A cold diesel engine does not alwasys 'catch' on all cylinders right away when started first thing. So the 'skiping' or missing (like in a gasser) you're hearing is the cylinder(s) that haven't began combustion yet. As you help the car stay running it will even out as heat build up in each cylinder. As was mentioned in other topics concerning cold weather starting, you will want to cycle through two to three glow cycles before engaging the starter as this will assure all glow plugs to be as hot as possible and help as many if not all cylinders 'fire' from the start.

Did the engine eventually smooth out once it was up to operating temp?

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'85 300SD 'Otto' new to us Sept. '07
'82 300SD 'Jurgen' (July '06 fan shaft broke, toasted rad, 3am in the morning 60km from home, walked 16km hitchhiking.... )
'70 SS Chevelle (finally back on my property, in the shop on stands)



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