1971 220D hard start

[rummur]

Hey, Ive been looking around for the Intake and exhaust valve clearances so I can get the diesel car running quicker. Does any one know what the procedure is to adjust the valves?

also, How does the glow plug circuit work? Is it supposed to run a 6.5 volts?

Basically Ive got an old 220d with 10,000 miles on the odometer... I have no idea what the actual mileage is?? But it is a pain in the ass to get going in the cold.. Yesterday I got it running by moving around the insulators on the glowplugs, and cranking for a while... once its going it seems to run good, kind of smokey under a load, but not to rediculous. once it was warmed up it would start right up.. Kind of interesting clue is that yesterday when trying to get running it would kinda sputter and run for a couple seconds with no throttle reaction at all, it would kinda sound like it was choking when the throttle was hit. I cracked the injector lines and it started? Any other ideas on what the hard start problem could be? thanks -Chris

[ARNOLDLewis]

Tips:

1) In my '88 the valve cover is held on with big phillips screws. You may find you need a phillips head extension on your ratchet to loosen / tighten them.

2) To rotate the overhead cam you can either "bump" the engine or put a big wrench on the camshaft bolt and pull.

3) If you choose the wrench method make SURE you don't drop it down the timing chain. I'm so paranoid about this I tie a length of rope on my wrench to make sure I can fish it out if I let go.

4) If you choose the wrench method yank a set of spark plugs. No compression makes the job a lot easier.

[vox_incognita]

Hi,
1.Install a set of parallel glow plugs(piece of cake)-you do not need a relais.
http://www.dieselgiant.com/mercedesdieselloopglowplugrepair.htm
http://www.hehlhans.de/engtipp14.htm
Beru glow plugs 0 100 221 311
Bosch glow plugs 0 250 201 044

2.Carefully inverstigate for cracked fuel lines and fuel leaks everywhere-lines,underbody,tank connections,lift pump,filter cannister,IP,injectors...Change the fuel filter and the big o-ring, install a plastic transparent pre-filter,and the new type primer pump-the old type tends to leak and is quite slow in doing its job(may need to remove the lift pump,easy job)....Purge air(pump the lift pump till the cannister is full,you`ll feel quite a resistence,loosen and tighten the fuel filter cannister top(small,10mm)bolt while still operating the hand priming pump).Do the same thing with the small bolt on the IP that is between the 4-th delivery valve nipple and the oil fill hole-gotta pump while loosening/tightening.While there,check the oil in IP(14mm bolt by thelift pump).
There must be no air in the transparent plastic hoses,there can be an air bubble in the plastic pre-filter.No fuel should drip back to the tank even after months of sitting.Now,given the 2 valves in the lift pump are allright,you should have a leak-proof system.

For the valve job(pleny of topics on the forum !!)
http://www.dieselgiant.com/valveadjustment.htm
You`ll need the wrenches...

[rummur]

Thats exactly what I was looking for.. -Chris

[rummur]

Adjusted the valves, which were way out, but didnt help. So kept investigating, found the problem to be bad fuel at the bottom of the fuel tank.. I think what was going on was I was circulating the bad fuel though the engine and then it would start once the good diesel got to the injectors.. Not sure if someone put gasoline in the tank or if that was what diesel turns to after a couple years.. yellow color, kinda smelt like kerosene? Whatever it was the car didnt run on it.

Car starts right up now! Thanks for the help