W202 C220D 1995 Slow Start (5-6 seconds cranking)

[Wolfstealth]

Hi, As said in the title, my W202 C220D 1995 has an issue with long cranking times when it is started for the first time every day. Subsequent starts are nearly instant and the engine runs smoothly.

As par for the course I checked and changed the battery and also had my starter motor checked(opened up, cleaned, etc) but it is in excellent condition. I also had my fuel pump lines checked but there doesn't seem to be any air bubbles.

As for whether the pump is leaking, I had recently(slightly longer than a year) refurbished all its seals so it is unlikely to be the pump but nonetheless also a point of consideration.

Do you guys have any idea what might be the cause?

 

[neilrr]

Air leaking into the fuel lines?

 

[Wolfstealth]

Air leaking into the fuel lines?

The fuel lines were checked and there wasn't any air leaks.

After a couple of second opinions, someone told me that it might be the heaters or something related so those are next on the list.

 

[ALFAitalia]

Excessive leak off (leak back) would be my first choice. Just based on previous experience.

 

[neilrr]

"heaters" as in glow plugs?

 

[Wolfstealth]

"heaters" as in glow plugs?

Yeah. Sorry for the inaccurate terminology but that is what we call them with the local colloquialism here.

 

[Wolfstealth]

Excessive leak off (leak back) would be my first choice. Just based on previous experience.

It shouldn't be since I had a new check valve and one way rubber bulb installed.

 

[ALFAitalia]

That's nothing to do with injector leak off.

 

[Petrol Pete]

Sounds like a possible glow plug issue. Similar happened to me on a straight 6 diesel many moons ago , start cranking time just got longer and longer over weeks until one day it ran the battery down .

In that case new glow plugs fixed it.

 

[Wolfstealth]

Sounds like a possible glow plug issue. Similar happened to me on a straight 6 diesel many moons ago , start cranking time just got longer and longer over weeks until one day it ran the battery down .

In that case new glow plugs fixed it.

Yes, the next thing I had to check was the glow plugs and infact none of them were working.

The reason why I am posting this so late is because I wanted to ascertain that the glow plugs were indeed the issue before confirming it with you guys.

So after a while of running the car all seems well.

Unless anything else pops up later on, it should be fine.

Thanks to all who replied and gave suggestions and for the time aswell.

Much appreciated.