[QUOTE=david.churchill]
I've never adjusted the valves I also need to replace my injector return hoses, as they're all weeping. Could that have been the cause of the air in the system (or whatever required so much priming)?


Adjusting the valves could be a big help in starting your car. They tighten up over time causing poor compression which will cause your engine not too start..

Your engine needs to turn over at least 100 RPMs for starting so a healthy starter motor is a factor also.

Leaking return lines wont be a problem for starting like with a Cummins.

David,

Injector, IP and main fuel filter return lines could allow air to get into the fuel lines. Its possible that air could enter the fuel filter thru the filter bleed hole as the fuel gravity flows back to the fuel tank if the return lines leak. The valves in the fuel pump should prevent this but they could have a tiny leak that overtime could allow air into the system.

Air will not get into the fuel lines when the engine is running if the return lines leak because the main fuel filter is under pressure. The engine will run fine, even with the return lines removed but will leak fuel badly.

I had a fuel leak on a 116 this week because an injector line leaked. The tank was full and since the fuel level in the tank was higher than the line on the engine, so the fuel gravity flowed out.

Thanks all for the info. I suspect then that maybe the valve adjustmet was the biggest issue. I'll attempt that as soon as I can get a new valve cover gasket. My car is parked with the rear end facing up a sloped driveway and had a full tank when I last ran it so I guess that their shouldn't have been any air in the lines. It seems to be starting fine now, the starter is in good shape and the battery provided numerous long cranking attempts even after repeated long pre-glow operations although I did top it off on a charger last night.

I completely forgot about taking new pictures. I have the car in my shop right now replacing a transmission for my daughter. I'll try to get so new pics Monday.

BTW, take the fuel cap off after it's running for a while and see if you here suction when removing it. If so, could also have a clogged fuel tank vent.

Got some pictures with the Camera phone and added them back to the glowkit installation page at http://home.comcast.net/~phantoms/vacuum/index.htm. Still missing a couple pictures.





BTW, snapped this pic last weekend:http://home.comcast.net/~phantoms/miles.jpg

Does anybody know if the relay from the 4 cylinder series plug system will be able to handle being converted to a 5 cylinder parallel system? I am putting a 5 cylinder engine in my 240 that was equipped with the loop style plugs. I am planning to do the upgrade following the instructions on dieselgiant's site, but do not want to fry my relay. Thank you.

thanks to Phantom!
 

I know this tread is stone cold, but if Phantom is still listening, thanks to you! After reading the BOSCH instructions for the F1101-88322 kit the third time, I realized that I wasn't going to get it without help, and I found it here.

It seems a lot of people just use existing relay and that works fine without the after glow, but if I bought the new relay, I want to use the relay. It doesn't "plug-n-play", but needs to be spliced into the original connector under the dash (after removing it from the original relay). I used Phantom's instruction, only the wire colors didn't quite match up (mine is a 79 240D). Here is what I spliced in:

Original Harness New harness.
Pin 1 brown - Pin 1 brown.
Pin 3 violet - Pin 4 black.
Pin 4 bk/bu/gn - Pin 3 red.
Pin 7 black - Pin 5 green.

There is nothing in the instructions about the strip fuse, but with that much amperage running around, you ought to have a weak link somewhere manageable. I kept mine upstream of the relay and left the 55A in for now. It sounds like the 80A is more appropriate, but hopefully the old one will hold out till its replacement gets here (why wasn't that in the kit?)

The other question that seems to be coming up is how to do a five cylinder. The kit came with an extra wire, so I think all you need is to buy an additional glow plug. Don't trust me however, I'm a 4-cyl kind of guy.

Thanks again to everyone who takes the time to share their time and expertise. This forum is a gold mine of info!

Great info, and thanks a ton for posting it! I'm doing the duratherm upgrade this weekend on the '79.

With the instructions from this thread, the entire upgrade took me around 2 hours from start to finish...thanks again, everyone!

BTW, amazing difference in starting and initial idle. 5 second starts rather than 45 second starts...

i hope i can get some help with this. I got a 1975 300d and the last owner updated the glow plugs and fried a lot of wiring, it starts now with some late model glow timer and relay wired in. however the pre glow indicator light is totally fried the plastic is completely burned off. I want to replace this but I am unsure how to wire it and what to replace

You may want to start a separate thread on this.....it sounds like the po connected the ground strap to the last plug, when it he wasn't suppose to....I don't know enough of the function of the w115 glow plug indicator, I would imagine you are going to have to get some used parts from a junkyard..

How about a Pic of the Relay/Timer that is working.

You might check and see that the last owner did not substitute a higher Wattage Light Bulb into the GP Light.

You actually don't need the Glow Plug Light. It is just there to act as a Prompt for the Driver.
After you use what you have for a while you will learn to gestimate how long you need to preglow.

If you use a 1980 on Mercedes glow plug relay, then the indicator light should be connected to the blue/white wire on the relay and to ground.

The 80 on original Mercedes relays are by far the best way to improve the glow performance of any older Mercedes diesel.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/328382-fast-glow-my-76-240-d.html