Just a quickie....

With my engine at or close to full operating temp, how long should it take start after cranking?? Right now with the idle know turned down, it's about 3 seconds. Too long?? And if so what are the possible causes?

With mine, if it's only been shut down for less than ten minutes after having reached operating temperature , it will restart at low idle without using the glow plugs in about a second. The longer it sits after that, the longer it takes to start. If it's been sitting for a half hour or more, I go ahead and turn the idle back up before I start it.

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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 401,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 26,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.
99 Mazda Miata 183,xxx miles.

Thanks!

With my 83, so new style glow plugs, it takes about 1 revolution of the crank using glow plugs, and 2-3 rev. without.

Delayed hot starting might indicate there is some wear in the piston/cylinder fit in the injection pump. Three seconds is nothing to get concerned about. Also could be the fuel backing away from the pump a little I suppose. When some injection pumps get really worn they will start cold but nearly impossible to start hot. Just sell a pump like that and quote it vegatable oil ready.
For a pump this old they are pretty easy to pick up a still fairly good pump used.