Poor starting on a DJ 2.1

[chrisevans]

Since buying the van the starter has seemed a bit "lazy". I am going to add a temporary earth using jump leads between gearbox and chassis to check if this is the problem. I notice that the earth lead from battery to body gets very hot when cranking(normal?). Battery is new and I also connected a second battery yesterday and it still wouldn't go.

Secondly the engine floods very easily, when cold. Would I be correct in checking the temp2 sensor first? Is this a eurocarparts job or would I need to go to a specialist? Is worth taking the idling device out of loop as well?

It's a 1987 non cat version running on petrol.

[AdrianC]

Since buying the van the starter has seemed a bit "lazy". I am going to add a temporary earth using jump leads between gearbox and chassis to check if this is the problem. I notice that the earth lead from battery to body gets very hot when cranking(normal?).

No, not normal. If that second earth lead helps, then take the old one off and give it a good clean-up. If the one between battery and body's getting hot, then jumping gearbox-to-chassis won't make a difference - jump battery-to-body, too.

Secondly the engine floods very easily, when cold. Would I be correct in checking the temp2 sensor first?

Might be worth changing, but might just be another symptom of bad earths - the ECU's comparing the resistance to earth over the sensor and it's wiring - if there's crappy contacts, that'll increase the resistance, making it think it's colder than it is.

Is this a eurocarparts job or would I need to go to a specialist?

D'you need to ask? <grin> Brickwerks! I'm a firm believer in supporting the specialists at every opportunity, so that they're there and healthy when there's no alternative.

[T3luestar]

I just had the same problem with mine. The clamp on the negative battery terminal had broken underneath, but visually it looked fine. Replaced the whole lot and clean everything up, been fine so far.

[chrisevans]

I tried adding another earth to the battery and one from the gearbox to the chassis, using jump leads which didn't make any difference. I suspect starter/ starter bush.

[California Dreamin]

The starter armature nose support bush, more commonly known as the oilite bush, wears oval which means the starter pinion to ring gear engagement isn't as it should be.....slow cranking results.

Earths and feeds need to be 100% perfect....with nearly 200amps flowing any degraded wiring or connections create resistance and heat. If you have to replace any leads make sure the replacements are man enough..diesels require much heavier wiring than petrol engines.

Martin

[chrisevans]

I guess I will change the oilite bush between xmas and new year . Do GSF or Euro sell them?
I also noticed that the idling box thingy had been taken out of the circuit by connecting the two pugs together which I think is fairly common. What does this actually do?

[California Dreamin]

Idle stabilization valve...speeds up the engine to compensate for load, cold idle, and auto transmission drag and the tendancy to stall after lean burn run ie; coming up the slip road after a sustained fast motorway run etc.

Martin

[chrisevans]

As an update to this and my other post about dropping a tap into the bell housing(!) I changed the oilite bush and for a while it improved the cranking speed. However since passing the MOT today ( hurray) I stopped on the way back to fill with petrol and the van wouldn't re start without a jump.

My logic is now saying to be done with it and change the starter motor for a new one and another bush. Any thoughts?

[Mocki]

As an update to this and my other post about dropping a tap into the bell housing(!) I changed the oilite bush and for a while it improved the cranking speed. However since passing the MOT today ( hurray) I stopped on the way back to fill with petrol and the van wouldn't re start without a jump.

My logic is now saying to be done with it and change the starter motor for a new one and another bush. Any thoughts?

Before you buy a starter, look at the positive leads to the starter.... You checked the earths, but did you also test the positives?

The main starter cables are twenty odd years old and as said above are prob going high resistance . Chances are it is the starter as well

Slow cranking when engine is hot also could be a timing issue , but only it cranks fastly when cold

You will get a new bush with the new starter, which will be a exchange unit so you either need the old one off and with you at point of purchase or be prepaired to pay a deposit until you return the old one

[California Dreamin]

It starts 'with a jump' so you know both starter and bush are capable of adequate crank speeds....(is that right?)... BUT sounds like some how not getting sufficient power without the jump to crank fast enough to start?

Considering my 2.1MV will start in under 1 second even when it's been left stood for 8 weeks......it makes me wonder about underlying issues (basic compression/distributor cap/leads/fueling..carburettor? has it been converted)

Martin

[Ian Hulley]

It starts 'with a jump' so you know both starter and bush are capable of adequate crank speeds....(is that right)

Or does he mean 'with a bump' ?

Ian

[chrisevans]

Jumped from another vehicle which suggests insufficuent voltage or higher mechaical load when hot

[KINGPRAWN]

I spent years and £100's in garages as every year come winter if it didn't catch first spin FORGET IT!!
Read somewhere that the little bush on the end of the starter can cause problems when worn. Bought a new bush(£1) but after realising how much of a pig job it was to get the motor off I bought a new one. Well it was like being given a new van.... Can't believe after all that money and every year the same old problem was just the starter

[chrisevans]

Post script to this . I got a new starter motor and it has cured the problem. As its a GSF one I will have to wait and see how long it lasts!