Series III diesel cold start fun

Morning,
I'm having fun and games with the '79 Series III we recently picked up. Specifically cold start problems. I'm not a total stranger to old fashioned diesel systems as we have a '57 IH B250 Tractor. But I thought I would check for any 'usual suspects' specific to the 2.5 diesel engine.

OK, the car starts when warm and although it smokes a bit - timing/piston rings I'm happy with power etc.

Cold starting however is a problem. Now from what I understand these engines have the Lucas cold starting system, hence the glow light on the dash and for this to work there needs to be zip throttle and clutch in after giving the glow plugs a good 20 seconds? Even when we do this the starter turns over very slowly. However, when jump started it will, eventually, start.

So I looked into the electrics and noticed the fan belt was suspiciously loose and this had obviously created charging issues. tightened it up and replaced battery with a known good one. I've stripped down and examined the starter motor - nice and clean with good bushes and bench tested fine - both starter solenoid and motor.

Contacted the former owner who told me that for the last 12 months the car has been a pig to cold start. Before then it was fine. So I looked at the paperwork and sure enough there is a receipt in there from a mechanic (non landy specialist) who has replaced the main earth. Kicking myself for not checking this earlier - looked new so assumed its been properly fitted I have checked it and instead of earthing to the engine block or chassis, the battery is earthing to the slam panel. My thoughts are now that this is a hopeless place to earth a diesel vehicle especially an older one and I need to earth the battery to the engine block. This would explain the lack of crank when starting unless a jump start is used.

Am I missing anything else? I'm going to shift the earth to the block and invest in a new battery - what would folk recommend battery wise?

thanks

untill the 200tdi landrover diesels have always been marginal cold starters . The 2.25 even used to have two big 6volt batteries ! Good earth engine to chassis and likewise from chassis to engine , check for corrosion under fixing points. Make sure all heater plugs are working early were sequential later parallel . twenty secs is a bit short . |Good cranking speed is essential . So you want the highest CCA battery you can get in the size limit you have. Later type starters are usually more efficient and worth going to if you have a early "small oil drum" size version HTSH

A diesel should be able to start without glow plugs...

You want good cranking speed and a battery with plenty of cold weather amps.

Your starter may be shagged and drawing too much current compared to it's tractive effort.

My S3 benefitted from adding earths .. engine to chassis, chassis to body, anywhere you can think of! Don't change the earth strap already on, just add another, they cost feckorll in the scheme of things!

thanks folks -

looks like the usual old diesel starting issues - a root cause - ie the shagged fan belt has highlighted other weaknesses in the system. Will take all advice and dig out multi meter - will also earth flipping everywhere!

Ok, I removed the fuel filter. Yuk, full of nasty dirty bacterial slime and water. Highlights the lack of use theland has had in recent years. Short trips, city diesel! I ddon't have a new element so I game it a good clean out.

Many folk don't realise that things can live in diesel, the real issue is they eat the oil and sh!t out water. Any diesel left for long periods of time succumbs.

I checked the wiring on the glow plugs. I found a rouge earth wire which looks like it should be attatched to glow plug 4 but wasn't so I have hooked it up. Unless these are wired in parallel which means the toll he earthing to the block in which case I've just shorted out go4!

Anyroad, I hit the ignition, no throttle held cold start for 60seconds, cranked for 60 seconds ....nothing ...checked diesel at injectors, all ok, bled filter again repeated start procedure, again nothing. I suspect thebattery has lost its crank so im going to swap it for another.

These old diesels, great when they are going but they can be a pig to start.

abercorn said:

Ok, I removed the fuel filter. Yuk, full of nasty dirty bacterial slime and water. Highlights the lack of use theland has had in recent years. Short trips, city diesel! I ddon't have a new element so I game it a good clean out.

Many folk don't realise that things can live in diesel, the real issue is they eat the oil and sh!t out water. Any diesel left for long periods of time succumbs.

I checked the wiring on the glow plugs. I found a rouge earth wire which looks like it should be attatched to glow plug 4 but wasn't so I have hooked it up. Unless these are wired in parallel which means the toll he earthing to the block in which case I've just shorted out go4!

Anyroad, I hit the ignition, no throttle held cold start for 60seconds, cranked for 60 seconds ....nothing ...checked diesel at injectors, all ok, bled filter again repeated start procedure, again nothing. I suspect thebattery has lost its crank so im going to swap it for another.

These old diesels, great when they are going but they can be a pig to start.

Click to expand...

you dont want to go connecting wires unless you know what they do ,as you will find that diesel land rovers may be hard to start when cold but burn quite well !!!

Diesel filter wants replacing , asap . Its also worth proof reading what you post so it all makes sense JMHO