Tools out again

3 things got done this time.

1. Shiny new oil filler cap.  Easy
2. New starter motor.  Less easy.  Should have been straight forward, but no.  Bit of diagnosis first. 12v going to solenoid. 12v going to main lead.  12v not going to motor lead when solenoid fired.  Good search on eBay left me with prices from £117 from Germany, £115 reconditioned from UK or £300 new.  Chose UK.  Ordered arrived.  then rain, rain, rain for days.  Finally got to look at the job.  Took old motor off – 3 bolts easy.  Offered up new motor tough as it was heavy and bigger than the one which came off. Odd.  In fact it wouldn’t fit.  Rang the firm.
   
   They said they had supplied the right one, understood what I was saying and offered to search for an alternative.  No luck.  Offered to pick up both motors, for free, recondition my old one for the same price, and return to me in 4 days.  I accepted that offer!  Motor came and I could put it on straight away.  Fired up the engine and after a long period of turning over it fired.  I realised the old motor had been suffering for a while as the new turn over speed was significantly better.  Tried again in a few days and it reluctantly fired again, but I didnt leave the engine running for long.  Last week we fancied a day out in the van and when it came to start – it wouldn’t.  Battery not enough poke.  Got it jump started off the Fiat.  No problems.  However some of my research about the motor lead my to find stuff about the cold start mechanism which leads me to 3.
3. Cold start.  I have a bastardised version of what should be there.  The bastard version may have been fitted when the ignition failed and a toggle switch added.  What should happen is on stage 2 of ignition, the temperature sensor detects less than 4 degrees and opens a relay which heats a coil and allows a spray of diesel over the coil as the engine turns the fuel pump which burns in the inlet manifold and helps the engine fire.  What actually happens is there is no temperature sensor and I have to press a button under the dash which opens the solenoid which does the rest.  Was this working?  How long does it take to heat?  Apparently I should hear a pop as the fuel ignites.  I was left guessing.  Very knowledgeable neighbour Phil (ta Phil) helped dismantle and diagnose.  We discovered there was fuel from the pump, fuel to the heater, the heater worked, but possibly the heater did not release a ball valve to allow the fuel onto the heater.  New part.  Fitted.  Seemed to work!  I now know I only have to wait 10-12 seconds for the heater to get red hot and that fuel gets to it within 3 cranks of the engine.  First go and the engine fired after about 15 cranks.  Result.