I don't THINK your valves are too tight to keep it from starting, but it sure would be a good time to adjust them. If you don't have the special wrenches, you can manage with frustration to adjust the valves on a four cylinder, a five is a different matter. I'm not sure that .016 is correct for the exhausts, my memory doesn't serve me with confidence on this.

If your voltmeter is showing voltage for 20 or 30 seconds AT all four glow plugs, then the relay should not be your problem although it might best be changed.

Have you read the thread that I started about my daughters 300D? It would be worth reading, there is one suggestion in there to pump the hand pump while someone cranks the engine. Also check your fuel filters for cleanliness. Trashy fuel can block one or both of these.

We're in this together, my daughter wants her car running again, and I want to get it off my list of things to do.

Good luck to the both of us,

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Larry Bible
'01 C Class, Six Speed
'84 Euro 240D, manual, 533K miles
'88 300E 5 Speed
'81 300D Daughter's Car
Over 800,000 miles in
Mercedes automobiles