I am an ex-240D and 300D owner (totaled in a not-my-faulter) who has spent vast hours rebuilding, restoring, and generally working on these fine automobiles. I note this only because I now own a BMW 524td, and my question is of a general diesel nature, but does have to do w/ the BMW (only because I know of the vast knowledge available on this site). Now down to business.

Symptoms:
1) Start car from ambient temp (first start of day) = starts great, good power, etc
2) After about 1/2 hour of opperation or idling in the driveway (enough time to warm up), the car loses all power, sounds very weak (no knocking, or hard noises), and shudders to a stall-out
3) Engine will not restart until it has cooled off again (see #1).

I've resorted to taking the car to a respected diesel mechanic and he's stumped. He's never seen a diesel car's running condition WORSTEN after it warms up.

PS. Fuel supply is in tact. The engine functions this way whether running out of a can of diesel or from the tank.
PPS. If running thicker fuel (ie, strait ATF from a bottle), the symptoms do not occur, and the car runs fine (none of the above symptoms).

Please help!

William