It all started with the replacement of a timing chain. Then between me and my Tech, Star Service in Wantage, NJ, we did the following.

1. Replaced the fuel screen in the fuel tank. (me)
2. Replaced the injectors (me)
3. Set the injection pump timing (tech)
4. Valve adjustment (tech)

Man............. the old car starts right up (new starter), idles smoothly and quietly, and runs like a top.

It is so nice when a plan comes together.

JCD

A good starter makes all the difference in the world on an old diesel sometimes!

My brother's W115 300D was cranking VERY slowly, and wouldn't start in cold weather at all. We dropped in a new starter last weekend, and it's like new now!

I've still not convinced him to run the glow plugs long enough, but hey, it's his car.....

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!

Peter,

Concerning the 603, and only the 603:

Mine needs a good 25 seconds of glow to ensure a perfectly smooth start with no misfiring for the first 30 seconds.

Your opinion on the following, please:

Would a brand new set of glow plugs get this time down to 5 seconds or so (effectively glow light time)?

Discussion is at ambient temperatures of 45 F. to 70 F. It is clearly understood that all bets are off below freezing.

I've already bought the plugs and am considering removing the intake so that I can clean it up a bit. But, I'd rather not risk the removal of the plugs if it won't buy anything.

Marshall had commented that the 603 should do better than what I currently experience if the glow system is functioning "as designed".

Brian, my "new" '87 300D turbo had bad stuttering and nailing at a cold start last December (its almost a year later now and nothing bad to report in fact I really like this car a lot!) even after letting the GP's warm 30 seconds. It had lots of fuel leaks and needed lifters even with Mobil 1 it was noisy. I decided to send the head (#14) to be checked for leaks and flatness because the head gasket was leaking. At 255K miles, it had received little or no attention by PO.
After installing new lifters (following a valve job and skim cut) and new IP seals it has only a very slight nailing after only 15 secs pre-start warm up period. The noise dimishes rapidly, say within a half minute it is almost quieted down, this after 2 or 3 days of non operation and ambient around 50 - 60 degrees. The first start on a hot day the nailing is zilch. After a short distance it is completely normal. I am using a little RedLine catalyst also in the fuel (1/3 bottle at fill ups) so that may be a factor.
If your GPs are all OK, and your IP seals have been replaced, there might be something related to the lifters that is involved. That would be my hunch.
As for getting it down to a 5 sec warm up - I don't think that is possible cold. MY GP timer is about 10 seconds as I recall (I'll count next time and verify that)
As addendum, MY '85 OM617 (completely rebuilt engine) has no "misfiring" (what I would call nailing) at all even cold (what cold we have here is above freezing so that is not COLD, just not warm!). It is an almost instant start, say 5 seconds on the GP and its off and running smooth. What a gem.

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'95 E320 Wagon my favorite road car. '99 E300D wolf in sheeps body, '87 300D Sportline suspension, '79 300TD w/ 617.952 engine at 367,750 and counting!

I think that it must be related to glow plugs in some fashion because, if I let it glow for 30 seconds or more, it will start instantly and run perfectly smooth. Lifters could not cause this and I don't think that IP seals would do it either. I'm not positive that all the glow plugs are up to snuff. I would expect that they are all working, but, I am curious as to whether a brand new set, with increased tip temperature, would cut the glow time down.

When I pull the manifold, I'll probably change them just to see what they do.

Yes, the 617 exhibits none of this behavior between 40 and 90 degree ambient. Once it starts, it runs perfectly smooth in five seconds or less.
Very different than the 603, and, the reason why the discussion must be exclusively related to the 603.

Yes, the 603 is more demanding for some reason (to get a smooth start) oh well we are stuck with that I suppose, no amount of $$ will ever make one act like a 617, which of course we don't want it to be in terms of performance!

I added the comment re: OM617 because the thread started by jcd was on the OM617 running smooth after some attention.

As for the glow plugs, if you taking the crossover off you might as well replace all of the plugs which are not easy to get to. There was some post that someone said they thought Beru plugs looked better than Bosch, any comments on that?
I ususally keep a spare set of plugs on hand, it seems like with German parts prices rising all the time, buying a set now would insure I have them available and save some bucks over what they will cost in a year or two when I'll probably need them. Darned US Dollar is still dropping.

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'95 E320 Wagon my favorite road car. '99 E300D wolf in sheeps body, '87 300D Sportline suspension, '79 300TD w/ 617.952 engine at 367,750 and counting!