WH. Cranks over to long before starting.

[drj33p]

G'day All,

In the mornings after sitting all night when you try to start it she just cranks over for several seconds before starting (sometimes takes 2 starts) and then when she does there's a huge amount of smoke (whiteish gray).

Seems like fuel is pumping through but no spark and the smoke is unburnt fuel.

After that start/stop whenever for the rest of the day no worries.

Any thoughts?

For those that don't know it's a 3.0L CRD

Thanks.

[major_magnet]

Now unless I'm wrong, there should be no 'spark' in a diesel. The fuel is ignited by compression relying on the temperature to help things along.
Do you run your glow plugs before you crank over? (Not up to speed on the WH setup at all so could be wrong)
If you are already try clicking your ignition off and back to the on position before starting for a few seconds. Possibly needs a longer initial glow heat time?

[What No Jeep]

Mine was doing the same thing, now that it's getting cold in the mornings....minus 7 the other day.

At first I thought that the glow plugs may have been stuffed, or the battery was on the way out.

So then I thought what else has changed ....I had recently changed to using Shell diesel, As opposed to the Mobil or Caltex I had been using for the last 85,000ks.

I remembered my previous car before the Jeep was an FPV Typhoon, which of course went like a rocket on a steady diet of Caltex Vortex 98.

Then the boss changed my fuel card to Shell, the car went like it had a banana up its tailpipe, from being able to spin the wheels in 3rd gear, and rev smoothly all the way to 6,000rpm. Within minutes of filling with Shell it had trouble breaking traction in 1st or rev past about 4,500 rpm. After a few tank fulls as the PCM recalibrated itself the car would go to the redline again but still had way less grunt. After a month or so I went to a performance forum and asked why.

They all said shell fuel was crap and why it had taken me so long to figure that out. I said cause the shell fuel was free!

So I once it was nearly empty I filled it with BP Ultimate and as I pulled out of the servo the back tyres just lit up and if the car was saying .THANKYOU!

So I started using Caltex Diesel in my Jeep and after the 2nd tank it now starts, within a few cranks, just like before.

Do you fill it with Shell, perhaps another brand, or just a bad batch of fuel. Try some from somewhere else. Worked for me.

[del97td]

when you turn the key to on position the glow plug light should come on and then turn off when it thinks its ok to start but in really cold weather you may need to repeat the procedure 2 or 3 times also 1 or more of your glow plugs may be dead they can be checked with a multi meter between top terminal where the lead clips and the cylinder head, easy to change if you have a dodgy plug or two change the lot

[drj33p]

Originally Posted by What No Jeep

Mine was doing the same thing, now that it's getting cold in the mornings....minus 7 the other day.

At first I thought that the glow plugs may have been stuffed, or the battery was on the way out.

So then I thought what else has changed ....I had recently changed to using Shell diesel, As opposed to the Mobil or Caltex I had been using for the last 85,000ks.

I remembered my previous car before the Jeep was an FPV Typhoon, which of course went like a rocket on a steady diet of Caltex Vortex 98.

Then the boss changed my fuel card to Shell, the car went like it had a banana up its tailpipe, from being able to spin the wheels in 3rd gear, and rev smoothly all the way to 6,000rpm. Within minutes of filling with Shell it had trouble breaking traction in 1st or rev past about 4,500 rpm. After a few tank fulls as the PCM recalibrated itself the car would go to the redline again but still had way less grunt. After a month or so I went to a performance forum and asked why.

They all said shell fuel was crap and why it had taken me so long to figure that out. I said cause the shell fuel was free!

So I once it was nearly empty I filled it with BP Ultimate and as I pulled out of the servo the back tyres just lit up and if the car was saying .THANKYOU!

So I started using Caltex Diesel in my Jeep and after the 2nd tank it now starts, within a few cranks, just like before.

Do you fill it with Shell, perhaps another brand, or just a bad batch of fuel. Try some from somewhere else. Worked for me.

The only fuel i use is Caltex Vortex, so i don't think fuel is the isue if it was wouldn't i have the same problem with every start up?

And when it's driving it still goes like a rocket!

[drj33p]

Originally Posted by del97td

when you turn the key to on position the glow plug light should come on and then turn off when it thinks its ok to start but in really cold weather you may need to repeat the procedure 2 or 3 times also 1 or more of your glow plugs may be dead they can be checked with a multi meter between top terminal where the lead clips and the cylinder head, easy to change if you have a dodgy plug or two change the lot

I always turn key on wait for drivers seat to move to position all lights out then start,

But i now recall the dealer telling me there has been old glow plug cods that won't clear but they have been there for about 60,000K's with no issues so maybe that's where i need to look.

[What No Jeep]

Originally Posted by drj33p

The only fuel i use is Caltex Vortex, so i don't think fuel is the issue if it was wouldn't i have the same problem with every start up?

And when it's driving it still goes like a rocket!

Sorry, just trying to help.

And its only the first start up of the day that was the issue for me, after being driven there is enough heat in the engine that it starts easily, in fact even after not being driven for several hours, the glow plug light on my car does not come on at all when starting the car.

So the problem you describe is identical to the one I experienced, and I fixed it by changing fuel.

I used to have to turn the glow plugs on twice and it would still crank for 5 to 10 seconds before starting, and blow a huge cloud of white smoke.

No i do it once, wait another second after the glow plug lamp go's out and it starts withing 2 seconds.

If it were me I would at least try 2 tank fulls of different, perhaps BP fuel. If its still no better then go chasing glow plugs.