Converted samurai is cold-blooded

[addautomotive]

Starts like a champ all summer long. Once it's -10, I have to beat on it mercilessly to start it.

New starter
New 850cca battery
4 good glow plugs

It spins FAST, and pounds on one or two cylinders JUST LIKE it has bad glow plugs... but it doesn't.

EXCEPT... it burns a couple glow plugs every month or two.

This is the second year of this madness, I just can't figure it out.

Ideers?

[Zulfiqar]

too much oil consumption
bad quality plugs
bad injector spray pattern (most likely)
GP circuit not doing correct job.

check these - any diesel will react to cold temps but eating GPs is bad news

[addautomotive]

The glow plug circuit is working fine... I use a ford solenoid and a momentary switch. Even if I give them 15 seconds it wont start well.

Would bad injectors perform worse in the cold?

Who is rebuilding injectors? I have a spare set I can send out.

[addautomotive]

just spoke with the local VW shop... they also said that I should double check my cam & IP timing. They said it sounds like retarded timing, because I also noted hazy exhaust and poor turbo spool up.

[Zulfiqar]

your best investment would be a dialgauge and camlock tool - best money ever spent for me.

have any diesel shop check your injectors - just get a reputable one to test them like the manual says - not pumping the living daylights out of them.