FYI starting probs 300tdi

Always lots of starting probs at this time of year.

I had a nightmare last winter. Wouldn't start first thing in a morning.

Once started would start all day.

Changed battery. Did all earths but no different.

Eventually had starter motor reconditioned and it started to start better ( but to be honest the winter was pretty much behind us at this point ).

Been fine all over summer.

About a week ago it started getting stubborn again. Turning over for ever before starting. Odd occasion it wouldn't start and I needed to jump start it.

Now then ... last winter I did notice the common leak coming from the acc shaft on the injector pump and it's been one of those jobs that I've kept meaning to do.

So when it started playing up again last week with not starting I thought I would eliminate that this time before changing batteries, earth, starter motor etc.

On one day it wouldn't start so I jumped it off another battery and it started ... but I switched it off immediately it fired so there was no chance of it warming up. Tried it again off it's own battery and started straight away. So I started thinking the charge on a cold damp morning in the original battery was being exhausted getting the air lock out of the pump ( due to the leak/poor seal ). Then by the time another battery is on there it's ready to start so the full charge of another battery/car gets it going.

Maybe all b*llocks ...

... but I did the injector pump ... new acc shaft/yoke, new o ring, new bush fitted to top.

... and ... touch wood ... there is now no leak and it starts in a morning better than ever off the original battery. Drives better too.

Next plan is to get rid off the egr and tweak pump ... but it's driving so much better already ... goes up banks in 3rd where it needed 2nd etc. Still a bit sluggish pulling off on an incline in 1st but that just may be typical of a 2.5 tonne truck. This is my first so nothing to compare to.

So I know the starting probs can be many things ... but please do check for that typical leak on the injection pump and fix that before spending hundreds on batteries, starters, glow plugs, earth cables etc like I did last year.

Yep, I'd concur with a lot of what Skires says there.

Another good tip, espcially if you use your Disco Mon to Fri for short journeys as I do, is get yourself one of those solar panel trickle feed gizmos from Maplin Electronics or similar.

They are under a tenner, very easy to fit, sit out of the way behind the steering wheel on the dash, and top up your battery everyday after the 'Big grunt' it's had to do to get you started earlier that day!

Hi Zyderboy, ref Maplins

how does this work>? do you need to wire it in or does it just plug in via the cigar lighter>

I stay in Scotland, car is outside but under carport facing south, so sun gets to car easily.

Sounds good.

cheers
Jim A.

1996 300 Tdi aut0 (Jap reimport)

Hi Jim i've got 1 BUT the cig lighter is only active with the ignition switched on so i'll have to install another socket thats live all the time so the solar panel can trickle charge the battery. Doesn't even have to be really sunny for it to work either - so great for up here!

Hi janderson41
Ref the solar panel:
1: Stick panel on dash
2:It comes with a long (about 4m of cable), run that down the side of the dash, then I found a hole through the dash where other services go from fuse box.
3: Cable tie cable through engine bay up to battery, then choose from two or three different plug on options as to how you fix to your battery. I selected to go for the electrical connector loops rather than croc clips
It's really easy!

Hi folks, sorry to put a downer on this idea as it sounds good, but in practice it is not advisable to constantly trickle charge a Lead Acid battery. It is better to put it on a good overnight charge once in a while. It is complicated, but you will shorten the life of the battery, but look it up on the interweb thingy if you don't believe me.

snowman01 said:

Hi folks, sorry to put a downer on this idea as it sounds good, but in practice it is not advisable to constantly trickle charge a Lead Acid battery. It is better to put it on a good overnight charge once in a while. It is complicated, but you will shorten the life of the battery, but look it up on the interweb thingy if you don't believe me.

Click to expand...

Very true