New to diesel: some stupid questions!

I used to hold them this long on my old SII diesels. Probably not needed when warm - try it and see. If the engine doesn't fire after two or three turns, use the glow plugs

Because running out of fuel on a diesel is a b@stard! You have to reprime the pump by loosening a nut on the side and pumping manually unti lthe air bubbles stop appearing. Any air in a diesel fuel line prevents the engine running (a mate of mine used to prime by towing his in gear for about three miles...)

Probably - could you post pics anywhere?

Possible, but bloody hard! The knack is to turn the engine until the pressure holds you back, then force it down hard - having heated the engine first, mind you.

Stuart

There's no real fixed time - even relying on the orange light is only really a guide. After a few weeks you'll get the hang of that particular vehicle. You shouldn't need the plugs once the engine has run for more than a few seconds - how long depends on your battery really. If it can't spin the engine fast enough, it will never start, even if you warm it up with a blow torch! Some

2¼ diesels will start without the glow plugs at all in summer (not many, admittedly...)

Diesels have warning lights as the pump will need priming if you run out - usually this is the same time you discover that the lift pump isn't working. The blue light *should* be main beam, I wonder if the wirings a bit iffy (bad earth?).

Have a look around on the web, there's loads of pages telling you how to do it and it's not difficult. A worthwhile job, particularly on diesel.

Yes, in a word.

It's *possible*, but practical? Not really.

Just keep an eye on the oil levels, and do the routine servicing at 6,000 miles. Avoid using diesel out of jerrry cans!

I suspect there's quite a few here who have never owned a 2¼ Diesel.

Richard

Isn't that only on the SIII? - the SII diesels I have known and loved(?) had blue lights for the diesel low warning. BTW I thought the orange light was for the glow plugs?

Guys, many thanks for the info -- a real help and definitely cleared up one or two mysteries!

In answer to the point above. there are two (IIRC) telltales set within the speedo itself: a blue for main beam (this does actually work, I tried switching and and watched it go on and off) and a yellow labelled 'cold start' which lights up faintly but doesn't seem to go out. The previous owner said this was for the glow plugs and it would go out when the plugs were heated - maybe I'm just not holding onto the key long enough.

In the middle of the instruent panel itself there's a 'medium sized' blue light which flickered randomly when the tank was indicated at around a quarter full.

To the right of the speedo, between the panel light switch (above) and the engine cut-off switch (below) there's a large yellow (or may be orange) lamp which also flickered occasionally.

Both these lamps are shown the in the Land Rover repair manuals (the thick green books) as fuel tank indicator lights. Not having owned a diesel I had no idea why this might be necessary -- now of course it's deadly clear! Priming the pump in a petrol is just few pulls on the lever below the sendiment bowl, by comparison, a diesel sound like a nightmare!

BTW, why not fuel from a jerry can? In case of sediment/rust in the can or is the 2.25 diesel particularly sensitive? I was thinking of homebrewing some biodiesel with old cooking fat...

That's quite possible!

Richard

Jerry cans often have that pink/red "stuff" in them, and it plays havoc with the filters when it gets in the tank. The 2¼ diesel will run on any old rubbish, but it must be reasonably clean. The filler neck filter will often be good enough, but a lot get thrown away as they can cause modern garage pumps to keep "tripping out" - if yours is still there, just take it out when filling up from a grage pump (it should be on a bit of chain so you can't forget to put it back!)

Richard

Not a nice old engine like yours but the glow plug light on my TD5 glows for longer than it takes me to settle in the seat, put on my seat belt and sort that out and other prestart checks. Some engines don't need glow plugs at all, even when stone cold but they all vary.

Shouldn't do, on decent engine.

See other comments about priming required if you run out of fuel. At least yours has something simple, open a valve and pump a handle. The DII has some arcane ignition switch/throttle press sequence to set the computer controlled priming sequence into operation. You then have sit through all manner of squeals and wines from the pump for quite some time, minutes.

It might be but most diesels that can be hand started have some means of taking the compression off so you can wind them up to a decent speed on the handle, drop the compression in and actually use the stored momentum in the flywheel to start 'em.

On or around 7 Sep 2006 02:48:32 -0700, "Jerry" enlightened us thusly:

not necessarily.

on a 1.8 sherpa diesel it used to need about 30sec of heat in summer and about 90 sec in freezing weather.

the series glowplugs are much slower than the ones in the TDi.

but like they all said - if you crank the engine for more than about 5 seconds and it doesn't fire, you didn't give it enough heat.

Dave Liquorice uttered summat worrerz funny about:

Makes me want to dust my fergie off it does ;-)

Lee D

Once more: thanks everyone for all the comments and help.

This diesel thing is so weird, familiar but strange all at the same time. Like moving from England to Australia or America where they speak the same language (!) and everything is roughly the same but really

*very* different. Even after many years owning Land Rovers I feel all at sea like a complete novice!

At least rust is the same problem...!

||| Isn't that only on the SIII? - the SII diesels I have known and ||| loved(?) had blue lights for the diesel low warning. BTW I thought ||| the orange light was for the glow plugs? || || Guys, many thanks for the info -- a real help and definitely cleared || up one or two mysteries! || || In answer to the point above. there are two (IIRC) telltales set || within the speedo itself: a blue for main beam (this does actually || work, I tried switching and and watched it go on and off) and a || yellow labelled 'cold start' which lights up faintly but doesn't || seem to go out.

Maybe a red herring, but is it a factory diesel or a later transplant? I only ask because the petrols have a yellow warning light labelled "cold start" which lights up if the choke is still out and the engine warm. The contact on the choke knob will be a bit iffy at this age and may cause the light to stay on. ICBW, of course.

|| Dave Liquorice uttered summat worrerz funny || about: || ||| It might be but most diesels that can be hand started have some ||| means of taking the compression off so you can wind them up to a ||| decent speed on the handle, drop the compression in and actually ||| use the stored momentum in the flywheel to start 'em. || || Makes me want to dust my fergie off it does ;-) || || Lee D

Is that before or after you've played with your Percy?

obFnarr.

That's more like it ;-)

In this country at least, heater plugs are only needed in cold weather and mine would start without even in cold weather if the battery is in good shape.

As others have commented this is because you have to prime the fuel system if you run out.

Did this before taking delivery of the one I owned in 1966, so yes.

Yes

No - not for any normal person.

Check oil and water. If fuel is at all suspect check the strainer on the lift pump for water (look don't take it off or you will have to prime it).

Check tyre pressure, but it is probable that you are just used to power steering. Going to 600x16 would make the steering lighter, but I would stick to radials, as the steering is markedly better with them. JD

On or around Thu, 7 Sep 2006 19:06:25 +0100, "Lee_D" enlightened us thusly:

diesel or petrol/TVO?

top tip - don't try to hand-start a diesel engine with aerostart in it. Donkeys aren't in it, that mutha really kicked back.

Austin Shackles uttered summat worrerz funny about:

Derv TEF20 which I understand is one of the rare ones which also has a drop down hitch/hook under the PTO cira 1954

In fact it's so Rare I'm planning on pulling it apart and making it into a camper ;-)

Lee D

Freeman Sanders or Ricardo ?

Martin

which I understand is one of the rare ones which also has a drop

6 to 7 seconds is an optimum time, this can be verified by assembling the heater system outside the engine and timing the warm up visibly.

even relying on the orange light is only

The orange cold start light is quite useful really. It is wired across the terminals of the pre-heater power supply resistor ( the one fastened to the bulkhead just above and behind the engine). As the pre-heaters are used, the loading on the resistor makes it get hot which increases its resistance and more current then tries to pass through the cold start bulb making it brighter which in turn is a good indication of over-use of pre-heaters. If the orange light glows brightly initially then that usually indicates a short circuit, if it doesn't light at all that indicates an open circuit meaning possibly a burned out pre-heater plug (assuming you have the original series connected glow plugs of course).

After a few weeks you'll get the hang of that

The engine should start quite readily without the heater plugs in warm weather if it is in good condition, i.e. it has compression and fuel, but lack of either could be down to quite a number of faults.

Main beam light should be in the speedo, the 'knurled' blue lamp for low fuel warning is situated between the 'clocks'.

You will also need the cast alternator bracket to replace the dynamo mounting plates at the bottom / front of the block. You can use the same wires that were on the dynamo, reconnect them to alternator terminals, remove control box for dynamo, discard earth connection, connect small brown/yellow wire from W/L terminal to small green wire wire from F terminal and connect large wire from D terminal to large wire(s) from B or B+, job done!

I'd like to see that :-) , but seriously it can be done if the battery is down but not flat if someone turns the handle as you turn the key, but not with a completely flat battery.

Martin