1985 diesel transporter/vanagon 1,6 diesel first start issue not starting quickl

[winterjacketz]

hi my van
is not starting the first time of the day and then it does.

so it spins really slowly and doesnt start the engine it takes a lot of doing that for like two minutes,
and then it starts and runs perfectly,

theres something wrong with the preheating or something,
something strange is that i will have the preheat light on the first start in the morning and then in the day time the light won't turn on
so there's no more preheating happening in the daytime.

thanks  for any help

[ORCoaster]

Could be starter or battery for the slow cranking.  But if you can crank slowly for two minutes I would almost rule out the battery and focus on starter connections and mechanical parts.  Lubrication?

Once the engine is warm no preheat is needed.  Sometimes during the summer here I do not need glow plugs to start the car but most times I do as the temps are around 50-55 most mornings.

It might also be that you have poor compression in the morning and once the engine starts it warms and then your pressure might go up in a weak cylinder.