Clicking noise prior to starting, 300tdi

Happy new year!

Anyway, because it the 1st day for ages its not ****ing it down with rain I thought I'd get the rust out of the boot and check out my bad starting.

The rust was easy and now have zink primer drying on it for a paint up in the spring. Got to get the dog guard back in today so the dogs can go back into Alcatraz in the back behind a metal frame, good! Ah I hear you say, poor little dogs locked in the back, especially those cute little King Charles ####ers they like jumping about the place.

Anyway, my bad starting (need to turn it over a bit then when it does start I get a puff of white ish smoke from the back), I have already decided to replace the fuel diesel pipes, the ones on there are very soft and don't look good. Also a new battery and glow plugs are going in 1st week Feb. Hopefully this will all help.

But just in case I thought I'd check things like the voltage going to the glow plugs. Ok multimeter in had, bird with ignition key, voltage from top of glow plug to main engine block tested and it there all right definitely electricity going to the glow plugs. Mind you I though after the glow light went out the voltage would stop, but I guess its just a timer indicator.

But, WTF is this odd noise, it's from the filter side of the engine bay, sound very electrical to me. Is this normal of what....

Anyway, any ideas, I did a google search nothing the same there so I thought I'd chuck this posting up.

Chris

Video below

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Hi Chris
Happy New Year.
I can tell you that, in my experience, the noise (multiple clicking when turning over), has been the battery. I see you're planning a change in Feb but I think it would be my priority.
Any other problem will be easier to diagnose if you are sure the battery is good.
Good luck.

its yr starter

Possibly the solenoid that allows fuel through the pump when running, it closes so the engine stops when you turn off. I can sometimes hear mine when messing under the bonnet. Re the glow plugs, they are powered up for a period determined by the control relay after the indicator has gone out. The indicator going out is to tell you that the glow plugs are ready to help ignite the cold fuel. The time for this is determined by underbonnet temperature. So short time in summer & longer the colder it gets.

Hope this helps.

Ah ok that makes sense on the glow plugs, I'll get the bits replaced and see if it starts better.

Thanks all.