?

Battery getting old. Give it an over night charge with a trickle charger and see if there is an improvement.

Battery only a couple of years old and its a red top Odyssey.

£10.20 for a set on ebay.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Land-Rov...658557&hash=item33d9a8f2df:g:CHgAAOSwvjdZPqsS
Test for 12v first at plugs.

Lewis07 said:

My 2003 TD5 labours when starting, particularly from cold. Other than that it continues ro run perfectly. Always does start but starter motor has to work harder than it used to. Any ideas chaps?

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Is it taking more turns to start or turning over more slowly, but firing after the same amount of turns? Or, is it turning more slowly and taking more turns to start?
I can't see faulty heater plugs making it turn over more slowly, if that's what's happening.
Battery might be newish, but could still develop a fault. Alternator or starter issues?

Check battery connections and main earth. Any poor connections will show more in the cold. I never use the glowplugs on my old 200 TDI, I would be amazed if the TD5 needs them to start. Larger engines don't even have them and they still start

sp00k said:

Check battery connections and main earth. Any poor connections will show more in the cold. I never use the glowplugs on my old 200 TDI, I would be amazed if the TD5 needs them to start. Larger engines don't even have them and they still start

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+1 with the earths. The 300 and 200TDi's will start ok at low temps without waiting for the heater plugs. Not sure about the Td5's though, I think I've read they're more fussy. That's not going to affect speed of turn over though.

My old NA was a pig when my heater plugs went on the blink. Used to take a good 10 mins to start Half the time the battery would die before it fired. They were indirect technology though. All modern diesels will be direct injection so the heater plugs are only there to assist in emissions and aid very cold starting.

My 200tdi starts on the button when the grass is green, when the grass is white, it would not even cough. New glow plugs, white or green grass and it starts instantly now. All plugs were dead.

Gmacz said:

My 200tdi starts on the button when the grass is green, when the grass is white, it would not even cough. New glow plugs, white or green grass and it starts instantly now. All plugs were dead.

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Sounds like your old plugs were causing a dead short.

Engine turns over as normal but just doesn't start on the button like it used to.

Could be fuel draining back if it' turning over a bit. Air leak somewhere.

"Sounds like your old plugs were causing a dead short."
Plugs were just old and worn out. They don't last forever. Cheap to replace, only problem is getting the old ones out.

Lewis07 said:

Engine turns over as normal but just doesn't start on the button like it used to.

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Looking more like heater plugs or air in the system then.

Fitted a new starter motor and now fires on the button again.