Hard starting diesel.

[JeffinNZ]

Team.

I while back I posted that my 3.1 litre diesel Isuzu was being fussy about starting. Cold starts were OK but warm starts were slow cranking and somethings would lead to a complete failure to start. Today I finally got it to the workshop and my mechanic took the starter motor off. The unit was VERY dirty, full of carbon and dirt accumlated over it's 17 years of service. He stripped, cleaned, lubed and reassembled. The difference is starting now is like night and day. HUGE difference. Turn the key and POP, anyway goes the big 4 cylinder donk.

AND the bill was only $160.00 so much better than expected.

Can stash the jumper leads again.

[Bulldogger]

I had a Pontiac Firebird with the short-lived 6 cylinder overhead cam years ago, and the starter location made it a magnet for dirt and carbon. Got to where's I could change out a starter (kept a spare and a spare solenoid) in half an hour without jacking it up, solenoid in 15 minutes start to finish. (Yes the starter is fewer bolts and messing around, but it's also heavy and I was working at arm's length jammed under the running board.)

Sounds like you did very well. $160 is a good price for such a repair, I'd have been very happy with that. Glad it could be refurbished and returned to service. I always prefer that to replacement. By the way, it sounds like you have a trustworthy mechanic, hang on to him!

Bulldogger

[mroliver77]

Nobody does that kind of work here these days Jeff. It would be a replacement or nothing.
J

[starmac]

Around here shop labor is a 100 an hour, it is hard to justify a couple hours cleaning up and installing new bushingsand brushes for a hundred dollar starter. I do it on my honda fourwheeler though.

[merlin101]

I wish we had the little Isuzu diesel here, I've only seen two in and thats been spread over about 20 years! My dada hed one of them in a truck and got fantastic MPG. I'd love to find one today.

[Jailer]

I wish we had the little Isuzu diesel here, I've only seen two in and thats been spread over about 20 years! My dada hed one of them in a truck and got fantastic MPG. I'd love to find one today.

Thanks to the EPA you'll never see anything like that here. There are so many good fuel efficient clean burning diesel vehicles out there but unfortunately we will never be able to own them.


Nobody does that kind of work here these days Jeff. It would be a replacement or nothing.
J

Very true, almost everything is a throw away part anymore. I miss the days of $15 alternator rebuilds and I'm not that old either.

[uscra112]

Thanks to the EPA you'll never see anything like that here. There are so many good fuel efficient clean burning diesel vehicles out there but unfortunately we will never be able to own them.

Ain't that the truth! Even 7-8 years ago when I was going to Germany I'd get driven around in diesels that acted like gassers, and didn't have all the urea injection and whatnot that the EPA forces on us here. I'm told that something like 70% of new cars in Germany are diesel now.

[JeffinNZ]

Drove the Isuzu again today and what a dream now.

Now that we have a better grade of diesel in NZ we are seeing a lot more on the road. The modern diesels (ours if 1996 model) are astounding on mileage and performance. A friend has a Hyundai Tucson. 2.0 litre NON turbo, NON intercooler, goes like a cut cat AND on the smell of an oily rag. I am told Hyundai diesels are Mercedes based technology.

[andremajic]

Another neglected part of routine diesel maintenance is a diesel purge. Get a can of diesel injector cleaner and disconnect your fuel supply+return and put them both in the can until you run out of cleaner.

Huge difference in idling if you've never done it, and it cleans your injectors squeaky clean.

Google it if you need direction.

[JeffinNZ]

Just to add to my diesel 'experiences', last weekend to took my girls south to visit Ma Brown. 20km short of destination whilst roaring up the Kilmog hill in fine form, the Bighorn came to a standstill. I had to get mum to rescue the kids and rode to town in the recovery truck. Left the truck in town, took mother's car to get home and she came for a visit. Turns out the fault was just water in the fuel system. A new fuel filter and purged system and viola, back in business. SWMBO taking Ma Brown home tomorrow and returning with the truck Saturday.

Worth remembering that the first three letters in diesel spell DIE......LOL.

[Norbrat]

Great news, Jeff, much better than a broken timing belt.

That would have gotten ridiculously expensive.

[Garyshome]

Can't stand driving behind one. Makes me sick.

[MTtimberline]

There's nothing like the smell of diesel smoke first thing in the morning.

[MTtimberline]

I worked for a guy that had an Isuzu pup for a run around vehicle with the 4 cyl. diesel and 5spd manual. It got 50+ MPG and you couldn't remember the last time you fueled it up. Nice little economical vehicles.

[andremajic]

Can't stand driving behind one. Makes me sick.

Just the smell of diesel used to make me sick. I associated the smell with 20 foot swells at sea, working in a 90+ degree engine room drawing samples of fuel and doing clear and bright tests with a jar.

That was over 10 years ago, and I'm ok with the smell now.

[HATCH]

In the usa 2015 will have a bunch of new diesel models.
1/2 ton pickups.

[uscra112]

My old Dad had an Isuzu pickup. It rusted out just sitting there.

And Cummins is the only USA diesel builder I trust. Was a process control equipment supplier to all of them until I retired. They were, as of 4 years ago, gearing up to build several plants in the USA and elsewhere to make small-truck-sized diesels. I'd have to ask my old company how that went. Worst plant of all was the GM/Mazda plant in Ohio. My experience there cannot be described on a family forum.

My 0.02 worth. Yes, I'd run a diesel if I could afford one. Can't - not on my pension.