JEK Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 I have a 1998 LHD 300 TDI EDC Discovery automatic with a starting problem. When the vehicle is left alone for some time it is a pig to start, I have to let the starter run for a considerable of time before the engine finally starts. When it starts it gives a puff of grey smoke and then no smoke whatsoever. When started, everything is OK. I have noticed lately that under start up condition, the “check engine” light is gloving and then goes out as soon as the engine starts. When started and driven some, a new start-up is much easier than before. Could this bee because a poor connection between the “engine speed sensor” and the engine ECU? The glow plus is working fine and I have a brand new battery in the Disco. If so, how to test it? Need help, please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotal Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 Welcome to the fun of the EDC. My advice would be to take all earth straps of under the bonnet, clean up the ends and clean up the metal where they attach, and replace them all. The earth strap to my starter motor didn't actually go to the starter it went further up the bellhousing, so I moved mine to the starter whilst I was at it. Next look at the stop solenoid, if this is on it's way out it could be restricting the flow of fuel whilst demand is high on the battery. If you remove the stop solenoid (24mm IIRC) you can then remove the spring and plunger, this will eliminate this as a problem. This will have no adverse effects on your car and it will stop correctly. Diesels are fairly simple even with a load of electrics bolted on (EDC) so as long as it's got compression, fuel, and a bit of heat from the glow plugs it should fire. So I would start by checking if you have fuel coming out (that's why I suggested the simple test of removing the stop solenoid) If it still isn't starting easily try cracking off an injector pipe to check for diesel. When you say the glow plugs are fine - how have you checked them? The best way to check them is to take them out and carefully connect them directly to your battery, they should glow at the tip (not half way down) and should all take the same amount of time to glow. If you're still struggling after all that, then try giving the car a bit of extra power by connecting another battery via jump leads or even better a running car. If it then starts perfectly then you've got a shortage of amps, which means you either need a bigger battery or something (possibly the starter motor) is drawing too much current on startup. Thinking backwards it might be worth trying this first as it helps diagnose the problem easier. I had problems with my 96 EDC, I tried all sorts of things. Mine started perfectly if I connected up another battery. I tracked it down to the fact that the electronic fuel injection pump is quite sensitive to low voltage and wouldn't operate if the battery voltage dropped below about 10volts. On a cold day the battery was dropping to 9.6v when it was cranking, so therefore the fuel injection pump wasn't allowing fuel to pass through. Cleaning up the earth leads was all that was required to fix it in the end (I think - it might have been a combination of things as I tried that many) The only other thing I can think of was recommended to me but didn't help me (and a few people think it's a bad idea) but that was to adjust the fine tuning on the pump timing. This is done by removing the Aircon tensioner arm (three bolts) this then gives access to the adjuster, slacken the three bolts you can now see, you can now rotate this by turning the big nut, it only allows a couple of mm's change either way but it can be enough to help. Once you have adjusted it you put it all back together and take it for a drive, keep on throttle for 10 seconds, if after 10 seconds it keeps driving OK then you haven't adjusted it too far, if however the Check Engine Light comes on after 10 seconds and the revs drop down to a "safe" level then go back and adjust it back a little as you've adjusted it too far. Whilst driving back to return to full power, release the throttle fully then press it again. Hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotal Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 Double post due to very slow server Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimAttrill Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 And a very nice post it is too! One small point is that to advance the timing you turn the injector pump nut clockwise and anticlock to retard it. We have all the stuff to check the timing exactly and we struggled and fought to get one of those started after a cambelt change. Maybe the answer is to have two batteries and connect them to different components. The starter motor on these gets a rough time unlike a normal Tdi so that can be part of the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Baldwin Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 I had exactly the same fault on my old EDC equipped Disco. The advance the timing tip was given to me by Jeremy Fearn of JJF Intercooler 'fame'. It cured my slow starting issues instantly. And apologies to JEK for not replying to your PM earlier!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu2985 Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 This is done by removing the Aircon tensioner arm (three bolts) this then gives access to the adjuster, slacken the three bolts you can now see, you can now rotate this by turning the big nut, it only allows a couple of mm's change either way but it can be enough to help Not being a grerat spanner man any chance of a piccy or desription of where the tensioner arm is My 300TDI EDC has gone lazy to start since the real cold mornings have hit. I checked my earth straps and even fitted a new one from battery neg to the engine as recomended in a lot of forum posts. I also been told that air getting into the system on a cold morning can affect cold starting. My glow plugs are getting checked out tomorrow. starts great normally. Turns over well just takes a couple of attempts and pedal pumping to get it to catch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JEK Posted October 30, 2008 Author Share Posted October 30, 2008 Welcome to the fun of the EDC. Thanks to all of you for a good description of possible solutions to the problem, and how to fix it. I shall study the answers well and then check the Discovery. This forum is a life saver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotal Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 If you look at the front of the engine on the left hand side, you will see the aircon pump (assuming yours has aircon) look at the belt which runs on this, to the left of the belt there is a tensioner which pushes against it. The tensioner adjuster arm is behind it. The arm is adjusted using a torque wrench in the 1/2 inch square hole (you then turn the whole lot) I found it easier to just use a 1/2 inch ratchet and guess the tension based on how it felt after I used the torque wrench the first time This ebay ad show the tensioner you are looking for: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...282d842ff5a4736 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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