Idiot or adventurouse? clogged injectors or dead IP? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

seth411 · #1 10-20-2008, 08:01 PM

I was on my way to Tahoe from Berkeley with what I thought was a fairly clean vormax R90T Filter system. Half way there, the car started acting like it was being starved of fuel. Gauge on filter was in the red

.

FYI I've been running diesel for the last few tanks

So I thought that because it was just diesel I could bypass the vormax and just use one of those little plastic filters that I bought at an auto parts store. Yep that was the only filter. Idiot time but I was stranded.

Well it worked, and ran well all the way to Tahoe. Yes I had the gall to keep going on my path... Thought I get some more filters in Tahoe being I was half way.

Two cold mornings later I tried to start it and nothing but cranking and rubber smelling whitish smoke. It was about 60 degrees out side by this time.

I tried hooking up a can of diesel purge to the IP direct and I still couldn't get it started. It seems to almost start but never quite gets there. I cracked a line at an injector an fuel came out when I cranked.

So I'm back in the Berkeley away from Birtha. Do I go back to Tahoe with a set of new injectors and filters.

How bad was my idea to run a generic filter from auto barn?

Is anyone else learning from this?

Any other thoughts? as always thanks and let me know if you need to know anything else.

TMAllison · #2 10-20-2008, 08:33 PM

You say you're burning D2, now; assume that means you were using svo/wvo previously?

Take some new filters and a battery.

Swap return and feed lines and see if it starts up and runs. If so the tank screen is probably clogged.

seth411 · #3 10-20-2008, 08:36 PM

I Think if that was the problem it would have started on the can of diesel. Wouldn't it of? I will try that when I go back up in the morning. Any other ideas.

Thanks

barry123400 · #4 10-20-2008, 09:50 PM

I would have thought the small filter you installed would have closed off as well if there had been a lot of junk coming from the tank. Is it possible you just have a glow plug problem?

Just a coincidental failure but the episode on the trip a couple of days earlier might have fixated you too much. If you got fuel at all injectors when loosening the hard lines you may want to check the glow circuit.

Still the injectors as you mentioned could be gunked up but that would bring up the question what was in that fuel you brought. You fuelled from high volume diesel locations? I always do if at all humanly possible.

Those occasional small volume diesel fuel sellers are always a risk. I had more than enough experiences years ago to stay well away from them.

seth411 · #5 10-20-2008, 10:00 PM

A few weeks ago My GP light blinked once on starting, but hasn't since. I've replaced all the plugs in the last 10k.

If it is the problem could I do the ground test where you see if current is getting to the plug for an applicable test? What other test are there?

My dash light hasn't blinked since a few weeks ago.
Edit[ The GP light still comes on when I turn the key though]

barry123400 · #6 10-20-2008, 10:04 PM

Quick test, make sure all plugs individually less than 1 ohms.
Before doing that have someone turn on the key and check for the presence of 12 volts on the glow plugs during the interval it should be there.

kerry · #7 10-20-2008, 10:04 PM

When you say the plastic filter was the only filter, are you saying that you bypassed the secondary filter? Or, are you saying you just went back to the OE system?
I would check the glow plugs--both for voltage and resistance.

Diesel911 · #8 10-21-2008, 02:20 AM

Any chance that the regular Diesel Fuel loosend what was in the fuel tank just like putting Biodiesel in a tank that had only diesel fuel loosens the diesel residue in the tank?

Also the stock Mercedes Plastic filters are 20 nominal microns. Other generic plastic filters might even have a higher micron rating and let bigger stuff pass through them.

Dusty-NZ · #9 10-21-2008, 02:33 AM

Check the main fuse in the glow plug circuit (60amp) it may look good in place , pull it out and clean the ends , even toss a new one on there .

It went good , then stopped going , start at the beginning with your testing.

You've got fuel , though the R90T filter seemed to block quick, perhaps the tiny one has plugged also, thats going to be easy to replace, now you need heat to start.

seth411 · #10 10-21-2008, 01:13 PM

Wow driving one of those fancy rental cars back to Tahoe was intense. My foot has lost all sensitivity from driving bertha from the last year. I even managed to get a ticket

My shocks on my motorcycle just went so I guess things come in threes.

Its a bit cold out side but I'm going to start and do all the helpful glow plug test as mentioned.

Thanks for the help eveyone. I'll post results.

seth411 · #11 10-21-2008, 01:49 PM

I'm not able to go into town to pick up a volt meter till 12...

so I detached a glow plug and found that my dash light didn't blink when it should have.

It did blink when I removed the fuse. Light didn't turn on at all when I removed the GP connector.

Could any one tell me what this means?

seth411 · #12 10-21-2008, 05:40 PM

It seems that all my plugs are gettng 12v. Ugh it takes forever to get all the plugs out and check them inividualy.

I also cracked all the Injector lines and had plenty of fuel come out.

I'm a bit lost at the moment.

any other ideas?

Dusty-NZ · #13 10-22-2008, 03:35 PM

Well, it sucks that it is getting hard to fix. But I still think it ought to be something simple. You say it turns over with smoke, that suggests to me no pre heat.

What do you need to make a diesel go?

Fuel and compression, and in a precombustion engine , pre-heat.

You say you have fuel at the injector lines ,
320 and 410 compressions, so it should light up on at least some of them.
Need pre heat.

If I were there , my next move would be to pull the glow plugs and hot link them individually to the battery to visually check they glow. Then clear the carbon from the hole they go in. The 617 starts pretty good with glow and compression ok, the only other thing that usually gets me is an old battery running out of grunt.

Still no go? Is it water in the fuel? Is the engine cranking fast enough?

seth411 · #14 10-22-2008, 10:41 PM

You know I'm no mechanic. I've had a lot of broken down old cars and I like this one, but there is a time to give up. I had it towed to a shop today. I really hope that I just miss read a test and it is something stupid.

After reading many "won't start" postings hope my recap helps some people. Thanks for your help. I'll post what the shop says when I find out.

At least my Train/ buss ride home was really nice. I got to extend my Tahoe vacation

BenzDiesel · #15 10-23-2008, 12:30 PM

Your compression numbers indicate a blown head gasket at the two low cylinders. Sometimes if your valve adjustment is off it will cause you to get low compression numbers. I'd check the valve adjustment on those two low cylinders looking to see if they are too tight meaning the valves don't close fully during the compression stroke. If not that and it still doesn't start and you know you are getting fuel and its not the glow plugs, then it is most likely a blown head gasket.

BenzDiesel