Pajero Owners Club of South Africa

I hear you, but ....

• a cold engine is more difficult to turn, than a hot one
• why not recon the starter?

Have you checked

• earth cables?
• 12V cable to starter?

4ePajero wrote:I hear you, but ....

• a cold engine is more difficult to turn, than a hot one
• why not recon the starter?

Have you checked

• earth cables?
• 12V cable to starter?

The starter from Freek is a recon one.

Before I buy it I will first check the earth cables as suggested - thank you for the pointer.

macjohnw wrote: Before I buy it I will first check the earth cables as suggested - thank you for the pointer.

Remove earth cables (and pos. cable to starter), clean and refit.
Ask Freek to fit it conditionally. if it solves the problem, he's got a deal.
If not .....

Just remembered something - I had a diesel leak on a line for a while just above/in front of the starter. We fixed it around mid December last year. The leak smeared diesel all over the show for some time - could this have had a negative impact on the starter?

It is the only thing that I can thing off that is out of the ordinary.

Mac,

When the engine swings longer to start, do you notice a sluggishness to the starter's swing? If the starter doesn't sound lazy, I recommend you run the car for a few weeks or so and see where it leads you. Somehow I think the car is going to sort itself out.

Roelf it does have a sluggishness to it - I thought it was the glow plugs that caused the slow start, but after talking to Freek it sounds like the starter is laboring. Could be that it starts a bit quicker in the morning because the glow plugs stay on longer as opposed to during the day when they hardly come on at all.

I will check the earth cables tomorrow and if that does not work, order the recon starter from Mitspro.

It looks like these guys had the same problem:

https://www.4x4community.com/forum/show ... hp?t=21952

I can confirm that the glow plugs take about 4 seconds to warm up to red hot at the tip - I tested each GP individually.

NOTE: Disconnect the power as soon as the GP starts to glow red hot at the tip, otherwise you might damage it.

The mystery was solved this morning. As 4ePajero said: Did you check the earthing and 12V cables?? It was the negative terminal clamp on the battery - too loose, even when tightened all the way.

When the struggle initially started I had the old battery (sold and installed by auto shop A) tested and they found 2 dead cells, so it was replaced with a new one with the same type and make under guarantee - again sold and installed by auto shop A.

They guys installing it did not see that the clamp was too big and did not fit tight enough, so it was loose and that is where the needed juice went.

Presto.

I assumed they knew how to install a battery. Just as others assumed I had the common sense to FIRST check the earthing and cables. At least my EGR valve is now cleaned and I know what my glow plugs look like.

Dankie oom Gerhard!

Will keep an eye on it today and tomorrow to see if the solution is lasting.

Good on you... hope it stays sorted out.

The problem is still persisting. It is likely the starter now.