cold start issues

PVFC · Sep 13, 2015

Hi I recently brought a 96 defender tdi300 and it doesnt like early mornings ! It starts fine usually but when it's cold in the morning at 6.30 it struggles. Will it be a battery or something else? Diesel engines are still a dark art for me after A series n lancia's lumps.

Litch · Sep 13, 2015

The 300TDi normally starts straight away without any pre-heating regardless of the external temperature so if you are having this issue at this time of year (i.e. not cold yet) then yes, you have a problem.

You ask if it is the battery, is it turning over ok? If so then the battery is ok.

You should check the glow-plugs, make sure they are working (both the circuit and the plugs themselves) and if either is faulty then you may have found the problem but as I said, the 300TDi doesn't normally require any pre-heating anyway. Luckily checking the circuit is a simple electrical check and there is a pre-set timer-relay which also activates the light on the dash. Replacing a glow-plug is little more than replacing a spark-plug in a petrol engine, just take care and don't snap it if seized.
I had a glow-plug fail on me once (on my old 2.5NA D lump), took them all out and checked them on the bench and it was easy to see the faulty one, replaced them all though.

PVFC · Sep 13, 2015

Litch said:
The 300TDi normally starts straight away without any pre-heating regardless of the external temperature so if you are having this issue at this time of year (i.e. not cold yet) then yes, you have a problem.

You ask if it is the battery, is it turning over ok? If so then the battery is ok.

You should check the glow-plugs, make sure they are working (both the circuit and the plugs themselves) and if either is faulty then you may have found the problem but as I said, the 300TDi doesn't normally require any pre-heating anyway. Luckily checking the circuit is a simple electrical check and there is a pre-set timer-relay which also activates the light on the dash. Replacing a glow-plug is little more than replacing a spark-plug in a petrol engine, just take care and don't snap it if seized.
I had a glow-plug fail on me once (on my old 2.5NA D lump), took them all out and checked them on the bench and it was easy to see the faulty one, replaced them all though.

Thanks litch it is quite reluctant to turn over il investigate tomorrow.

Marmaduke · Sep 14, 2015

Have a look at the earth from battery to chassis and or gearbox. Remove, clean and put back on. My tdi starts like it's a petrol ie no glows and fires up straight away

lynall · Sep 14, 2015

300 not as good a starter as the 200 but should crank over well enough, I never felt that confident with the cold start performance of either of the two 300 model's I owned.
The 300 has a better battery to chassis to engine earth lead than the 200 model's.
Check battery voltage after it has stood all night you want at least 12.6 volt's.
If battery good and all lead's okay then it's probably down to the starter motor.

Kwakerman · Sep 14, 2015

Is it actually cranking slow or cranking at the normal speed but just taking a while to catch? If normal speed the leak off pipes may be letting air in and the pump is having to reprime on first start of the day. I've just replaced mine (also a 96) as they were getting a bit frayed and loose. 1m of pipe was £3 ish on ebay.

cornish rattler · Sep 14, 2015

Kwakerman said:
Is it actually cranking slow or cranking at the normal speed but just taking a while to catch? If normal speed the leak off pipes may be letting air in and the pump is having to reprime on first start of the day. I've just replaced mine (also a 96) as they were getting a bit frayed and loose. 1m of pipe was £3 ish od ebay.

Or sedimentor playing up, one of my old disco 1's did this at this time of year aswell, couldn't undo the pipes on it so i cut the pipes and bypassed it running a fresh piece of pipe from tank-lift pump once i was happy with it i removed the sedimentor and bin'ed it

PVFC · Sep 14, 2015

Thanks for the responses very impressed with the land rover world. It cranks over but doesn't catch if it's the first start of the day and it's cold. If it the first start of the day at a weekend and a mid morning start it starters quicker.

Kwakerman · Sep 14, 2015

cornish rattler said:
Or sedimentor playing up, one of my old disco 1's did this at this time of year aswell, couldn't undo the pipes on it so i cut the pipes and bypassed it running a fresh piece of pipe from tank-lift pump once i was happy with it i removed the sedimentor and bin'ed it

Op's profile says Def 90 so wont have a sedimentor

Kwakerman · Sep 14, 2015

Check your leak off pipes (the three short rubber pipes connecting the injectors). if they look anyway suspect replace them.

cornish rattler · Sep 17, 2015

Kwakerman said:
Op's profile says Def 90 so wont have a sedimentor

Are right sorry didn't realise def's didn't have them its just that my def doesn't have one but the holes are there for it on the chassis and just thought a p.o. had removed it in the past

jamesmartin · Sep 17, 2015

PVFC said:
Thanks litch it is quite reluctant to turn over il investigate tomorrow.

if it is just cold mornings battery would be my choice you can prove it by using a jump pack or jump leads for the first start next cold morning

cold start issues

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lynall

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