Bad starter P38

Voltage actually getting to the glow plugs, are the correct glow plugs fitted, air leaks in the fuel system, a lack of compression.... as a few starting points.

I have checkked the glowplugs are getting voltage but putting my test lamp on them and every one lights it up, they are genuine LR glowplugs.

How does one check compression on a diesel? And for that matter an air leak in the fuel system?

Its driving me nuts.

Thanks Alan

...and Alan Crowder spake unto the tribes of Usenet, saying...

You'll have to buy or borrow a special diesel compression tester. The petrol ones don't read high enough.

Might be worth checking what voltage is actually getting to the plugs, and how that compares to the voltage rating that should be marked on them.

Glow plugs out, diesel compression tester into the glow plug hole, proceed as for a petrol, remembering to remove the stop solenoid wire from the injector pump first otherwise they have a very nasty habit of firing with the tester connected which tends to bugger the tester.

That's a tad more difficult. i have a short length of clear tubing i connec tbetween the fuel filter and the injector pump - any sign of bubbles there and you have a problem between that and the tank.

If the leak is in the injector pump itself it's much harder to pick - you can try cracking the injectors and cranking the engine, then retightening the injectors. If it then fires straight up it's a sign of there possibly being an air leak in the pump.

It's a Landrover - so driving you nuts is in it's job description ;-)

It must be something in the air ...... My 1999 2.5DT started playing up

2 days ago, immmediately after a long drive (giving it quite a bit of welly, 270 miles to Newcastle up the A1). I bought it a month ago (private deal) and it's been absolutely fine. Always started first time. 15 mins after that 270 mile, non-stop journey, I went to start it up again and it wouldn't. I cranked it for 20-30 seconds (in 5 sec. bursts) and it spluttered. Another go and it spluttered again. Third go and it sprang into life. It then drove fine - no hestitation or stalling. It was less reluctant to start the next time, but still hesitant. I drove back down home (270 miles again), later the same day and it performed fine.

Leaving it for 12 hours, immediately after that journey, it was an absolute pig to start and took 2-3 mins of turning over - but it still drove fine. It was left overnight all last night ........ and it started right on the button this morning! No hestitation, no problems. Wierd, or what?

Having had time to look at the engine for the first time this morning, I notice a diesel leak (looks recent but not ongoing) to the offside side of the engine, midway along its length and midway down, but there are a number of fuel lines and the fuel pump (?) in that area. (Sorry, I'm not too well-versed in engine mechanics)

Intemittent fault? Or (fingers crossed) is it some form of pressure release valve that blew off in my high-speed chase up the motorway and didn't reseat but now has? It seems that air's been getting into the fuel feed and / or the fuel's been draining back to the tank but this is now turning into an intermittent problem - the worst kind, IME. As I say, it started first-time this morning

Anyone else had the problem?

- Tom SW Essex.