Starting a stored TDi?

Hi, lads.

Got a 200TDI sitting in my garage that I bought about the time I bought my 110 2.5D.

Haven;t gotten around to fitting it, but thinking this spring may be the time even though i find the 2.5 entirely adequate.

However, this 200TDi has sat for several years since it came out of the D1 it was in back on your side of the pond. Being the paranoid I am, I don't want to just heave the lump into the car, spin the prayer wheels and trust to luck - I'd like to start it on the bench before I do anything to the car.

3 questions:

1. is it going to hurt this thing to run for 30 seconds or so on a stand (not an engine stand - a cradle bolted down to the floor))
2. Other than changing the oils and filters and the Diesel fuel filter I was just going to crank it over for a bit, then heater the plugs and go. Figure to puild up oil pressure first...
3. Any pre-start tweaks I'm missing here?

ajr

i wouldnt worry about a bench start but a squirt of oil in each bore and a couple of turns by hand, before hitting the big red button wouldnt do any harm.

If its sat for that long I would be inclined to change the timing belt. Don't want it snapping the first time you start it. Plus its so much easier to change with the engine out the car. Other than that what was said above a bit of oil in each bore before cranking. Don't run it too long without coolant as it will heat up fast.

Mark

Timing belt - OOOOoooo....good point. Not that changing it in the car would be all that big a deal in the 110 - there's a good two feet in that engine bay between the front of the motor and the radiator. However, changing it out before starting makes infinoote sense - and will get done.

This all makes me feel more comfortable about starting the beast. I just want to make sure nothing is too buggered in the injector pump or wherever - if I have to do remedial work on this damn thing I want to do it on the bench and have the 110 still roadable in the mean time.

I love my Series IIA, but commuting back and forth to work in it on the motorway is a bit LOUD...

ajr

New rear crank seal as it will be a pain if you have to drop the boxes back out?

agree with changing the rear crank oil seal!

Note, it won't need heater plugs to fire, so if you just want to turn it over on the starter without it firing, you will need to disconnect the fuel solenoid otherwise it will spring right into life!