'87 300D Turbo. 300,00K Was running sluggish and not wanting to start last week. Changed the primary filter since it was black. Changed the secondary about six months ago, so I left it alone. I cranked it and it started right up, ran for a few seconds, then quit. After that, I could only get it to sputter. Ran the battery down so I charged it overnight. Next day, nothing, not even a sputter. I pulled the turbo crossover and shot WD40 in, still won't start. Ran the battery down again, charged it overnight and tonite, WD40, again, had my son crank it and got it to sputter, once. Also, smoke coming out of the turbo outlet where I removed the crossover. Haven't checked the glowplugs yet, gonna do that tomorrow. I read through every "won't start" post I could find. Seems like a fuel problem, but it should run on WD40. Any ideas?

change that other filter, and check those glow plugs and circuit. make sure battery is fully charged at all times

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Think Alternative Energy!
300CD '80 (now gone but not forgotten...)

Is the strip fuse in the glow plug relay intact? Make sure there isn't a hairline fracture.

Look into the oil filler hole while cranking. Is the camshaft turning?

Loosen the injector lines about a half turn each. If fuel leaks when you crank, it's not a fuel prbolem.

Do a search on 'checkvalve' There's a checkvalve on right side of the IP. It's part of a banjo bolt for the plastic line that goes to the junction of the injector return line and fuel tank return line.

IIRC the test is to clamp the fuel tank return line and see if the engine starts.

Another culprit is a clogged oxidation catalyst. Remove the plug/bolt on the #1 exhaust runner. If the engine starts, the oxidation catalyst is clogged.

Sixto
87 300D

Sounds like fuel starvation to me. If it started right up before I doubt it is the glow plugs. I guess it doesn't hurt to check them though. Have you started using biodiesel recently? That could explained the clogged filters.

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1987 300TD 309, xxx 2.8.2014 10,000 mile OCI


Be careful of the toes you step on today, as they may be connected to the ass you have to kiss tomorrow. anonymous

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter won’t mind.” Dr. Seuss

Is there smoke or unburned fuel at the exhaust after all that cranking?
If there is smoke or fuel then get after the glow plug arrangement.
That is what I use for the test of fuel delivery.
If there is no fuel delivery, then pursue that angle. air leak, into fuel system, poor perperforming lift pump, non opening rack. Crack an injector and check for squirt while cranking. This will all fit together in your head as you do it.

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Retired Marine Engineer
2005 E320 CDI
1987 300 Turbo Diesel @ 300,000 kM going
1974 240 D 300,K Miles when given away gone
1970 200 D gone
1969 190 D gone

Thanks for all the advice. I've cracked the injector lines at the head and I get fuel there. The strip fuse at the glow relays looks good, but I'll check it closely for cracks. Do the lift pumps get weak at this mileage? Seems like at 300,000K a mechanical pump would have to show some wear. Thanks again for all the help. I'll let you all know how it turns out.
Brad

You've got a glow plug issue. Either a bad fuse or a bad relay. The glow plugs have no power.

There is another 80A flat fuse in another holder right next to the switch for the hood light. It is bad. Is that part of the glow system? If not, I'll check resistance with my multimeter using the instructions on the DieselGiant site.
Thanks again,
Brad

Well it isn't fuel starvation then. So either you aren't getting any air(highly doubtful), or you have a glow plug issue.

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1987 300TD 309, xxx 2.8.2014 10,000 mile OCI


Be careful of the toes you step on today, as they may be connected to the ass you have to kiss tomorrow. anonymous

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter won’t mind.” Dr. Seuss

That switch you refer to is for the alarm I believe.
The fuse near it is a lesser amperage and is for the A/C heater fan.
Don't disregard the plugged cat converter. I hope your engine doesn't still have the Nasty Trap Oxidizer on it! I spent several days troubleshooting and replacing items on my first '87 300D only to discover the Trap was plugged, so bad that the exhaust wouldn't flow, the engine started once then died and it wouldn't even idle. Believe it or not! (Ripley's line applies here!)

Then I learned sometime later a mechanic I know had a similar problem before. AND History repeats itself, because someone showed up here on the Shopforum with an '87 that wouldn't run. People poured out all kinds of suggestions, like check fuel filters, plugged fuel lines, algae in the tank, glow plugs glow plugs and glow plugs FINALLY it sunk in to the owner, namely my suggestion to loosen the exhaust because of a possible plugged trap and THEN lo and behold he shows up and said Yup! thats what it was, a plugged trap!
As always YMMV
Try removing the large plug located on the front of the exhaust manifold then see if the engine will idle. and please let us know if yours has the Nasty Trap on it! search for Trap or Nasty Trap or similar there's a great pic of one here on the Forum.
DDH

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'95 E320 Wagon my favorite road car. '99 E300D wolf in sheeps body, '87 300D Sportline suspension, '79 300TD w/ 617.952 engine at 367,750 and counting!

I pulled the plug on the front cyl on the exhaust manifold and it still didn't start. No, it doesn't have the original trap oxidizer. It was replaced sometime before I got the car. It had 278K on it when I got it. I replaced the vacuum shut off - the previous owner had a universal choke cable from Walmart bolted to it and run thru the firewall and screwed on under the dash with sheet metal screws so he wouldn't have to get out of the car to shut it off. A few thousand miles later, I replaced the fuel delivery seals and washers on the IP. I'm replacing the glow plugs tomorrow after I pick them up from O'Reillys. Thanks again for all the help.

Well, I replaced the glow plugs. I had to take of the intake manifold to do it. Took ******** over a week to ship me an intake manifold gasket. Finally got it all buttoned up this afternoon. Still won't start. It just sputters and I get some smoke. Can the glow relay be bad? Before, my preglow light wasn't coming on, now it is, though it takes a second or so. How do I check the relay? Any other ideas? Thanks for all the help.
Brad

On the glow-plug relay, pull the plastic cap off of the top.

You will see a strip-fuse, with a test light from that fuse to ground, turn on the ignition, see if the light comes on and note how long. If it comes on, it should be powering the glowplugs.

Unplug the large connector, you can measure glowplug resistance to each glowplug from there including the wires.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

I had another think about this.

If you had a glow plug problem, the engine would not have started right up and stalled. So, I change my previous suggestion to fuel. I realize that you have fuel at the injectors, but, I'm discounting this tidbit of information for the moment.

What about that secondary filter...........have you replaced it yet? Yes, you changed it six months ago...........but, the vehicle won't start today.

Brian,
Thanks for spending the time to think about this. I ended up replacing all the glowplugs. The glowplug light on the dash now comes on, though it takes a second. It still would only sputter. This is an improvement from before. It did nothing before. I have voltage to the relay, at both sides of the 80A fuse, and the pins on the relay to the glowplugs have 12v. Didn't check ohms. I tried unplugging the 6 pin to the glowplugs and it won't even sputter. After all this, I checked the secondary (spin on) and it was full of little black chunks and crude around the rubber seal. I put a new filter on, filled it w/ diesel first and still, no go. I pulled the crossover and sprayed WD40, just sputters. Then I was looked at the primary filter again, and I had it on backwards, so I turned it around, arrow pointing away from the steel fuel line and toward the lift pump. Nothing. Now, though, it won't pull fuel into the primary filter. I'm stuck here. I've recharged my battery about 8 times now cranking on it. Is the IP gummed up from the crud in the secondary filter? Shouldn't it start on an external fuel source like WD40? Any help would be appreciated. I'm getting frustrated after 2 weeks of work.
Thanks,
Brad