by bgsengine » Sat Dec 17, 2016 2:39 pm
Also make sure of the air filter - Just relying on that "vacuum" indicator some of them have does not always mean they don't have a plugged up air filter and for a diesel - breathing is pretty much everything.. I'd also want to check glow plugs (depending on hours maybe just replace them) they can be checked for resistance values if there's more than one glow plug (one per cylinder or every other cylinder) just one bad glow plug can give hard starting any time.
Then there's fuel quality of course - even diesel breaks down after too much time in storage.
But like RoyM said - engine hours and particularly model /serial can be helpful info to guide you in some diagnostics.
How poor are they who have not patience. What wound did ever heal, but by degrees? - Iago (Othello Act II, Scene 3)