Another "not-starting" thread...

[CannonBall]

I've searched, but haven't really found anything exactly like what's happening to me. I'm willing to chalk it up to it being 6 degrees outside overnight and not having the block heater plugged in, but in a few hours we'll see.

I hook up jumper cables and even after a long wait get one or two GOOD kicks then it fizzles off. So I figured maybe my battery is SO dead that it just can't even take a jump (even possible?) well I had a new battery laying around, so I put it in, I have the exact same problem. I finally knocked on the people's door who I was parked near and they let me plug in my block heater and I have my girlfriends car out there running with jumper cables on mine, in a few hours I'll see if it'll start. I get an occational starter grind or just the WHIRLLING and so I think my solenoid is bad, but when it's engaging it shoudl still crank hard, but it gives me like 2 seconds of hope then nothing. It used to crank hard for a LONG time. Any help. I'll keep searching, I think there's just so many possibilities I'm having trouble narrowing it down. Basically, I HAVE to get it started and back to my place before I can like change the starter or adjust the valves and there's too much snow on the ground to pull start it.
-Nate


edit: I j ust changed the glow plugs and fuel filters, and it's been driven a LOT, I took it to Estes Park at 8000 feet, to the airport, all over, it's been running really well, it's been starting perfectly when plugged in and harder when not but still starting.


edit again: I'm reading these threads about 15 minutes of solid cranking time...that is not even a possibility with jumpers on from a CTD, could I have crappy jumpers? I think they're good, if that's the problem I'm going to punch myself.