Help Will Not Start??? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

gvanhouten · #1 11-30-2005, 12:38 PM

I just got done doing the head of a 87 300td wagon and it cranks and cranks and does not fire. Here is what I have done.

All new glow plugs(Bosch)
Guides,valve job, timining chain & rails, headgasket, thermostat, new head bolts, new glow plug relay, and valve stem seals.

The injectors where cleaned by the machine shop.

I cranked the car last night over and over to try and get the gas through the lines. I cracked one of the lines and no fuel?? How long do you need to crank and now the car will not crank? Possiable burnt starter I believe it was original. How can I tell if the IP is adjusted properly????

Also I do not hear any clicking when I set it to the glow plugs spot. (I am thinking that there should be something moving the fuel like a primer) Fuel is not getting to the injectors and I am lost presently and very tired.

nckmsn · #2 11-30-2005, 12:47 PM

you probably need to prime the fuel system. You can pump the air out of the system with the white object next to the ip. I believe you pump till you feel resisitance. That wont help if your plugs arent working though

gvanhouten · #3 11-30-2005, 12:52 PM

The car is a 87 300td and I do not see any white object next to the IP. I would love to know how to prime it but I thought this was accomplished by rotating the engine.

nckmsn · #4 11-30-2005, 01:01 PM

interesting. every older mb diesel i've seen has the manual pump. It has a circular top that you twist couterclockwise, then you pump and on your last stroke in youtighten it back up. Which motor does your car have?

gvanhouten · #5 11-30-2005, 01:03 PM

Its a 603 engine and I believe I fried the starter trying to start it. No luck. Thanks for your input however I am sure there is no primer but you are right all older model have the primer pump. Smart engineering!!!

coachgeo · #6 11-30-2005, 04:40 PM

sory to hear you may have burned out your starter. I became afraid of that happening when I first read you were trying to prime it by using the starter.

here is some ideas:
Use a "mighty vac" to pull fuel up the lines. Or install temporarly a 12v fuel pump as close to the tank as you can. Use this to prime the system by pushing fuel up to the engine.

gvanhouten · #7 12-01-2005, 07:47 PM

Any other information you can give me would be greatly appreciated. Car is still not running.

Hatterasguy · #8 12-01-2005, 09:52 PM

Are you getting good fuel at all 6 injector line? It sounds like you may have an airlock in the IP.

I have never run into this problem before but if I were in your situation I would try the following:

Try the bottle trick I described above.

Pull off the injector lines and see if fuel shoots out of the IP like it should. This would do two things:
1. If fuel is shooting out of the IP then you have a timing problem.
2. If fuel is not you have an air or fuel issue.

Glowplugs shouldn't really matter either way, it will start without glow plugs to a point. If its 30 degrees where you are they will help, but all of the cranking you are doing should create enough heat to burn the fuel.

gvanhouten · #9 12-02-2005, 12:05 AM

Okay I think I am on to something.

I pulled all the lines off of the ip and cranked it and some did squirt out but not like I would expect. It squirted in sequence not all at once but rather one at a time. Most of the injectors are filled with diesel meaning they are not emptying into injector. I am not sure if this is how it is suppose to be.

Is my timing off on the IP is this why I see puddles in the injector lines??

Second thing I noticed is when I took off the filter (Small clear inline filter that goes to the IP) I noticed it was not filled with fuel and had a lot of sentiment in it attached to the metal screen.

Lastly when I start the car in the glow plug position I hear a clicking sound coming from behind the glove compartment box. Does this have something to do with my problem??

Hopefully tracking down the cause.

Hatterasguy · #10 12-02-2005, 11:10 PM

The IP should squirt fuel one at a time. Every squirt fires the injector that is attached to that delivery valve.

Did you re attach the lines and try to bleed it one more time? If you are getting good fuel to the IP it should start, wel unless the timing is way off.

GSXR, Sixto, Brian, Roy? I know you guys are probably reading this any further ideas?

I am drawing a blank, I'd time the thing at this point but thats a shot in the dark?

gvanhouten · #11 12-02-2005, 11:17 PM

Yes the IP is spitting out one at a time. The injectors are holding the fuel on top where I would screw down the line. Could there be a problem with my injectors?? Is this normal that the when you take the lines off you can see diesel on top of the injector where it goes down through the center? I am sure it is but want to double check. Thank you for your replys it keeps me going. I have neve had this much dissapointment with a car before....

Hatterasguy · #12 12-02-2005, 11:20 PM

Yeah the injectors need a lot of psi to "pop" and dump the fuel into the cylinder, thats normal.

How warm is it where you are trying to start this thing?

gvanhouten · #13 12-02-2005, 11:28 PM

I can crank my garage up to 65 or 70 degrees with my heater!!! I was trying to start it when it was 60 degrees out. It sounds like it is not igniting. The glow plugs are all new I looked at the leads and took them apart to make sure they are not cracked or cut. They seemed fine. The only problem was on the number six plug there was some insulation missing no wires where cut. I just taped it up and wraped with heat shrink. I tested the glow plugs and I believe I did it properly but at this point I am willing to try anything. Some posters said even if it is way off that (IP) it will eventually fire. Well like I said a starter and battery later it is still laughing at me. One thing I did notice and no coment was made by this but their is a huming sound coming from the glove compartment box. I do not know what that sound is.??? THANKS FOR YOUR EAR AND IDEAS.

GEORGE