Disco 1 Another 300tdi starting problem thread

[camulodunum]

Apologies for starting yet another thread but I've been through just about everything I can find.

When cold the engine refuses to start, it turns over but will not catch. The only way I can get it started is to roll it down the hill and bump start, or to jump start from another battery. When warmed up the car will start with no problems and runs great when it's going.

The battery is less than a year old and has been checked out by the retailer, who couldn't find a fault, they did offer to replace if the problem carried on. The alternator is charging at 13.98 volts, all earth connections have been cleaned and an extra cable put in from the battery to the block. Fuel system wise, I've replaced the lift pump, fuel filter, glow plugs and cleaned the sedimentor out. All of these have made a difference once the car is going but it is still refusing to start. Is there anything I'm missing before I have to try replacing the starter motor (a cost I'd rather avoid).

All help greatly appreciated as this has been going on for over a month while I find the time to work on it.

Simon

 

[henrytilly]

watching your thread as mine is doing the same and ive done everthing you have , is yours cranking fast enough in the mornings

 

[Lyndon]

Have you tried a good live to the starter from a known good battery?

 

[Lyndon]

Of you have time whip the starteroff and clean it all out. Is it slow to turn when you first try from cold? Are you definitely getting 12v to your new plugs? Sounds like either not enough amps getting to the starter or starter is full of dust and brushes are knackered. They are easy enough to rebuild

 

[haigy]

Lazy starter

Bypass the sedimeter

Try good connection from battery to starter

 

[winchman]

Mine was similar, now my mate who does a lot of Land Rovers offered to swap the heater plugs, I found some for £10 a set from a well known supplier, he refused to fit them and I paid closer to £40, its starts no problem now, I do feel the starter is a bit slow spinning it though.
I feel its best to check the starter as mentioned above as it looks like you have done everything else

 

[theflyingvegetable]

If a jump start makes it start then that definitely points to the battery being weak.
A fairly big, cold diesel will draw some considerable amps. How is the retailer testing your battery?

Just for giggles, try put the battery on charge for an hour before a cold start and see if it helps.

Better glow plugs may make it start a lot easier on a marginal battery but might not be the root of the problem. A lot of people report the TDi will start OK with no plugs operating at all AFAIK.

 

[Paul D]

I'd agree with theflyingvegetable .. Mine has a new battery, but it doesn't get started sometimes for 8 weeks or more, just left lying around .. When we got the cold snap it simply wouldn't work, but a jump start off the wifes car started it easily. A couple of days later a bump start, short push easily started it. A night on the battery charger, left for maybe three weeks, then another night on the battery charger had it starting easily on the key.

As to heater/glow plugs. When my 300 Tdi engine was in my Disco it _always_ needed some time, only a few seconds, on the heaters before it started. It would not start directly on the key without heating. Now, after a major overhaul it has enough compression to start without glows, whatever the weather or temperature, it just starts. Might be worth thinking about ...

 

[julianf]

Check your leak off pipes. You would probably have noticed if they were dripping, but, if theyre not sealed, you can get fuel drain back.

Beyond that, i would suspect a sticking stop solenoid plunger. You can take the solenoid out, remove the plunger, and put the solenoid back in (without the plunger) to test this.

You will then have to stall the car to stop it, but its a test before buying a new unit.

 

[winchman]

Mine started fine with four duff glow plugs but was sluggish when cold, now the key barely moves and it fires

 

[camulodunum]

Thanks all, a couple of things for me to try this weekend. I'll update later.

 

[camulodunum]

After taking out the starter motor and testing, it definitely wasn't working right. I've cleaned it out and greased it and now it works like it should, I also found a bodge on the main feed to the glowplug relay that bypassed the fuse box straight to the battery.

However it is still slow to start, what sort of CCA values should the battery have? The one I have from Halfords is 570, but the assistant manager thought this might be a bit low for a big diesel lump (even though it is the one they recommend).

 

[Paul D]

I think 700+ is recommended ..

 

[henrytilly]

just fitted a 1000 cca batt to mine and all is well again

 

[Lyndon]

After taking out the starter motor and testing, it definitely wasn't working right. I've cleaned it out and greased it and now it works like it should, I also found a bodge on the main feed to the glowplug relay that bypassed the fuse box straight to the battery.

However it is still slow to start, what sort of CCA values should the battery have? The one I have from Halfords is 570, but the assistant manager thought this might be a bit low for a big diesel lump (even though it is the one they recommend).

I'm pretty sure its 720cca standard. I've just put a 950cca in mine from Tanya online. Best battery supplier by a long way and delivered next day!

 

[Paul D]

I'm pretty sure its 720cca standard. I've just put a 950cca in mine from Tanya online. Best battery supplier by a long way and delivered next day!

It's Tayna ...

https://www.tayna.co.uk/