Hard to start on cold mornings 300 Tdi

Howdy: I missed what sort of 300tdi you had ( Disco or def). In addition to all the other useful tips the other have given, this was somthing I had a prob with in my tdi disco. It was hard to start in the morning, and was OK the rest of the day. It was summer, and in metro Sydney, the temp was fairly constant. I checked all that you did, and further cleaned the sedimeter, changed fuel filter and looked for leaks in the line. It wasn't till I did a close up check of the line that I found a spot in the fuel line that was worn. When I pulled the line out, rubbing against a chassis mount had worn the pipe away sufficiently to cause a hairline crack. This crack was enough to let air in, and cause fuel to leak back into the tank overnight, but didn't let fuel out, and given that the fuel lift pump was after the crack, no other indication of a problem. In my disco ( My95 -240k) the location was at the drivers side body mount, where the fuel line exits from along the chassis rail, and bends, heading up to the lift pump. It's easist if you run your fingers along the line to feel for irregular bits, as it's a bit hard to see properly.

Good luck

Langy

Thanks guys
will have a crack at some of those suggestions.
the first thing i'll check is the fuel line as just had to replace both P/Steer hoses cause rubbed thru at brackets under radiator/ I/cooler.
it starts straight away after 2 glows, the G/plugs were replaced 2 years ago by dealer (after market from brit parts Perth)

I agree with Mark on this one, and say it is your battery. they need alot of ump to start a TDi and if the battery is not A1 then it will have problems starting a TDi.
I had a problem a couple of years ago when i bought a battery and then had problems starting the truck so changed loads of bits , untill i went back to the battery and found it was a dund.
And i think we have colder starts than you [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif[/img] and i have never used the heater plugs to start my 200 or 300 , even in the dead of winter

The only other problem is if you have a leak in the diesel pipe work which is letting all the feul fail back into the tank and then you are having to reblead the system every time you start the engine. As the TDi as self bleading engines

I realise I'm digging up a grave here, but I read this thread when google found it for me...

My hard starting issues on a 98 300tdi D1 were absolutely solved by replacing the glow plugs. I did the battery and lift pump first as I read on a few threads that was reccomended, but for me glow plugs was the winner.

Anecdotal I know, but if someone else finds this thread, my opinion is glow plugs are required to be in good order for easy starting. I'm in SEQ.. nowhere rediculously cold.

When I fitted a second hand 300 tdi to my disco I did not even bother connecting glow plugs.

I find on very cold mornings with my old battery being a bit sluggish, it won't go.

I connect jumper leads to my aux battery and if fires straight away.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by d2dave

When I fitted a second hand 300 tdi to my disco I did not even bother connecting glow plugs.

I find on very cold mornings with my old battery being a bit sluggish, it won't go.

I connect jumper leads to my aux battery and if fires straight away.

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Yep, never had to actually properly glow mine (200tdi) to start, even on cold mornings. Usually outside, not under cover and sub zero..-3's and 4's common. Just turn key past glow and it starts. Always make sure start battery is good tho.