Thread: 300 TDI, Slow Starter Fix

Just thought I'd share a quick and easy fix that worked for me for the cold morning slow starts I was experiencing on the TDI. I've read about a few others with the same issue (is it fuel, starter etc?). On the first start of the day, it would take up to 10 or 15 seconds to fire up, and when it did all the diesel being pumped would burn off leaving a pall of smoke. The starter was just really really slow, during the rest of the day when it was warm it would be a very quick, immediate start. A couple of mornings it didn't start at all until I got a jump from another car or battery. With the negative jump lead on the engine, the starter would turn fast (or normal speed) and it would start immediately. I did get a new 600CCA battery in the meantime but the problem was the same. Checked all the battery connections were tight. Finally I took off the ground/earth strap that runs from the starter to the chassis to take a look, it was a bit frayed, greasy, and I noticed the stock ends are only press fitted in place. Went to the parts store and bought a new 250mm cable ($13 at Supercheap and $38 for the same thing from Repco, went with the $13 one as it looked good, ends are all shrink covered etc). Anyway, bolted it in - drilled the chassis (mount) location to take a new bigger bolt than the small standard M6ish sized one (not that this was imperative, just now its the same on both ends), cleaned everything, bolted it all up tight. I had checked all the other battery connections, both ends, when I got the battery a few weeks ago. So now on cold Melbourne mornings it fires up in a second, 1 or 2 turns instead of 10 or more. Not much time, one small cable, and saved a bit of money. Should have done this before buying the battery. Hope this helps others. Spel

Did the same with my V8.