Hard to start 3.0 CRD

[Barra1]

G'day gurus,

had to replace my battery a week or so ago and since then, my GU is very hard to start. The battery was dying (dropped a cell) so did the typical swap over & now it takes me 3 or 4 or sometimes 5 times to get it started.
It was OK when cold, let the glow plug light go out & away it would go. Then it would be hard to start 5 minutes or 20 minutes or an hour after shutdown. Now it is hard to start when cold or hot. The glow relay is clicking in/out so it is working. Have checked all the fuses I know would/could be connected to the stsrting system. It spins over rela quick, just won't stsrt.

Any clues on what it could be?

TIA

Barra

[threedogs]

I would remove and clean the Maf sensor and see how you go then.
Maf cleaner is available from JayCar or Super Cheap auto
Also check your vacume hoses for cracks or splits,
Is your primer firm in the morning

[boots]

Could it be a dodgy relay . One of the relays inside the cab above the fuse holder in the dash. From memory one of those has something to do with the ignition .

[JoeG]

Check the Glow Plugs --just because the relay is clicking does NOT mean they are working--need to disconnect and test either out of head or run a wire from battery Positive to top of glow plug and see if it sparks --if it does Good it's working if not glow plug is finished--
I would remove them personally and test out of head that way you are sure they are working--
How old are they if more than 100,000 km replace == or lots of starts replace them
Good luck
Joe

[kevin07]

check your fuel lines from the filter make sure they are tight and how is the bulb is it firm or does it need pumping up.

[Barra1]

Thanks guys, I will take a peek when I get some time this week

[Barra1]

Had the tech geeks put an OBDii on it & it just comes up as a fuel issue. Spoke to the gurus in Brisbane who say it could either be a Fuel Pump or Injectors or Fuel Rail pressure. The first 2 would be expensive I would think with the "preferred" being the Rail pressure where the relief valve spring may be the caase. Cannot get the truck into the mechs until next Tuesday. problem now worse where it will not start at all - definitely fuel.

Cheers,
Guys

[threedogs]

You don't say what year model, if an earlier model it could be as simple as perished fuel lines
or vacuum lines,
cheap to check eh

[Barra1]

G'day Three Dogs - yeah sorry 'bout that. It is a late 2008 ute with only 85k on the clock so shouldn't have perishing fuel lines, or so I would have thought. Nothing obvious with the lines etc but apparently the fuel pressure is down & diagnosed as a possible pump failure. Is this common with ZD30 CRDs? Crikey I don't want to be replacing bloody pumps every 80 or so thousand klms.

Cheers, fellas.

[Hodge]

Not super common mate but it does happen. Not cheap either unfortunately.

[happygu]

Fuel pumps are cheaper on the CRD's as they are only supplying high pressure fuel to the rail as far as I understand

[Steve4wdin]

When was fuel filter changed and water bleed out of system??? Check all hoses and make sure there not loose or they could be pulling a vacuum.

[mattdoyle0493]

G'day, I have a 2007 common rail ute and mine was doing the same thing, gradually got harder and harder to start until eventually it wouldn't go (and was worse when hot)
It came back to be the rail pressure limiter, mine presented like a glow issue as well only when it's been winding for a while unless theres a compression issue it should still get enough heat and enough compression to fire if the fuel is there. Also watch out when mechanics start calling injectors, mine (and I have heard of others doing exactly the same thing) was playing up, wouldn't start, cut out, shut down, wasn't missing when running, the ECU will throw injector faults, and I had 2 injectors replaced, only to learn that it was a pump proportioning valve, as well as the rail limiter again (pressure limiter failed 3 times, not sure what happened there, had no a issues since -.O)

[Scorpiovee]

Had this on my GU6. Lift the bonnet, squeeze the primer a bit, turn the key. Still hard to start, but would start. Replaced the starter. No problems.




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[threedogs]

I'm thinking if it only happened after he changed the battery that the terminals are dirty.
nothing a scourer pad can't fix,
make sure they are all squeaky clean can even apply battery terminal spray when finished

[Hodge]

Maybe something's shorted out while battery replacement, and somehow disturbed something electrical down the line, like a relay or ECU ?