I've got an '80 240D engine in an old Land Rover...Yes I know!! Great motor though, and perfect off-road. I've been having trouble starting it when the temps drop below 40deg. here in Ct. I've got new glow plugs in it. I eliminated the box that controls them and run the glow plugs straight off a sarter solenoid. Anybody have any tricks or ideas? How do you check the glow plugs to see if there working? What should the resistance be accross them. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Jim

Jim,

You might want to adjust the valves and check compression.

Sixto
91 300SE
81 300SD

Jim:

Hook the glow plug relay back up. Too, too much current through the ignition switch, you will burn it up. The plugs draw 80 amps!

Do you have series type filament plugs or pencil type parallel plugs? The series plugs have heavy wire between them, the paralell type have one wire each. (I'm guessing series)

Should be a 1 volt or so drop across each resistor (glow plug or resistance wire, the wavy one), should have voltage at all four plugs. If not, one or more is cracked, in which case I would replace all of them.

Also check the glowplug timer -- screws into the block below #1 glowplug. If this is bad, you won't get them hot enough. You can go a quick test of them by watching the resistance wire at night -- it should get dull red before the glowplug light goes out. Not enough glow, no start.

tight valves or leaking rings, and out-of-time injection will all cause starting problems, as will a tired starter -- the engine will need to spin at least 100 rpm to start. Much, much faster than the typical gasoline engine. A new starter may get you going.

And a tank or block heater will keep you going for years -- the 220D (six years and counting) hasn't started unaided below 40 since I got it!

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

I have to agree with the block heater option because I've been through this once. I have an old Volvo D with a ton of miles and no compression. Its temperature is around 40 degrees as well. Just simply won't start down there and colder. New glo plugs, etc. don't help.

Three years ago I figured it was about done for, so I made a deal with myself that it would either be plugged in or running during the winter. If it blew up while sitting there at idle, oh well; I'd already driven it 120k on a purchase price of $2400.

The interesting thing is that 3 years later it runs the same as it did then. So I simply keep plugging it in or letting it idle. Doesn't use much fuel at idle either which is amazing.

Hopefully, you still have alot of life left in the engine.

Don

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DAILY DRIVERS:
'84 300DT 298k (Aubrey's)
'99.5 Jetta TDI IV 251k (Julie's)
'97 Jetta TDI 127k (Amber's)
'97 Jetta TDI 186k (Matt's)
'96 Passat TDI 237k (Don's
'84 300D 211k Mint (Arne- Undergoing Greasecar Conversion)

SOLD:
'82 240D 229k (Matt's - Converted-300DT w/ 4 speed

psfred,

MercedesRover said he is running the glow plugs from a starter solenoid. This means the current is going through the heavy contacts of the relay. This is what I did for temporary use of a series glow plug engine in my 240D. I used a Ford starter relay on the firewall. When switched on with the button on the dash, it makes contact from the glow plugs to the battery through the contacts capable of handling about 300 amps.

MercedesRover,

As far as easing the cold weather starting, I think the block heater is the best first step. It does sound like time to do a compression check. Also ensure that there are no fuel leaks at the top of the main fuel filter, this will allow air into the system and cause a long hard start after sitting overnight.

Good luck,