Defender td5 slow to start

[The Agrarian]

2000 defender. 150k clock. Runs well, burns a bit of oil (2 or 3 litres between changes), small amount of smoke under hard throttle. Has had one injector replaced, others were worn.

In this chilly weather, she takes a fair few turns before starting. Has been this way for a number of years. I replaced all the glow plugs last summer, and it's no different to start. Plugs are working, as you soon find out if you try to start without heating.

Battery is good. Not sure about starter. Would a fresh one with more speed make a difference? Fuel pressure?

 

[Mursal]

Do you think its winding fast enough to start?
You should have almost battery voltage across the starter when cranking?
If not you have a bad connection between starter and battery, will only annoy in the cold weather when all power is required.

If you have full battery voltage down at the starter when cranking (across it) then consider starter motor.
Remember one dud heater plug will cause your problem

 

[The Agrarian]

Will take some audio tomorrow morning if that might help.

 

[Mursal]

Okey dok ..............

 

[Mur Huwcun]

Easy way to test the starter and leads and connections is to crank it over for about 15-20 seconds then quickly feel both ends of both the battery cable. A bad connection will have resistance and will be warmer to the touch.

 

[The Agrarian]

Just thinking out loud here. If I left it on a hill tonight for the morning, and gave it a pop in second gear - and if it fired immediately - then that would point to starter?

 

[Will 1594]

Ours is just 5he same ,bit steady when cold starting ,278000 miles ,just keeps going

 

[Pistonbroke]

Mine is doing similar at the moment, it's like there's air getting in overnight and it takes a bit of cranking over to bleed itself. A stab of full throttle seems to kick it into life. When you turn the ignition on does the pump sound more whiny or bubbling?. I'm guessing theres a non return valve sticking

 

[Mursal]

Leave it switched on for a bit before going for a start ...............

The hill start might only muddy the water on you, more than help.

 

[The Agrarian]

Theres the most of ten seconds of heater plug before the light goes out anyway. I've tried heating twice before starting, which makes no difference.

I do seem to recall though roll starting when a battery went down, and she wasnt hard to start. No more than a second from engaging second gear and she would idle, without heat too.

 

[roscoe erf]

Just thinking out loud here. If I left it on a hill tonight for the morning, and gave it a pop in second gear - and if it fired immediately - then that would point to starter?

not really most diesels will go with a tow start or hill start with no heater plugs that's how we used to start the fourtraks when the heater plugs had burnt out

 

[milkloss]

Wants a good lively battery on it, really does make a difference. Our td5 was being a bitch a while back, new sender, new regulator, injector seals, new crank sensor. Turned out it was a bad starter screwing with either the crank sensor or ecu. New starter fixed it instantly.

 

[The Agrarian]

Interesting.

A weak battery can bugger a starter. Low voltage must heat it up or something. And they're never the same again when you get the new battery. Mind you, this starter hasn't got any worse in the last year or three. Probably due to go bunk on me anytime come to think of it. You know how they just go click some morning.

 

[Nearly]

Interesting.

A weak battery can bugger a starter. Low voltage must heat it up or something. And they're never the same again when you get the new battery. Mind you, this starter hasn't got any worse in the last year or three. Probably due to go bunk on me anytime come to think of it. You know how they just go click some morning.

You can buy a replacement contact and ring for td5 starter. Make sure you get the heavy duty one with moremetal.
Doesn't sound like starter is problem to me. Heater plugs?

 

[pycoed]

Easy way to test the starter and leads and connections is to crank it over for about 15-20 seconds then quickly feel both ends of both the battery cable. A bad connection will have resistance and will be warmer to the touch.

I still have the scar on the side of my finger from last year when doing this with a small Kubota engine. "Warmer" to the touch is not quite how I described it at the time

 

[J428TGS]

Td5 has a hydraulic tensioner on the timing chain, the sudden jolt of a bump start could realy upset things, i have done it and gotten away with it

 

[Andy26]

Mine is doing similar at the moment, it's like there's air getting in overnight and it takes a bit of cranking over to bleed itself. A stab of full throttle seems to kick it into life. When you turn the ignition on does the pump sound more whiny or bubbling?. I'm guessing theres a non return valve sticking

Sounds like the injector seals.

 

[milkloss]

Sounds like the injector seals.

Yes, get genuine ones though, some aftermarket ones aren’t thick enough.....been there!

 

[The Agrarian]

Td5 has a hydraulic tensioner on the timing chain, the sudden jolt of a bump start could realy upset things, i have done it and gotten away with it

Interesting. Thanks for that. Will try to bear in mind if ever doing it. Let clutch out very easy and go for third if possible.

 

[Pistonbroke]

Sounds like the injector seals.

Whatever it is was causing it to happen for a week in june and righted itself until last week. Nothing worse than a fault that comes and goes