Strange problem

[BMWE34FAN]

Hey all, my diesel 75 has recently developed a fault where randomly it will take around 2 minutes to start but only does it at random times and there is no pattern of when it decides to stress me! It's not a starting issue like when you have a dead battery, it sounds like it wants to start. When it's running it's great (a tad blue smoke on start up first thing in morning for about 2 seconds) but does smell a bit rich (put it down to being a high mileage old diesel).
Any ideas what could be on the way out?

Many Thanks

[magooagain]

Pre heat plugs?

[dave_s13]

Could be a dodgy injector, try chucking boiling water over the top of the engine and see if it starts. That's what I used to have to do to my volvo d5 when an injector went.

You need a leak test doing to find out which one is knackered.

[Nigel Worc's]

dave_s13 said:

Could be a dodgy injector, try chucking boiling water over the top of the engine and see if it starts. That's what I used to have to do to my volvo d5 when an injector went.

You need a leak test doing to find out which one is knackered.

As above, please get this checked out.

My Caddy did this, very intermittent, then an injector stuck open, bye bye engine.

[TheEnd]

Cam (or needle lift on older cars) or crank sensor maybe could do something like that.

[fangio]

Does it do it when the nose pointing uphill? If there is a tiny air leak in the fuel inlet line, the fuel runs back to the tank, requiring lengthy cranking to suck the fuel back up to the pump.

[conkerman]

Check out the issues with in tank fuel pumps on these. Gets worse when <1/4 full.

Very common fault.