Why hello there and good evening. Up late due to unknown circumstances so I thought I'd set other things on my mind to rest. (If that makes any sense) Lets start this with maintenance done. Air Filter change, glow plug change, and both fuel filters changed. The fuel tank screen has been cleaned out. A cold start (after letting the glow plugs warm-up for about 30 seconds and having the accelerator at just the right position) the car starts up. I'm not quite sure how rough of an idle a diesel is SUPPOSED to have, so I can't tell you if it idles rough. After driving it for around probably 30-45 min. and the engine temperature gauge needle is around 175 F the engine doesn't like to stay running. Oh sorry its an automatic. Well now if I put it in park sometimes it will stay running but usually once its "hot" it dies. Since I have this particular problem I drive this particular vehicle with both feet. OH, and it likes to try and run away. (Thank goodness for emergency shut offs) I'll answer the questions I know the answers to.

I forgot to mention my dad and I ventured into the field of WVO. The car also has a bit of WHITE smoke at start up and sometimes while idling. When it was taken to the shop shortly after these problems arose they checked the valves and said they were adjusted. I have not checked IP chain stretch. (I don't THINK that could be the problem but, stranger things have happened.) I think thats all.

Sounds like a fuel problem.You mentioned wvo.Will the engine run properly on diesel alone?Some Aditional info might help.How many miles on the engine?Are you getting proper fuel delivery from the ip?While the engine is at idle,watch the primary fuel filter(the small clear one)If it does not appear to be at least half full when the engine stops,You may have a fuel delivery problem.good luck

I meant to mention that after it started giving us problems we went back to the good old tried and true diesel. (However same problems)I'm hoping it isn't a problem with the IP. 107,xxx miles on it but being an 84 I think the odometer is broken. I did some reading when the problem first arose and I think I saw something about the emulsifiers used to make the WVO viscous enough to be pumped through the system could eat away seals, o-rings, or gaskets. (I THINK)
If thats so and it IS a problem with the IP I have to take it off the block, send it to someone who works on injection pumps and then re-install it. Is this correct or could an intermediate do-it-yourself-er accomplish the task. OR even if they could would it be too much of a hassle?

Thanks,
Nick

WVO may clog up a few items, if it was not heated before being burned, or engine started with, or shut off with. It is not corrosive to rubber, bio diesel is. I would think a completely separate fuel system would be the way to go with WVO. You can't just put it in the fuel tank, you can with bio, after you replace all the rubber components with viton. There aren't any rubber parts in a 123 IP.

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83 SD

84 CD

On my old W115 76 with a 617 I had leaking out the delivery valves. Before I read not to take out the entire delivery valve holder I did. There was a rubber o-ring under there. I replaced it and it was fine. Luckily it ran fine too.

But I imagine the 123's have the same thing under the delivery valve holder. Anyone know? I have never had my 123 apart but it seemed to be the same engine.

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-disav

99 E300 TURBODIESEL Astral Silver 282K - AMG brakes, suspension, monoblocks, speedo & interior - Full Load Maxed on IP by custom Speed Tuning USA Chip - T3/T4 Garrett - EGR/MAF delete
98 E300 TURBODIESEL Alexandrite Green on black leather 289K
95 E300 DIESEL Green Queen 267K SOLD
84 300D 216k SOLD
87 300D 299K #22 head - intercooler - full load adj. - 8sec 0-60mph - SOLD
76 300D 214K SOLD

Bio-diesel is like a fraction of diesel fuel and the rest is either SVO or WVO right?

If so thats what I meant, sorry I need to brush up on all the specifics.

IIUC, bio is soybean, or other vegetable oil mixed with lye, or something, so you don't have to have a separate fuel system, I read somewhere bio needs to be heated in winter. I don't know, I thought the whole deal was you didn't have to, thereby making the mixing of compounds necessary so you can just fill your tank and go.

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83 SD

84 CD

Bio is made of vegetable oil, lye, and methanol (or ethanol). Properly washed bio should not harm any gaskets on any engine (or so I've been told - and 17K miles seems to bear this out). It does not have to be heated in the winter, but starts to gel at somewhere under 40 degrees. To prevent gelling, I cut it with regular diesel or kero and add an anti-gel.

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John Schroader
bio burnin' 83 300D, '83 300 SD, '79 240D
"I've never met a man who was good at making excuses who was good at anything else" Ben Franklin
"You cannot permanently help a man by doing for him what he could and should do for himself" Abraham Lincoln