GQ Td42 Patrol Issues

Hi Guys. My name is Dave and I'm a noob to this forum. I've recently acquired a 1998 GQ N/A TD42 Patrol Ute and it has a couple of issues. One is that the glow plug timer relay seems to go on and off regardless of the temperature or the time of the day and sometimes even seems to tick after the motor has started which causes the motor to drop slightly in revs and if the lights are on to dim slightly during the on cycle. The other issue is that it generally seems to take little while to start. It seems that fuel takes a while to get where it needs to be. On top of that if the car hasn't been run for a few days sometimes after the car has been running in idle for a minute or so it will start running rough and if I don't put my foot on the throttle it will stall. If I keep my foot on the throttle through this tough period it will usually run fine but if it stalls it is a bitch to start again almost as if there is a blockage in the fuel line. It has had its injectors cleaned recently. Could anyone shine a light on these issues please? Thanks in advance

G’day Dave Mate!
By no chance a mechanic myself but does sound very air in diesel to nuffy me.
Once had a tinniest of pin sized dents in a diesel filter, took weeks to find it via only a small drip at rest.
There aint much our old school 4.2’s need other than good oil & airless diesel hopefully mate!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Your glow plug timer 'issue' might be an aftermarket timer. The unit I fitted after my conversion has an adjustable 'after glow' feature that pulses on/off for a set number of times once the starter has been actioned.
It's not temp controlled so it pulses even when the engine is already warm. This could be the ticking you hear after the engine has started.

Thanks for the responses guys, I appreciate it. I'll check the fuel line for any leaks. Interesting about the aftermarket timer jff45

Hi there. I'm also a Dave with a GQ. (1992 Y60 wagon) Got it used, but that was 20 years ago!
Sometimes I get the same thing as you - it will start running rough after idle for a minute or so in the morning. But only rarely.
It happens on cold mornings (but I live in the Top End of the NT where a "cold" morning is actually not too cold!).
Almost like a petrol engine that's badly 'missing' (no spark in one cylinder).
Just like yours: if I don't put my foot on the throttle it will stall. If I keep my foot on the throttle through this tough period, or just start driving, it will run fine.
Wondered about water or air in the line somewhere.
So I just pumped the primer pump thing on top of the fuel filter (loosen the hand screw to let out the fuel & air bubbles).
It hasn't done it since, but we haven't had any cold mornings either...
Have any luck working out your problem?

I would suggest you have air5 in the lines
as Dave (Palmo-GQ ) said, go to your fuel filter , use the hand pump to make sure there is no air, and then open the bleeder on it, pretty much like bleeding your brakes, pump it up, bleed for a second, and so on

if your injectors were serviced - cleaned, I would guess thats whats happened, you have air bubble in the system