2006 Rav4 Slow Starting & Knock At Startup

[sglengineer]

Hi, I have a 2006 Rav4 2.2 D4D, just passed 130k and runs well. I have an issue that the starting turnover appears slow and takes a few second to fire. This is cold and hot starting. The glow plugs and Battery were both changed last year as 2 glow plugs had failed. When it does fire, there is a dull knock from the engine bay at the point of ignigition. I'm not sure if the knock is a result of the slow starting and the engine kicking back against the mount stops or a failing mount? Any ideas on starting .. I have read many references saying this could be normal for a RAV4 and as I have only had the car 12 months and starting has always been slow. Any ideas?

[crofter]

Hello Sean and welcome to TOC

With a good Battery the engine should turn over with gusto unless there is a problem from that point onwards.Things to look for are tight connections in the thick cables that run to the starter. Then there is the heavy duty contacts in the solenoid on the starter, are they dirty and/or burnt ? Dirty contacts stop the full 12 volts reaching the starter. There are repair kit kits available if that is the case and a lot cheaper than swapping the motor. Then there is the starter motor itself .

There is a more heavy duty Battery fitted on an "oiler" than a petrol engine. Could the lighter Battery been fitted. It wont be the first time this has been done either through not knowing that there are two different batteries fitted on the different engines or being economic Some owners,when fitting a new one on their petrol motors fit this more powerful battery and found it to be a lot better. Is it possible that the reverse has happened as there is a price difference

Glow plugs can fail any-time so check these again.

It sounds as if you are hearing what is often referred to as diesel knock. On your engine the piston and cylinder head almost touch and one injection of fuel can fit in there but if that is not burnt then there is a double dose which there is not enough room for hence the knock when the piston reaches it's highest point in the cycle

Hope this is not a case of "teaching a granny how to suck eggs"

Del

[the fox]

100% it's the starter motor, I have changed four and everyone of them had loose through bolts the large bolts that hold the motor together, you can check them while the motor is on the vehicle, but you can get a recon motor on eBay very cheaply or take yours to a starter motor recon shop, try and nip the bolts up it may work but becuase of corrosion etc it may still be slow turning over, the rear brush cage uses the bolts etc for earthing.

The motor is fairly easy to remove take off the large rubber inlet pipe to get at it, when it's loose remove it towards the Battery side of engine it won't drop down. you may have to remove the Battery tray all very easy.....

eBay item number:

221152942647