I have a '79 300D that is stuck in my drive way. I got it a few months ago without knowing any history of the car except someone installed a veggie oil tank and system in it and it wasn't starting. I swapped the fuel lines to just run of the main tank and bought dieselpurge to try to get it started. Well it worked! I ran 2 cans of dieselpurge through the engine and then hooked the regular tank up. It has been cold and hard to start a few times, so i bought a new battery for it. I drove it for a few days, but now it won't start. I charged the battery until it was fully charged and made sure I primed the injection pump, but it won't start!? I last filled the fuel tank and drove it just one day so there is plenty of fuel in the tank. The glow plugs drop the battery voltage from 12.5 to 11.8 and when I crank it, it goes to 9.5 or so when the starter is engaged. I even pulled a glow plug and put a 12 volt battery to it and watched it glow! Today i compression tested the front 2 cylinders that are accessible through glow-plug holes. They tested 200 and 220 psi, which is pretty bad! it was about 45deg F today and it would not start, not even fire...

what should I do? How can I get this started reliably?

thanks,
Caleb

have you checked all 5 glow plugs? if all 5 are not working, it probably won't start with the low compression. go to DieselGiant.com and follow their procedure.
do you have a block heater? that will help the most.
what oil do you have in it? if you put a 5W40 synthetic it will turn over faster and start easier.
good luck and let us know what you find. and what works for you.
robert

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1985 300SD
1998 Jetta TDI
Previous: lots of diesel VW's, MB's, KW's, Pete, Freightliner


Walking isn't a lost art: one must, by some means, get to the garage.

how are your fuel filters, changing back and forth on different fuels could be knocking some junk loose in the tank

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1982 300CD Turbo (Otis, "ups & downs") parts for sale
2003 TJ with Hemi (to go anywhere, quickly) sold
2001 Excursion Powerstroke (to go dependably)
1970 Mustang 428SCJ (to go fast)
1962 Corvette LS1 (to go in style)
2001 Schwinn Grape Krate 10spd (if all else fails)

To start it reliably, you must do three things. These are not a guarantee of success with an engine that has low compression, but it might assist you to get it to the "tolerable" range:

1) Get the valves adjusted. If they've not been done in 50K miles, the intake valves are hanging open and the compression is miserable on start.

2) Operate the glow plugs for the full cycle. What this means is to ignore the glow plug light and pay attention to the loud click when the relay shuts off. It'll be about 35 seconds after you turn the key to the #2 position. The light in the vehicle will get slightly brighter.

IMMEDIATELY start the engine.


3) Switch to a synthetic 5W-40 diesel rated oil. Rotella is fine.


If these three don't get you running.........assuming your secondary fuel filter is good.........nothing will.

Sounds like a tank problem. THere is a screen in the bottom of the main fuel tank that may be clogged. If it runs good off of an auxillary tank that is probably your problem. Algae and crud will grow on that and clog it. It caused one of my cars to keep stalling and not start. Fill the veggie tank with diesel and switch the lines under the hood and see it it runs.

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What Would Rudolph Do?
1975 300D, 1975 240D, 1985 300SD, 1997 300D, 2005 E320 , 2006 Toyota Prius

R U sure you primed/pumped the IP to get rid of any air inside the IP?

If there is any trickle of air in the IP it will not start. To rid of any air in the IP, pump the primer pump many times (the FSM says at least 30 times) until you hear the IP vent relieve the air. You will know this when you hear a short buzz sound coming out of the IP.

Try this before you start tearing down too many things.

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the sooner you start... the sooner you'll get done If it ain't broke, don't fix it.. Its always simpler to tell the truth...
2007 Honda Accord EX
2007 Honda Accord SE V6
96 C220
97 Explorer - Found Another Home
2000 Honda Accord V6 - Found Another Home
85 300D - Found Another Home
84 300D - Found Another Home
80 300TD - Found Another Home
Previous cars:
96 Caravan
87 Camry
84 Cressida
82 Vanagon
80 Fiesta
78 Nova
Ford Cortina
Opel Kadet
68 Kombi
Contessa

Does it have the old series type glow plugs or the large, fast parallel type?

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My Truck.. 2007 DODGE, 5.9 Cummins, 6spd stick, 4X4. My car..1977 240D, OTHER WHEELS...1955 VW Oval window bug, European Delivery (Holland) with a 1700cc, 2 barrel, Porsche drum brakes. 1939 WILLYS Pick-up. 1967 Triumph 200cc Tiger Cub. 1976 Honda 550F 4cyl Motor Cycle.

Thanks for the reply's! I have the new version plugs and have a block heater. I have plugged it in overnight with no success...I should probably change the oil and filter as I'm not sure what is in the car now. I have primed the pump and cracked the injection lines at the injectors to make sure fuel was coming out. I also changed the fuel filters yesterday. The in-line one wasn't installed previously, probably since they veggie lines were installed, etc. The only thing I can think of is adjusting the valves. I was pretty discouraged to see only 200 psi. I found a great manual left in the car from Mercedes source dot com with lots of tips and advice for reviving an old diesel engine...I was happy the diesel purge idea worked, and it has a procedure for adjusting valves in it. They sell special tools for it, can I get by with standard tools for a valve adjustment?

thanks,
Caleb

You can get by with regular hand tools to adjust the valves. I would adjust them before you try any further to start it. I just point the cam lobes away from the rockers and then adjust that cylinder. I turn the engine over by using a wrench on the power steering pump shaft nut. If the belt slips, I push down on the belt while I am trying to turn the pump pulley.
When All else fails, you can pull start the car with another car. Follow the directions in the owners manual...Yes it works with an automatic transmission.

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My Truck.. 2007 DODGE, 5.9 Cummins, 6spd stick, 4X4. My car..1977 240D, OTHER WHEELS...1955 VW Oval window bug, European Delivery (Holland) with a 1700cc, 2 barrel, Porsche drum brakes. 1939 WILLYS Pick-up. 1967 Triumph 200cc Tiger Cub. 1976 Honda 550F 4cyl Motor Cycle.

Will pull starting the car actually work if there is something wrong with the car, like misadjusted valves?

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Ginny in Denver-ish
78 300SD, 265K (mine)

That is why I suggested adjusting the valves first. Then try starting with the starter.
I pull started an old 300d non turbo that had been sitting a long time. After that I checked the valves, adjusted them, and it started with the starter then. You might still need to pull start it after the valve adjust to get it going and get the veg oil burned out of it and the fuel system.
I personally have found that the 4&5 cylinder engines for some reason have tight intake valves if ANY are tight.

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My Truck.. 2007 DODGE, 5.9 Cummins, 6spd stick, 4X4. My car..1977 240D, OTHER WHEELS...1955 VW Oval window bug, European Delivery (Holland) with a 1700cc, 2 barrel, Porsche drum brakes. 1939 WILLYS Pick-up. 1967 Triumph 200cc Tiger Cub. 1976 Honda 550F 4cyl Motor Cycle.

nope,,,what is your dash saying when you try and start it? i like the tow it start myself

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1980 300sd turbo 284k (parts car with bad tranny}
1980 300sd turbo 145k (daughters daily driver)
1985 300td turbo 215k (my daily driver)

Well I did the valve adjustment and eventually got it started! It took a long time and was jump starting it with a running vehicle to keep the volts up. I primed it many many times and even pulled the injector lines to make sure fuel was coming out. After putting them back in, it would crank it over and over and nothing would fire. Then after 20 minutes or so we would hit the starter and it would pop a few times, then after another 20 minutes or so it almost started, then it finally started! I took it out for a 50 mile drive and drove it as hard as I could. The coolant temp never got over 175 and it was about 45deg out. I wonder if the grease system with extra coolant lines to the trunk is over-cooling the engine? Maybe the thermostat is stuck open? I drove it to work this morning down a highway and it never got over 150 deg in 15 minutes of driving at 25 degrees ambient temperature.

Now I need to keep driving it and see if it continues to start each day :-) and onto all the rest of the problems with the car...

thanks

Tomorrow morning will be the real test...........the cold start..........or did it start reliably "this morning"?

The thermostat could be replaced when you get the time.........as well.

Having the coolant lines running through the grease lines is probably what is keeping it from coming up to temp. Were any of the valves tight???

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My Truck.. 2007 DODGE, 5.9 Cummins, 6spd stick, 4X4. My car..1977 240D, OTHER WHEELS...1955 VW Oval window bug, European Delivery (Holland) with a 1700cc, 2 barrel, Porsche drum brakes. 1939 WILLYS Pick-up. 1967 Triumph 200cc Tiger Cub. 1976 Honda 550F 4cyl Motor Cycle.