air in fuel line start problem suggestions please

hi all, i bought a n reg 300 disco tdies knowing it had a starting problem, the battery tested fine, the starter always turns over really slowly and thus struggles to fire up, i have now replaced the starter and it turns over great. from cold its still bad to start, if you keep it cranking it wont start but if you stop and then try again it starts instantly!? once its been started it then starts instanty for the rest of the day. could this be dodgy glow plugs or an air trap in the fuel lines which only occurs when left for more than 10 hours or so?. the plugs do have a 12 volt feed but ive not had them out to see if theyre glowing. all suggestions would be most aprecieated.

a 300 should cold start without the glowplugs...

check the drain plug on the bottom of the fuel filter, no... change the fuel filter!

thanks battenburg, what am i checking for on the drain plug, muck air or water, as far as im aware it hasnt been run on chip fat but the filter looks old so i'll get it changed, would this not affect the starting all the time?

benj said:

thanks battenburg, what am i checking for on the drain plug, muck air or water, as far as im aware it hasnt been run on chip fat but the filter looks old so i'll get it changed, would this not affect the starting all the time?

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there is a plastic drain plug on the bottom of the filter with an O ring seal, too loose and it'll suck in air, too tight it will crack or the threads will go, and suck in air...


change the filter for a few quid, fill the new one with clean diesel before you screw it on, it should save you priming the fuel system..

it may not be the cause, but mine had the same symptoms... new fiter sorted it out, worth a shot for a few bucks!

i see, good advice, thanks mate