How did you time the injection pump? You must be pretty close to the correct setting or it will run very badly and smoke like crazy -- in fact, if you have it 180 degrees out it will run EXACTLY as you have described!

Correct timing is for the plunger to cover the intake slot in the #1 sleeve at 26 degrees BTDC -- set using a drip tube (do a search, it's been described several time) and you will probably be fine.

The lift pump will drain the tank if about 15 or 20 minutes, you are only burning a very small fraction of what the lift pump picks up -- the "extra" is returned to the tank via the overflow lines.

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!