car will start fine at below 30 degres tempertures,but if parked in driveway (which is in an incline) car refuses to start.What should I check for?once it starts it runs flawlessly.

First, post the question only once...you don't need to repost it multiple times to get a response.

Your problem is caused by a leak on the suction side of the lift pump. It will not produce a puddle of diesel because the fuel is syphoning back into the tank due to the leak. The most common cause of this is the o-ring on the pre-filter housing but it could also be in the o-rings at the ends of the plastic fuel lines. Once you find the leak and replace the faulty o-ring(s) your starting problems will go away.

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Marty D.

2013 C300 4Matic
1984 BMW 733i
2013 Lincoln MKz

marty,do you have pictures where the o rings are??thanks for help

as usual marty is correct mabe i'll just go leave my car in his drivway he'll fix it all up for xmas Not that far from Lee to Nashua

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commercial fisherman diesel in my blood in my boats trucks and Dear old Dad has had me drivin them since i got my first license in 1968
1986 300 SDL 427654
1999 Chevy Crew Cab Dually 225423
1986 300 SDL 287000 Dad's
1987 190 Turbo 158000 Mom's (my inheritance)

I have my garage in Bedford...it's even closer than Nashua

Here's a screenshot of the EPC page showing the area. Part #26 is the prefilter and #29 is the o-ring that I would say is most likely the cause of your problems.

If your clear plastic fuel lines are very dark then they probably should be changed anyway and they come with all new o-ring seals at each end. All 6 lines can be bought for under $50 and replaced in a couple of hours time. You also might soon start seeing fuel leaks at the injector pump, on the top where the delivery valves are located because the new ULSD fuel is causing problems there on many cars of this vintage. If so then you ought to consider having those o-rings renewed at the same time as the fuel lines are done since both jobs require the removal of the intake manifold.

I'd recommend starting with the pre-filter o-ring however first. If that doesn't do it try replacing line #32, between the fuel heater and the prefilter. You can do that one without removing the intake. See if that helps your starting problem.

Attached Thumbnails

 

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Marty D.

2013 C300 4Matic
1984 BMW 733i
2013 Lincoln MKz

Fuel lines is the highest probability on this with the leaking O-rings, as previously noted.

I do not have this problem but am soon to replace mine as soon as I get some more parts in.

Here are some links here that I have found helpful in this endeavor.

$793 fuel leak on E300
99 e300td injector pump leak
Finally - Step By Step Glowplug Change - '98-'99 E300!

There are more, do a search.

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raMBow

1999 E300DT Obsydian Black Metallic, Heated Full Leather Parchment options, E2, K2, 136,000+, best 36.5 mpg - GP's 12-04 & 11-12 Zero Stuck
2010 Honda Odyssey - The BrideMobile - best 26.5
(2) 2005 Honday Accord- (1 -Corporate 1 - Personal) - 110,000 4-cyl 30mpg
2000 VW Golf GLS TDI, Upsolute Chip (sold to Brother, now 300+k on it) 48.5 mpg like clock work
1987 Honda CRX HF - Sold 87,000 always over 50 mpg Max 67 mpg

Yeah, the correct approach is to replace all of the lines and the o-rings at the prefilter and shutoff valve all at once. If the o-ring seals on the delivery valves are original do those too as it will only be a short time before they will need doing as well. I just did all of these on my '98 about 3 weeks ago and it cleared up all of the problems I was seeing/smelling with leaking fuel.

Since he asked specifically about a problem that is causing hard starting after parking on a slope I told him the most likely culpret is the prefilter o-ring or the line to the pre-filter as those are the only seals that if failing would not cause a fuel leak but an air leak. The only other line on the suction side of the pump is #83 which could also cause the problem he's having but it is more likely that a leak in one of those seals would show some seepage of fuel so I didn't recommend that one be replaced at this point.

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Marty D.

2013 C300 4Matic
1984 BMW 733i
2013 Lincoln MKz

You're correct, I'm just working up to the ultimate weakend of doing fuel lines, O-rings, say hello to the GP's (2yrs), might put in some Bozio nozzles, but I'll do the Diesel Purge first, seems like I was doing some other Preventative stuff too, easier to schedule and do on my time than have the unfortunate problem out on the road etc.

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raMBow

1999 E300DT Obsydian Black Metallic, Heated Full Leather Parchment options, E2, K2, 136,000+, best 36.5 mpg - GP's 12-04 & 11-12 Zero Stuck
2010 Honda Odyssey - The BrideMobile - best 26.5
(2) 2005 Honday Accord- (1 -Corporate 1 - Personal) - 110,000 4-cyl 30mpg
2000 VW Golf GLS TDI, Upsolute Chip (sold to Brother, now 300+k on it) 48.5 mpg like clock work
1987 Honda CRX HF - Sold 87,000 always over 50 mpg Max 67 mpg

only thing is car only has 54,000 original miles.so all the lines should still be replaced?or should I start with the prefilter one??thanks

Mine has 98,000 miles on it and no problem and I am going to change them soon. Yours has a lot less miles and is leaking. My thinking is that it is more age related. If your "clear" lines are dark brown and you really have trouble seeing fuel or air bubbles in them I would replace them all. Certainly in the short term nhdoc has the best approach, but I would be planning on the all and asking myself if the glowplugs have ever been replaced, if not I would at least take them out, ream & anti-seize them.

Nice car, half the miles mine has, that would be very nice.

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raMBow

1999 E300DT Obsydian Black Metallic, Heated Full Leather Parchment options, E2, K2, 136,000+, best 36.5 mpg - GP's 12-04 & 11-12 Zero Stuck
2010 Honda Odyssey - The BrideMobile - best 26.5
(2) 2005 Honday Accord- (1 -Corporate 1 - Personal) - 110,000 4-cyl 30mpg
2000 VW Golf GLS TDI, Upsolute Chip (sold to Brother, now 300+k on it) 48.5 mpg like clock work
1987 Honda CRX HF - Sold 87,000 always over 50 mpg Max 67 mpg

Wow, the same question posted 3 times in 39 minutes has got to be a record. (at 5 in the morning to boot. cst) A 4th four hours later for good measure......

Having good-naturedly busted on you a little, you got great info from the right folks.

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

sorry,for the reposts,every time I submit report or reply my computer kind of freezes up,makes me ook like a dummy.But thanks for responses.

also,got records from dealer,glow plugs were changed at 37,000 miles,I had a 1996,and 1997 E 300D and they both had the same symptoms,been looking for a low mileage 98 or 99 turbo and found this one.Problem is that I have to decide if I should keep this 99 TD or my 2000 CLK 430 AMG.Always like diesel but the price of diesel fuel nowdays is rediculous.

Just checked on car(left it on slanted driveway nose down)and saw the puddle of fuel,leak coming from the prefilter o ring.Thanks guys,went to dealer and they are out of stock,unbelievable,no o rings!!!oh well.

Typical...it's only like $1 part, they wouldn't want to keep a drawer full of them in stock. Just order one and change it, takes 5 minutes to replace it and you should be good to go.

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Marty D.

2013 C300 4Matic
1984 BMW 733i
2013 Lincoln MKz