$400 Find, Vacuum pump seized? (see pg 5)
 

Edit: now the engine seems to have seized. :confused: :( Any help would be greatly appreciated. See Page 5.




Just got a second '79 240D with 300K on the clock. The car is a stick and has no rust on the body, and a manual sunroof. The vacuum locks still worked after sitting for weeks. :D

The previous owner said it lost power and died on him on the freeway. I tried swapping the fuel filters and bypassing the fuel tank using a small bottle as a temporary fuel tank, but it won't quite fire. It has the old style primer pump, but when I prime it the clear pre-filter will never get more than half full of diesel.

The emergency cut off looks to be in the depressed position. (see picture below)I'm not sure if that has anything to do with the non-starting or not.

The only other problem is the clutch squirts fluid when you press it. It looks like the flexible line between the master and slave cylinders has a leak.

I plan to check the lift pump tomorrow, and maybe try a tow start. Anybody have any other ideas to try to get it running?

Thanks. –Bryan

Edit: it is a 240, not a 340.

Whats up with those screen door style springs on the linkage....something just looks wrong there..... :confused:

I'll bet its not starting from a fuel problem. Rarely do these cars just go from running fine to "lost power on freeway and died" sounds definatley fuel related. If compression is in question, perform a compression test and that will reveal the state of engine health.

Good luck! I hope you get it running!

First, get rid of those springs and figure out why they were put there in the first place.

Second. Are all the glowplugs working?

Third. Sounds like the primer pump might be bad. You should be able to get the updated one for around $20.

I don't know about the springs either. I disconnectend them and it seemed to spring back normally. I checked and the GPs seem fine.

disconnect a hard line or two from the injectors, crank, and see if they squirt any fuel, if not, there's the culprit. If they do I'd look further into the timing/glow/compression category

I would stick in the fast GPs, that usually helps, but a tow start does sound like a real good next shot. I had one that took about a mile of towing to get it started but then she always fired right up so give it a good long tow. If she wont start I would check the compression, even cold it might give a clue.

I wouldn't spend any money on it until it runs. Tow start it and see what happens.

Eventually I'll upgrade the plugs, but the loop plugs seem to be working for now. The accelerator linkage seems a bit wacky. If you press the stop button, it can not depress. From my memory the linkage seems to move less than my other 240, but I can not directly compare them because my other Mercedes is on the other side of the state. The rod that runs to the injector pump has a max travel of 1 inch or so. Can somebody compare that to their car and let me know if it is close?

Is there any chance that the lift pump, or drive for the Injection pump could have failed? Thanks. –Bryan

Try cranking with the linkage/pedal at WOT.

hmm...you know...look down between the IP and the motor..at that linkage that goes down in that area...look around the idle control screw...see if anythings is wrong down there..I have a thought...I had somthing happen to me down in that area and until i fab'd up a part to replace what i broke my diesel wouldnt start...

just a thought thou

kris

what happend was i over tighented the idle adjust screw and broke the cast housing it sat it...well i was pissed because i thought i would have to dump in a new ip... well luckily I knew a machist and we fab'd this and its been working ever since...maybe you have the same issue? something with the linkage down in that area...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...9/85410e4c.jpg

I'll take a look and a picture of that area tomorrow. I haven't spent too much time looking in that area on my working car so I'm not sure if I will be able to tell if it doesn't look right on this car. Maybe you can look at the picture and see if anything looks amiss. Thank you.

ohh there is an idle adjust screw?!?

please tell me it will help to even out the weeble wobble in-gear idle thing whilever i keep procrastinating on installing engine mounts!

You can check the lift pump by disconecting the return hose and seeing if any fuel comes out when you pump/crank. And cracking the injector lines as others have said will tell you if the injectors are getting fuel. If you really want to elininate the lift pump you can get a plastic bucket type thing with a spigot to hook your fuel line to -- the one that supplies the IP. Put some diesel in the bucket and lift it up to give you some pressure while you crank it.

Your linkage definately looks wrong with those springs. But cranking it at WOT, as others say, should get it at least some fuel I would think.

i dno if it will help with that but adjusting the rack dampnre screw at the back of the ip would help that.