Thread: Starting SIII Diesel that's been sitting for a year

The 2.25D was slowly optimised over time, so the later the better. ~79-on the got a noise reduction kit. The later 5-bearing engines were the best, but almost nonexistent in Australia.

The diesel should still be OK after a year, but check the drain on the filter for water or gunge. It will more than likely need a prime, but that only takes 5 minutes.

So:
1. Charge battery (plus a spare or two if it proves hard to start).
2. Check filter drain for water or gunge
3. Check/fill fuel and oil
4. Bleed/prime injector pump
5. Glow for ~30s
6. Crank over with foot flat to the floor on accelerator

Repeat 5 and 6 until it starts or the battery is flat.

Wot he said plus

there is a tickling lever under the fuel pump to bring the fuel pressure up.

- there is an idiot light in dash for the glow plugs if it was an original fit diesel. If it has the early model plugs with a large ceramic collar don't glow for 30 secs. The light is supposed to increase or decrease ( can't remember which ) when they are hot. Maybe 15 secs is enough and crank immediately. They are wired in series so loose one and you loose the lot.

- if it has the later plugs they are wired in parallell so loosing one doesn't kill it. I wouldn't glow for 30 secs as the tips will burn through.

5 bearing main is better. I broke my 3 main bearing crank pulling out of bathurst with a big load.

Change the fuel filter and oil. Love your diesel.

NO AEROSTART or ETHER

Is it in a trayback or shorty??

I have series-wired glow plugs and have never burn't one out. I have glowed for up to 90s in very cold weather.

As above. Obviously, check coolant as well before starting. Probably a good idea to bleed the fuel system before trying to start. Especially if there is the slightest possibility of any water being in the fuel system - one drop of water in the injection pump is likely to be very expensive.

There are two bleed screws on the rotary injection pump, one on the round body of the pump just below where the injector pipes come off, and the other just to the left of it on the boxy part. Both look like a nut with a bolt screwed into it and another much smaller hexagon screwed into this again. Starting with the first bleed screw, loosen the smallest hexagon about half a turn and operate the priming lever under the fuel pump until you get fuel and no air bubbles coming out, then tighten the screw and repeat with the other bleed screw.

If the priming lever does not feel as if it is doing anything, it may have stopped on top of the eccentric - turn the engine one turn and try again (same effect with a completely blocked fuel filter, very unlikely.

Hope this helps,

John

Hi Guys,
Thanks for the responses, bit busy right now but will will get onto it soon. The vehicle is 2 door LWB (is that what you call them? It isn't a high tray one).
I'll keep you posted on progress.
Cheers.