300tdi Defender won't start

**AK83** · 21st November 2020, 08:23 AM

Originally Posted by vnx205

Melbourne must be a bit colder than Tuross Head.

Mine will fire within 2 seconds on a winter morning if I don't bother with the glow plugs.

I had been led to believe that the 300tdi was particularly good at starting without the glow plugs.

On a cold morning(<12°C) .. will flatten(admittedly a pretty ordinary) battery without glow plug routine.
At around 15C ambients, it cranks for about 10 secs but starts once it gets to the point of starting .. ie. no chugging coughing spluttering.
At about 20C ambient, can start it from stone cold no problem, maybe 0.5sec cranking, no glow plugs, just up and go, so to speak.

Once started tho, even if it's still freezing cold(eg. forgot something in the house and have to turn off and go to house etc.. ) even in really cold mornings and it's run maybe 10 seconds or so .. next start is immediate with or without glow plugs.

**rick130** · 21st November 2020, 08:47 AM

As the boys above have said, lift pump dodgy, air leak somewhere (ie split fuel line) or corrosion on the spade for the fuel solenoid.

I had the corrosion thing quite a number of times over the years on a Tdi.
You'll get a miss, rough running, it just won't start or cuts out altogether.

It's the only thing that stopped mine in near fifteen years of ownership and some scotchbrite and contact cleaner had it going again quickly.

Glow plugs just aren't needed in temps down to-6° if the engine has decent compression.

**vnx205** · 21st November 2020, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by AK83

On a cold morning(<12°C) .. will flatten(admittedly a pretty ordinary) battery without glow plug routine.

Originally Posted by rick130

Glow plugs just aren't needed in temps down to-6° if the engine has decent compression.

How good is your compression, Arthur? I believe that, as Rick says, it makes a big difference when things like temperature and battery SOC are less than ideal.

**AK83** · 21st November 2020, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by vnx205

How good is your compression, Arthur?....

Don't yet have the tools to look into it.
I think I have a very small amount of blowby, but it's not a huge amount that I can see.

**loanrangie** · 21st November 2020, 04:02 PM

My glow plugs didn't work for half of my 11 year ownership, was never an issue in a cold mexican winter.

**scoota** · 21st November 2020, 05:45 PM

I live north coast NSW so cold weather not an issue and I have had the problem when the engine is already warm. Probably not glow plugs then.
Can someone tell me where I can find the fuel solenoid so I can check the spades as rick130 suggested?
I have had the occasional rough running when on the highway - feels like it's going to die then when I change down a gear it kicks back in. this hasn't happened for a few months though.
I changed the air filter today for what it's worth.
Cheers

DiscoMick · 21st November 2020, 06:02 PM

Silly Q probably, but how is the fuel filter?

**Bazzle218** · 21st November 2020, 06:03 PM

Mate have a look at the rear of the injector pump where the pipes come out. you will see a single wire ( i think white off the top of my head) running to the rear of the injector pump thats the fuel cutoff.

Originally Posted by scoota

I live north coast NSW so cold weather not an issue and I have had the problem when the engine is already warm. Probably not glow plugs then.
Can someone tell me where I can find the fuel solenoid so I can check the spades as rick130 suggested?
I have had the occasional rough running when on the highway - feels like it's going to die then when I change down a gear it kicks back in. this hasn't happened for a few months though.
I changed the air filter today for what it's worth.
Cheers

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