606 died and won't restart - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

spark3542 · #1 12-07-2007, 12:45 PM

I recently purchased a 97 E300D and did some maintenance to it last night. My manual hasn't arrived in the mail yet, but I wanted to change the fuel filters. I filled the new spin-on with ATF, and also filled the little chamber of the cartridge as well (withnew cartridge). Since it doesn't have a primer, I decided to start it then keep my foot in the throttle to get past any air I introduced. It coughed and stumbled for about a minute, then smoothed out just like I thought. I ran it for at least 5 minutes after that. I assumed I was successful.

About an hour or two later I went to take a trip. It started fine. I left my driveway and about 1/2 mile down the road the tach drifted down to zero and I coasted to the side of the road. No restart. A little bit of catching while cranking, but not nearly enough to light off.

I took the cartridge filter out and found the chamber to be empty. I'm assuming that, just like my 83, the cartridge is primary and spin-on is secondary, so I'm assuming that if the primary is starved, the problem is upstream.

Towed it home. Took the 83 to work today, but I'd like some advice on where to start tonight when I get home. I feel blind without the manual yet.

Is this related to my changing the fuel filters, or is it coincidence that something upstream failed at the same time as I was doing my filter change?

I've put 1200 trouble-free miles on it in the last two weeks. 163K on the odometer.

bustedbenz · #2 12-07-2007, 12:50 PM

Piece of trash in the tank?

And... it's an extremely stupid question... but I ask this in the same spirit of "Is the printer plugged in?" How much fuel is in the tank?

It seems odd that fuel wouldn't make it to the cartridge filter at least... they're gravity systems, aren't they? There's no "fuel pump" at the back to go bad... at least on the older ones there's not.

spark3542 · #3 12-07-2007, 12:52 PM

More than 3/4 tank of fuel.

bustedbenz · #4 12-07-2007, 12:54 PM

I'm not 100% familiar with your car, but it could possibly be a tank strainer plugged up or something. IIRC the only reason not to get fuel as far as that first filter is a physical blockage or disconnection that prevents it from getting from the tank... there's not that much to go wrong.

Somebody else will be along with more info before long.

TMAllison · #5 12-07-2007, 01:35 PM

You prime it by manually cranking for 30 secs at at time, resting 10 secs and repeating. You can do that 3 times then should let the starter sit and cool off for an hour.

The pre-filter fuel line will drain back toward the cyl head at shutdown, that is normal.

You amy have more than one problem. First, with hood up, turn key to pos 2 and confirm that you hear the "click" of the sh.ut off valve openning. If you dont hear it open the K40 or the shutoff valve may be bad.If you do, the proceed with priming.

When priming, dont bother with the foot to the floor bit. Its a fly by wire system and the computer doesnt care what you do with your foot until it catches....Once it coughs or seems to catch, KEEP cranking a few more sec until you are CERTAIN it is running.

Once you get it running, look for air bubbles in the fuel lines. It will prob be present in the line connecting to the bottom (exit) of the pre-filter which would mean your leak preceedes that point. Did you install a new o-ring in the prefilter? Its goes on the underside and seal the prefilter to the metal housing. You would not be the first person that threw that one away when changing filters for the first time.

spark3542 · #6 12-07-2007, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TMAllison

You prime it by manually cranking for 30 secs at at time, resting 10 secs and repeating. You can do that 3 times then should let the starter sit and cool off for an hour.

The pre-filter fuel line will drain back toward the cyl head at shutdown, that is normal.

You amy have more than one problem. First, with hood up, turn key to pos 2 and confirm that you hear the "click" of the sh.ut off valve openning. If you dont hear it open the K40 or the shutoff valve may be bad.If you do, the proceed with priming.

When priming, dont bother with the foot to the floor bit. Its a fly by wire system and the computer doesnt care what you do with your foot until it catches....Once it coughs or seems to catch, KEEP cranking a few more sec until you are CERTAIN it is running.

Once you get it running, look for air bubbles in the fuel lines. It will prob be present in the line connecting to the bottom (exit) of the pre-filter which would mean your leak preceedes that point. Did you install a new o-ring in the prefilter? Its goes on the underside and seal the prefilter to the metal housing. You would not be the first person that threw that one away when changing filters for the first time.

When I initially changed the prefilter, the chamber was at least half full of fuel. I topped it off, and then successfully primed and started the vehicle.

When it died on the road subsequent to that, the chamber was totally empty.

Thanks for the tip on rubber gasket, I'm sure I threw it out with the old filter. Guess I'll do some dumpster diving tonight.

Why does the inlet line to the prefilter come from the cyl head? Is there a pump in there?

I'm less-than-excited that MB designed a big, honkin', intake manifold to cover virtually everything you'd like to look at or fiddle with.

TMAllison · #7 12-07-2007, 02:03 PM

The fuel path starts at the tank, then to the pre-heater/fuel thermo in the head, then into the prefilter, out the bottom of the PF to the SOV (shutoff valve), out the bottom of the SOV to the lift pump, out the LP to the main filter, out MF to the SOV again and from there into the IP.

Surprised you got it started w/o the PF oring. That usually results in a massive air leak that overwhelms the IP with frothy fuel.

*edit* get a new prefilter oring. Is only a couple of $$ and well worth the cost if you dont know its age. Should be changed out every time you change prefilters.

spark3542 · #8 12-10-2007, 10:30 AM

Terry, you're awesome.

Determined that the new prefilter doesn't include an o-ring. Put one on. Car cranked and finally fired. No problems since then.

Disturbing that the new prefilter does not come with an o-ring.

Disturbing that this lack-of-o-ring results in catastrophic failure.

Thanks for your help.

michakaveli · #9 12-10-2007, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spark3542

Terry, you're awesome.

Determined that the new prefilter doesn't include an o-ring. Put one on. Car cranked and finally fired. No problems since then.

Disturbing that the new prefilter does not come with an o-ring.

Disturbing that this lack-of-o-ring results in catastrophic failure.

Thanks for your help.

Many of us w210 diesel owners have been there done that, I'm one of them.

Good that you got it running!

sokoloff · #10 12-10-2007, 06:03 PM

Mark - hope you put a new O ring on that filter. If not, I'd suggest you get one and have it on hand because the chances are good that if you reused the old O ring that it won't last too long before it starts leaking air and giving you problems.