flookyk

Active Member
I am after some advice from the knowledgeable voices in the sky .......


....... YES, I mean you lot.;)

My 1998 P38 diesel has started having problems starting on a morning from cold, it was intermittant, happening once every couple of weeks or so but has happened both yestrerday and today.

When it starts from cold OK, you hear a sort of whinning noise from the front drivers side, as though something is priming, as the glow plug light is on. This seems to stop around the time the glow plug light goes out and starts up no problem. The "priming" noise sometimes occurs when you try and start it when warm and sometimes not but it starts OK.

When it plays up, you turn the ignition key to the point the glow plug light is one and instead of the "priming" noise being the 5 second or so continuous noise it is an on and off noise as though it is not "priming" correctly.

Does anyone know what this "priming" is so I can see what is causing it not to "prime" correctly when it is starting from cold on a morning?
 
Noise is ABS pump nothing to do with starting. Change your glow plugs. If you're battery is weak ABS pump could be reducing power to glow plugs. The ones that are working that is.
 
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Fuel filter was replace a couple of months ago.

Trying to plan to do one job a month on it and this next month was going to be a toss up between replacing the glow plugs or replacing the MAP sensor and it's hose ....... guess the glow plugs will be the first on the list, thanks for the advise.
 
Fuel filter was replace a couple of months ago.

Trying to plan to do one job a month on it and this next month was going to be a toss up between replacing the glow plugs or replacing the MAP sensor and it's hose ....... guess the glow plugs will be the first on the list, thanks for the advise.

Unless you've already done them you could replace your leak-off pipes whilst you're in there.
 
turn ignition on.
wait for no noise and warning lights to go off.
turn starter say 3-5 secs.
stop.
turn ignition bacl on and wait again.
when no noise and no warning lights, turn the starter.

will start no problem.
 
turn ignition on.
wait for no noise and warning lights to go off.
turn starter say 3-5 secs.
stop.
turn ignition bacl on and wait again.
when no noise and no warning lights, turn the starter.

will start no problem.

Engine should start immediately, all you are doing by doing that is cycling glow plugs twice. You have a problem.
 
The funny thing with it is, it can sit for 8 hours at work from 8am till 4pm and start no problem but if sat from 5pm till 7am at home the bugger is playing up.

It seems it is every morning for the last 3 mornings now.
Would it be worth changing the glow plug timer relay as well, or leave it until the glow plugs have been changed, ie one thing at a time?
 
If you park in an uphill position and it hard starting and then you park in a level or front facing down and it stats easy look to the in tank pump .
 
The funny thing with it is, it can sit for 8 hours at work from 8am till 4pm and start no problem but if sat from 5pm till 7am at home the bugger is playing up.

It seems it is every morning for the last 3 mornings now.
Would it be worth changing the glow plug timer relay as well, or leave it until the glow plugs have been changed, ie one thing at a time?
Just do the glow plugs, check the leak off pipes and it would also be worth checking the in tank pump is working:)
The clue is overnight when it's colder and more glow heat is required to start it.
 
Wammers.

Thanks. Looks as though I will change glow plugs also then as a pre winter job.
Always starts on second go.
 
Well the update on this ......

after a week of it taking ages to start first thing on the morning, yesterday the glow plugs were changed, the fuel leak off lines were changed and a replacement manifold gasket (previous owner had just used a sealant) .........

tried to start it this morning ....... fired up first time ....:clap2:
 

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