Igol Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 I've been having problems with getting the bus to start since the cold snap. Engine turns over but wont catch. My first thought was battery and with a little power station attached she coughed into life and was fine for the rest of the day. New battery installed and again needed assistance to get going but after she'd had a run she was turning over fine for about the next week. Problem has returned and again I need to attach the little battery booster to get it started first thing but after that seems to run fine. Anyone any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotal Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 Is it an Automatic From 1995 on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulN Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 If she's getting on a bit, is a diesel, and the battery is ok then check / replace glow plugs with OEM or Bosch ones. Exactly same symptoms as I had - Starts when warm or good weather, cold 'n frosty no go! Found only I had 1 glow plug partially working! Fitted 4 new bosch and she fires 1st turn all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Igol Posted December 15, 2008 Author Share Posted December 15, 2008 97 manual. I was thinking glow plugs myself, just wondered if anyone else had the same thought before I go and buy more expensive bits Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotal Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 Much easier on the manual so that's good. Check the glow plugs, there are two ways to check the plugs, resistance check and remove and test check. The first one will only prove that they are dead (ie if there is no resistance then they have blown, but if there is resistance they may still be knackered) The remove and test is much better, you get to see them glow to make sure they are glowing at the tip and all take approx the same amount of time to glow. If you need replacement glow plugs then buy decent ones, BERU or Bosch should be fine (BERU are fitted at the factory) If the glow plugs check out OK then check to make sure the battery isn't been drained by anything. Also do a drop test on the battery to see how much the voltage drops when cranking. If the voltage drops to below 10volts then you have a problem. Check all earth leads, take them off one by one, clean the metal they attach to with a wire brush and clean the terminals on the wire with a wire brush, then replace them all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ally V8 Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 Loose leak off banjo bolts,perished leak off hoses.NOT glow plugs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotal Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 Loose leak off banjo bolts,perished leak off hoses.NOT glow plugs. And how does that fit with a battery booster solving the problem?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ally V8 Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 Terribly sorry - I'm completely wrong,ignore anything I say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stageonesimmo Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 same way as a battery booster making knackered glow plugs work I suppose? You dont need glow plugs on a 300 - not even up here where it IS cold! I'm with fuel on this one - its dropping back to the tank or filling the filter with froth. But ignore me, I only work on 'em for a living.......... Ohhhh, check my mood out tonight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotal Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 Terribly sorry - I'm completely wrong,ignore anything I say. Didn't mean to be sarcastic - was genuinely intereseted in how you got the link and was hoping you would explain. My guess is dirty earths same way as a battery booster making knackered glow plugs work I suppose? Battery Booster will give more amps which can help overcome a bad earth. It won't neccessarily help the glow plugs but might make the starter spin faster or you might find that with not enough amps passing the voltage drops wihch then stops the glow plugs being as effective Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DiscoTD4 Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 I wonder if the battery is not being charged, seems that having fitted a new one it was OK for a while, but the problem has returned after a week or so ? Does she spin over slowly/slower without the booster ? As you probably know good compression is crucial on a diesel for starting. If she's cranking over slowly the compression will be lower due to normal pressure leakage via the piston rings and and pitted valve seats etc. Get the cranking speed up and there's less time for these slight leakagages to have affect and the compression goes up - exponentially I suspect. If you could clarify whether the cranking speed is 'normal' or slower than normal that might give a clue. Don't you just love the winters, always exposes those prob's that don't seem to surface all summer Good luck and be sure to let us know how you get on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimhar Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 I Had the same with 96 300 Tdi. It got worse as the weather got colder. Checked resistance on glow pluge and found 2 nackered ones, replaced both and started like a dream even with heavy frost. Ended up replacing the alternator and battery a week later as alternator sounded more like a chopper and got very hot (All fine now). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white90 Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 Had the Same and heard the same time and time again, both the 300TDIs I've had suffered from glow plugs not working new plugs and the 90 and our first discovery started first time every time before with a brand new battery the defender would not start. people say I've never used/wired up the glow plugs on converted cars,but the plugs being faulty stopped mine from starting. Tested the old ones with jump leads when removed and 2 or more did not glow within a few secs of being connected. I fitted Bosch replacements. PS take care removing as they can snap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebiglad Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 Right, I just change the glowplugs on my TDI300 auto EDC and...............................................and blôôdy nothing, no difference at all !!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stageonesimmo Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 Its fuel.............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotal Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 Right, I just change the glowplugs on my TDI300 auto EDC and...............................................and blôôdy nothing, no difference at all !!!!!! The EDC is great fun isn't it! With mine I found that with the EDC having the electronic injection pump, it's very sensitive to not having enough electrical power. When the Starter Motor is spinning if the voltage drops too low (below about 10v) then the FIP stops getting enough power and stops injecting fuel. At first I thought it was the stop solenoid not getting enough power, but I removed that and it was exactly the same. One way to cure it is to have more amps, so the voltage doesn't drop as much. Unfortunately the battery box isn't big enough for a much bigger battery, so a jump start will help. The way I eventually cured mine was to remove, clean and replace all the earth straps. I had initially discounted this method as I had tried putting jump leads from the negative terminal to various parts of the engine and that hadn't cured it. I also found the earth lead near the starter motor didn't go to the starter motor bolts it went to a bolt lower down so I moved that up. After doing that I never once had a problem again with starting, always started straight off. I must admit at the same time as I did the leads I had the starter motor reconditioned, but the auto electrians who did it only charged me £20 as they said it was basically mint, they changed a com bush as it was slightly questionable but the starter motor passed all their tests before. Just thought I'd mention it incase it was the fix! Having done both at the same time I have no way of proving which it was Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stageonesimmo Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 The way I eventually cured mine was to remove, clean and replace all the earth straps. I had initially discounted this method as I had tried putting jump leads from the negative terminal to various parts of the engine and that hadn't cured it.I also found the earth lead near the starter motor didn't go to the starter motor bolts it went to a bolt lower down so I moved that up. After doing that I never once had a problem again with starting, always started straight off. Had the same on mine - jump leads from block to battery or from starter body to battery made no difference so I was left with a lazy starter - I put a new one on but cleaned every earth I could find and added 2 extra ones as well to be sure - no problems since. Now, was it the new motor or the earths - TBH, my money's on the earths! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Igol Posted December 20, 2008 Author Share Posted December 20, 2008 Just to answer a few earlier questions, the new battery made no difference to getting it to start, I did think about fuel as I mix it with SVO but at the time I was running on only diesel. New glow plugs have been bought and will hopefully go on today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Igol Posted December 21, 2008 Author Share Posted December 21, 2008 New glow plugs see to be working though I only managed to swap 3 out of 4 becasue someone put a great big AC compressor right in the way of the 4th one and I couldnt be bothered to start moving belts. Thanks for the advice everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulN Posted December 21, 2008 Share Posted December 21, 2008 Does it start okay now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Igol Posted December 24, 2008 Author Share Posted December 24, 2008 Yes she goes, though I'm hoping that it'll be a little easier when I replace the last one. Which will have to wait til for the better weather when I wont mind stripping belts off the A/C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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