Diesel won't start with starter

[burn_your_money]

My 84 diesel was sitting for about 2 months. 2 days ago I threw a battery in it and it fired right up. It barely cranked and it was going. I was impressed. Everytime I went to start it since then it always started right up, up until tonight.
I got done my 8 hour shift and went to start my car. It would crank and crank and it wouldn't start. The glows were working and the injector pump was getting power.
So my buddy gets out and pushes the car backwards and I jump start it. It fires right up no problem.

Ever since that night it will only start when it is pushed. The starter is working 100% and is cranking the engine over just fine but the car refuses to start unless it is pushed.

How come it won't start when I use the starter?

[jettadude]

its not turning the motor. the flywheel or the starter fingers/notches are worn or broken. this could be the problem. thats what im thinking. or somehow they moved out of reach of eachother. but the starter sounds like its not grabing the flywheel.

[Mr_Diesel]

Pretty sure you could tell if the engine is cranking or not.... Sometimes starters just get old and worn out... despite the fact that it's technically still working your engine is high mileage, and needs a starter that is giving all the cranking power it should be... Starters get weaker over time. Gasoline engines usually can deal with this for a while (or until the starter dies), because of spark ignition. The slower you crank a diesel the less compression there is... The starter is simply not spinning strongly enough to heat up the fuel enough. Replace the starter, and it should fix your problem... Thats the ONLY thing that could be the problem if everything you said is true.

Buy a new starter, and sell the old one to some dude with a gas rabbit (bolt up the same) for like 5 bucks.

[burn_your_money]

The starter sounds to be cranking over just fine. Wouldn't it also sometimes work and sometiems not? Like even if the car has been driven around and is at normal operating temperature it still won't start with the starter.

Maybe my battery is so crappy that the starter is pulling all the juice and my injector pump is not getting power while cranking...

I barely have 100k miles on my engine

[burn_your_money]

Maybe my battery is so crappy that the starter is pulling all the juice and my injector pump is not getting power while cranking...


nope not that

[Mr_Diesel]

The starter sounds to be cranking over just fine. Wouldn't it also sometimes work and sometiems not? Like even if the car has been driven around and is at normal operating temperature it still won't start with the starter.

Maybe my battery is so crappy that the starter is pulling all the juice and my injector pump is not getting power while cranking...

I barely have 100k miles on my engine

Fuel cutoff solenoid takes VERY little power to activate (like... a 1.5V AA battery could do it). You could always swap batteries with moms car, and see if that fixes it.

[burn_your_money]

I tested the fuel shutoff while cranking. it went down to about 8 volts. I don't see how I would need a differant battery if it is still cranking over at the usual speed?

[Gotturbo]

because vw's are stupid

[GoodDayForADrive]

because vw's are stupid

*tear* I'm offended, ban him

[burn_your_money]

I'm going to check all my ground connections, hopefully that will solve something.

[Mr_Diesel]

I'm going to check all my ground connections, hopefully that will solve something.

swap the dang battery with the chevette, and i'll bet it'll work.

[burn_your_money]

I own the rabbit and my mom owns the vette. She'd be pissed if I took her battery (even for a little while). I will try jumping it off the van one day to see what happens, although I doubt it will start.