Hi there, I just replaced the hand primer pump on our 1985 300TD wagon, and now it wont start again. I also replaced the diesel spin-on filter and the primary filter. Ive been told you just gotta keep cranking till the fuel eventually purges the air out of the lines. Ive run the battery dead 2 or 3 times doing this now (and its a honkin battery). When I pump the primer pump I see a few bubbles enter the primary filter and then stop and the I can see it happen again a minute or two later and stop if I keep pumping. Also I see the fuel climb up one of the transparent lines that leads into the secondary fuel filter as I pump, once it pumps up to the filter It bubbles down again as if it pured out into the filter. (it takes a long time to do that) Ive filled the filter with diesel before putting it back on, Ive kept the fuel cap off when cranking to prevent a vacuum in the tank. Ive also siphoned out all the fuel and removed the tank screen to see if it was clogged but it wasnt. Ive tried testing the suction of the fuel line between the fuel primer pump and (I guess eventually the line to the fuel tank?) simply by actualy sucking on the hose slightly to see if there was resistance. There did seem to be some and I was wondering if this would be an indication of plugged line or simply the natural resistance of pulling fuel out of the tank.? Also when I sucked (I know risking a mouth full of diesel but Im quite tool deprived) I could feel the resistance and then sometimes it would bring bubbles into the primary filter however I could still suck fuel and it wasnt like air was pouring in but a few bubbles when the pressure got high enough it seemed.
Its said its a pain to get the air out of the lines of diesels like this but I didnt expect it to be this bad. Ive been trying for a couple of days now to no avail. Any Ideas? It was also suggested to get a generic in-line fuel pump to put in after the primary filter to purge the line simply by connecting a couple aligator clips to the battery when needed. However when the pump isnt on it seems like it would generate a lot of resistance in the line is that not so?
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance
Michael