300td, 1982. Just replaced glow plugs AND added fattywagons injector line heaters. After she sits overnight, I can't even get her started without the battery going dead. After a jump start, there's tons of white smoke. It seems to indicate bad glow plugs, but I just replaced them! I messed with the rack damper bolt a little to see if I could soften the idle, but it didn't help because it's the original. I tried backing it out a few turns, and it didn't seem to aid the starting problem.

Any ideas?

__________________
'90 300SE --- 173k miles --- (Odometer just stopped working!)

'85 Cali 300D --- 193500 miles --- (Second one) Sold Nov '10

'82 300TDT --- 236,xxx miles --- (My first one) Sold July '09

You don't mention where you are?? Can you add this info to your profile?
You added injector line heaters. Are you running WVO? How long do you keep them on?

How long have you owned the car?
Did this problem just start?
Have you ever tested your injectors?
Compression test?

Danny

__________________
1984 300SD Turbo Diesel 150,000 miles

OBK member #23

(\__/)
(='.'=) This is Bunny. Copy and paste bunny into your
(")_(") signature to help him gain world domination

I'll add another: GP relay (especially the stip fuse)

__________________
1989 300E 144K

Houston TX (added to profile!)
Running straight diesel. Keeping the glow plugs and inline heaters on at least 15 seconds.

I've owned the car since last June.
Problem just started recently.
Haven't tested injectors.
Haven't done a compression test.

The blow-by isn't terrible just doing the tea kettle/oil cap test. Doesn't this indicate (in a way) decent compression?

__________________
'90 300SE --- 173k miles --- (Odometer just stopped working!)

'85 Cali 300D --- 193500 miles --- (Second one) Sold Nov '10

'82 300TDT --- 236,xxx miles --- (My first one) Sold July '09

Is your glow light coming on and going off?

You can pull the relay apart and see if the relay is actuating properly when the key is turned on (and before you get there check strip fuse as suggested).

__________________
1982 300TD 210K miles ("The Replacement" aka "The Anvil") - SOLD
1979 300SD 245K miles (never ending project)
2007 Pinarello F3:13
1995 Ducati 916 (SOLD, sniff)
1999 Ducati 900SSie (SOLD)

Glow plug light is functioning. I tested the relay for voltage with the key in the on position. It checks out. I also tested the strip fuse for continuity and voltage, and did the same for the wire leads from the relay to the plugs.

The tip off to check all that was because the glow plug light stopped coming on. I did all those tests and found some faulty glow plugs, and then replaced all of them.

......

__________________
'90 300SE --- 173k miles --- (Odometer just stopped working!)

'85 Cali 300D --- 193500 miles --- (Second one) Sold Nov '10

'82 300TDT --- 236,xxx miles --- (My first one) Sold July '09

i messed around with my series glow plug system forever before i finally put the duraterm relay w/pencil gp's in yesterday. i was having exactly the same symptoms, but it was intermittent. sometimes it would start fine, other times i could crank to a dead battery with nothing. every time i checked currrent @ the gp's with a multimeter, it looked fine. gp's were all replaced.

i finally figured out that the relay was causing the problem. it started exhibiting other strange behavior, like coming on while driving and staying on, and i decided to just upgrade to the duraterm system as it was under $100.

result: i went from a car that would not start for the wife yesterday morning, after minutes of cranking (made me cringe when she told me that) to one that started in half a second, after 5 seconds of glow this morning.

__________________
1973 280 - Current Project Car
1979 240d - 100% Stock
1982 380sl - 100% Stock
1985 190e 2.3 - Heavily Modified

Hmm... duraterm... where'd you pick yours up? I do have the pencil style plugs already...

__________________
'90 300SE --- 173k miles --- (Odometer just stopped working!)

'85 Cali 300D --- 193500 miles --- (Second one) Sold Nov '10

'82 300TDT --- 236,xxx miles --- (My first one) Sold July '09

***************. it's called a 'glow plug kit' and should be right around $100.

__________________
1973 280 - Current Project Car
1979 240d - 100% Stock
1982 380sl - 100% Stock
1985 190e 2.3 - Heavily Modified

did u ream the holes when u replaced them?
if u didn't or don't, it will cause a premature burnout of the glowplugs...

__________________
82' 300SD