1982 300SD

Quick summary:
Replaced fuel filters & air filter.
Changed oil and filter.
Cleaned vacuum lines.
Changed transmission fluid and filter.
Car ran great for 1 week.

All of a sudden car felt like it was running out of gas and died.
Gas tank almost full.
Primer pump was leaking.
Replaced primer pump.
Cleaned banjo bolts.
Engine won't fire.
Replaced glow plugs.
Checked all electrical connections and added a new 4 gauge engine ground.
Double checked all vacuum lines.
Cracked injector line to make sure fuel was going to injectors. It is.

Also on a side note. When i checked the fuel line banjo bolts i let the fuel drain into an empty water bottle. After it filled up i noticed the fuel was dark grey and not translucent at all.

1982 300SD

Any suggestions?

Sounds like something is contaminating your fuel.
I think I would get a 5/16 Fuel Hose long enough to go into a 2 gallon or so container of clean Diesel Fuel. I would also change Both the Plastic/Primary and Spin On/Secondary Filters again. (Put them in plastic bags for use later if it turns out they were OK.)

I would get on the Hand Primer and clear all of the Grey Fuel out of the IP Housing. Next I would loosen all of the Hard Line Nuts up by the Injectors and crank the Engine and flush the Grey Fuel out of the hard Lines. Tighten them up and attempt to start.

I also would put a Jar/Bottle of that Grey Fuel and let it sit and see what separates out over time. It maybe water and that dreaded stuff growing in the Diesel Fuel.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

How would i clear out the IP with the hand primer? I thought it just builds up pressure in the IP?

You might loosen the injector lines at the injectors to purge all the possible bad fuel. Keep lots of paper towels to absorb the fuel, but also, keep a battery charger on the engine.

Good luck

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87 300SDL - 215K Miles !!
99 F-350CC Dually PSD - 190K
86 300SDL - 189K
All on B-100

The Hand Primer pushes the Fuel into the Secondary Filter; down into the fromt of the IP. The Fuel passes through cavities that are around the IP Elements and goes out of the Over Flow Valve that is at the Rear of the IP. The Over Flow Valve controls the Fuel Pressure that is in the IP housing.
The Fuel that passes out of the Over Flow Valve goes up to that T on top of the Secondary Filter Housing and is on its way back to the Fuel Tank.
I am going to call the above the Low Pressure Fuel Supply Circuit of the IP.
It is the IP Elements/Plungers And Barrels that create the High Pressure that goes to the Injectors.
When the IP is rotating a small amount of Fuel goes into the Elements by way of a feed hole in the side of the Element. Some of that Fuel gets Injected into the Engine. The largest portion of the Fuel goes out that Over Flow Valve (this large volume of Fuel passing through the IP housing and back to the tank is what cools it).
This is a pic of a one IP Element/Plunger and Barrel assembly. Ignore the writing on the pic. You can see the fuel feed hole in the thick part of the Element. Not shown but the Deliver Valve sits on top of the Element.
The high pressure is created between the Elements and the Injectors. The fuel that feeds though that feed hole is low pressure (less than 20 psi).

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Have you checked for voltage at the plugs with the key in the glow position?

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Yep. All the plugs are getting around 11.5 volts.
I'm almost done emptying out the IP.
Going to get some new diesel soon.
Should I purchase any fuel additives to clean out the algae or clean the injectors? If so which kinds?

This isn't what diesel should look like. Right?

Attached Thumbnails

 

Dude, are you sure that's fuel? It should be almost clear.

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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

Is it possible for the lift pump to fail and for engine oil to get combined with diesel fuel thru the lift pump? How's your oil level?

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

oil is full but turns thick black within a week of an oil change. about 500 miles.

That's normal. Still have a question about the lift pump. Have you tested it's output?

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

i'm not sure where it is or how to test it. so no i haven't. If you could give me some direction it would be much appreciated.

It's on the side of the IP. Primer pump attaches to it. Take off the output line and crank the engine with a hose into a container to measure the output. Someone posted the appropriate flow amount on a thread here somewhere.
Is your fuel that color as it drains out of the hose coming directly from the tank to the primary filter?

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

If your tank is full of that stuff I would dump the tank before I put any cleaner in.

The problem with the Algea cleaner is that the dead bodies plug of the filters for a while. There are some Threads/Posts on them. Some of the killers claim they have enzymes that eat up the dead bodies so they do not plug the filters.
I think that it may work on mild cases and not plug the filters. But I think I would have at least 2 sets of filter available and in the trunk and what you need to change them on The Road like GLoves, Rags, wrenches and ect.

There is something else that can turn the Diesel Fuel Black but it does not happen very often.
If the pressure spring inside of the Injector breaks the Spray Nozzle Pintel cannot close and the combustion gasses go through the Injector Nozzle and into the returning Fuel and back to the tank.
But, but with the above condition you would have a missfire.
It can also happen to a much lesser extent if all of your Injector Nozzles Pintel Seating areas are extremely worn or some Spray Nozzle Pintels are sticking and this also allows combustion gasses to get in the Fuel as mentioned before.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel