Hi everybody.

My 1983 240D was running just great. Just had the fuel filter changed. One week later I went for a drive and it ran great. Parked it at home. Tried to start it the next morning - no worky! Engine turns just fine but won't start. At first it was stuttering a little bit but now it just turns and turns. I had just put in 20% Biodiesel for the first time this year. Last summer i was running 50% biodiesel with no problems.

Is my brand new filter clogged or what could cause the car to run great one day and refuse to start the next day?

Thanks a bunch. I don't have a lot of money to have it towed back to the shop.

Cheers,

Boris

that the strainer in the fuel tank is clogged.

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Sonny


86 190D N/A 2.5L Auto 265k "Ruby" -Sold-
79 300D 242k "Condi" my first -sold- RIP
2013 chevy sonic hatchback - had to for work

i guess that would entail taking out the fuel tank, huh? way over my head. i just looked at the fuel filter, the little clear one looks sparkly clean and the big one has only been in there for 2 weeks. i have another one and could try to change it, but now that i look at it, i'm starting to doubt that it's a clogged filter. probably some other clogged thing. probably something expensive...

have you considered its not a fuel issue but a glowplug issue...like its not glowing at all due to a cracked or blown fuse? the clear prefilter would show crud before you plugged up a canister filter this soon. I think you would get smaller debris to the prefilter if you had enough floating around to plug up the tank strainer that quick as well.

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Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

i thought about that earlier today and checked the fuses, but none of them seem to be for any engine function, just interior stuff and lights... is there a separate fuse for the glow-plugs that's not in the fuse box by the fire-wall? the glow light does come on and go off as usually - if that tells you anything.

thanks for the reply,

boris

Possibly a clogged tank vent. Try taking the fuel cap off and seeing it it'll run. You can have someone glow the plugs for you and place your hand close to a plu (not on it) and should be able to feel some warmth if they're glowing. This works even better on the older loop style, but you can usually tell on the pencil style too (did I menton do not actually touch it).

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85 300CD
83 300TD
78 240D (daughter)

glowplug controller is fused at the controller on the fender under the cover...its a flat plate look for cracks real close. The fact it went from running well to a no start condition so rapidly this is something to check.

__________________
Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
---------------------
Section 609 MVAC Certified
---------------------
"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

did you change both filters?

if not prob a good idea to do so.

also could be fungus in tank. and a good treatment of fungicide would be a good idea. available at truck tractor and marine suppliers.

usually will break it down and it will come on thru the strainer and filters.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

It would be virtually impossible to clog a fuel filter that fast. Since you just changed the fuel filter (I assume that to mean the secondary filter) it could be that you have a leak that is allowing air into the fuel lines and permitting the fuel in the lines to drain back into the tank as the car sits. I would suggest repriming the fuel system to rule that out.

id clean the tank vent mechanism.. its located on the left side in front of the trailing arm.. i cleaned mine and goody bye wooosh sound.. and i also discovered i had a collapsed tank and the fuel system drains back in the tank when i have 1/4 or less..

here is an idea for you...
suppose who ever changed the fuel filter loosend the banjo bolt on top of the fuel filter....and suppose that washer was crushed and now its getting air into the system... or something like that....

since he just had the filter changed....most people do loosen that banjo bolt when they bleed the system.... and an air leak would cause it not to work..

I have heard descriptions about this bolt, however there is NO bolt at all on top of my fuel filter. It is not the kind that has a 'hole in the top' It is a Knecht / Mahle model KC22 filter. I was told that this is the right filter for the '83 240D and it ran just fine for 2 weeks...

i'll try some of the excellent suggestions you guy wrote about today and see what happens.

thanks!

Try turning on the dome light and watch for it to dim while the car glows. No dim=no glow. I suspect a problem with the glow system. Good luck.

i had a interesting problem on a 1982 300 wagon recently that coulld be of intrest to you fellows.
car was definately starving for fuel, so decides to find the reason before the replacement of everything,noticed that the small filter had lots of air bubbles, so drained tank(try to find a 22mm hex wrench,uses a 13/16" fitting screwed into a pipe to lenthen so a pipe wrench could be used to remove the strainer)
found the strainer was covered with the slime from algee and lotts of diesel bottoms.
installed the clean strainer,refueled,pumped up the manual fuel pump and cranked. engine started slow but soon grabbed the fuel and problem solved. added some bioside and ready for the next round.
what was interesting is that all the air bubbles went away,so i am to believe that the fuel pump can create enough vac that the air enteres the system thru the rubber hoses and metal lines.
so i have deducted that one should observe the small filter for air bubbles entering and get the strainer cleaned asap.
i did not tighten any of the fuel line clamps or fittings.
hope this helps some one avoid the hook while on the road.
larry perkins lou ky
87 old cars

Years ago, I bought my 240d from an older lady who only drove it in the winter. She had a winter home here.

After a couple of weeks, I had problems that seemed to indicate fuel supply and luckily was able to drive it to the shop. I knew nothing about diesels at the time.

They pulled the tank filter and it looked like a glob of tar. Could not see the filter element.

The filter is not too bad to replace but you will probably need a special wrench or at least an altered wrench. I lucked out and found one at a small tool supply store.

You will not need to remove the tank for this job but would need something to catch any fuel that you cannot siphon out of the tank before starting. Even if this is not the problem at this time, I would change it or have it changed anyway so would know it's condition.

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DCM

1977 240d
1980 300sd
1987 Chevrolet Suburban