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  #1  
Old 09-25-2009, 09:37 AM
Zack
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 337
My baby only starts with a shot of ether. Yikes!

I know that it is one of the worst things for a diesel but I am out of ideas.
I have owned my 1984 300D that has 320,xxx miles on it for a little over 2 years now.
For the past several months it has not been starting right.

I run WVO in it with a single tank in the Summer. I have had no fuel related problems other than clogged filters so far with it. Gentlemen, please do not give me negative comments for running WVO in my car. I am open to any and all suggestions and questions but please don't throw in the usual WVO neg comments.

When the problem began (no starting once the the engine got warm; i.e. I go to do round town errands and I get stranded at the grocery store) I thought it was starter so I took it to my local indy and got him to install a new starter and adjust the valves.

I changed out the glow plugs and fuel filters a few months ago when the problem began.

It ran ok for that day but then the problem came back that night after takming it to the indy shop.

Now, I let it sit for a month and then I got a new battery, still it won't start. So I hit it with a shot of starting fluid and it starts right up.
But, it will die when I let it idle.

I hooked up a little diesel 12 volt fuel pump to get it a little more pressure and see if the lift pump went out but that made no difference.

Guy's,
I am open to any and all suggestions.
Zack Smith

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1984 300D Turbo
1980 300SD Sold
1983 300TD Sold
Dagger 16 ft. Legend Canoe (for the weekends)
Marin Northside Trail Mtn. Bike
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  #2  
Old 09-25-2009, 09:39 AM
Zack
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 337
Oh yeah,
Back when it would idle I cracked open all of the lines going to the injectors and they all were spitting diesel.
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1984 300D Turbo
1980 300SD Sold
1983 300TD Sold
Dagger 16 ft. Legend Canoe (for the weekends)
Marin Northside Trail Mtn. Bike
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  #3  
Old 09-25-2009, 10:03 AM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 18,350
Have you done a compression check?
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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
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  #4  
Old 09-25-2009, 10:14 AM
Craig
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Posts: n/a
Have you checked:

Air leaks in fuel system?

Valve adjustment?

Compression?

Condition of IP (without WVO comments)?
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  #5  
Old 09-25-2009, 10:15 AM
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Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 896
Quote:
Originally Posted by zsmith29 View Post
I know that it is one of the worst things for a diesel but I am out of ideas.
I have owned my 1984 300D that has 320,xxx miles on it for a little over 2 years now.
For the past several months it has not been starting right.

I run WVO in it with a single tank in the Summer. I have had no fuel related problems other than clogged filters so far with it. Gentlemen, please do not give me negative comments for running WVO in my car. I am open to any and all suggestions and questions but please don't throw in the usual WVO neg comments.

When the problem began (no starting once the the engine got warm; i.e. I go to do round town errands and I get stranded at the grocery store) I thought it was starter so I took it to my local indy and got him to install a new starter and adjust the valves.

I changed out the glow plugs and fuel filters a few months ago when the problem began.

It ran ok for that day but then the problem came back that night after takming it to the indy shop.

Now, I let it sit for a month and then I got a new battery, still it won't start. So I hit it with a shot of starting fluid and it starts right up.
But, it will die when I let it idle.

I hooked up a little diesel 12 volt fuel pump to get it a little more pressure and see if the lift pump went out but that made no difference.

Guy's,
I am open to any and all suggestions.
Zack Smith
you might want to try this thread devoted to the use of WVO.

Biodiesel and WVO - SVO links thread.
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  #6  
Old 09-25-2009, 10:26 AM
Zack
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 337
I have check the fuel system for air leaks. I will go under and check the connections at the tank again, thanks for the reminder.
My MB indy did the valve adj and he said that it sounded like it had sufficient compression and the timing chain looked ok.

Thanks for the link.
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1984 300D Turbo
1980 300SD Sold
1983 300TD Sold
Dagger 16 ft. Legend Canoe (for the weekends)
Marin Northside Trail Mtn. Bike
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  #7  
Old 09-25-2009, 10:32 AM
Graplr's Avatar
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Huntington Beach, CA
Posts: 1,649
Are you trying to start it on diesel or WVO now?

I have heard of others that run WVO for a long time, the seals in the IP wear and they will have problems running on diesel but it will run on WVO fine.

Which ever you are trying (diesel or WVO) switch to the other fuel. (You can do this via a small tank under the hood and put supply and return hoses in it rather than draining the tank)

If you are certain there are no air leaks and the compression is fine...then about the only thing you have left is the IP. I would run an actual compression check first though. You can pick up a tester at Harbor Freight for under $30.
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1985 300CD
1981 300TD


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1982 300TD
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1998 E430
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1980 300SD
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  #8  
Old 09-25-2009, 10:33 AM
helpplease
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Are you certain your glow plugs/relay are working properly? And I have to say it sounds like an air in the fuel problem.
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  #9  
Old 09-25-2009, 10:50 AM
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Posts: 18,350
Quote:
Originally Posted by zsmith29 View Post
he said that it sounded like it had sufficient compression .
That's a very odd judgment. What did he do, tap on the cylinder head?

Get a real compression check and read the other threads which detail similar hot start problems and dying IP's when running WVO.
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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
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  #10  
Old 09-25-2009, 10:54 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kerry View Post
That's a very odd judgment. What did he do, tap on the cylinder head?

Get a real compression check and read the other threads which detail similar hot start problems and dying IP's when running WVO.
I thought the exact same thing. How can someone tell the compression with out actually checking it?
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2009 ML320 Bluetec
1985 300CD
1981 300TD


Past Mercedes
1979 300TD
1982 300TD
2000 E320 4Matic Wagon
1998 E430
1984 300SD
1980 300SD
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  #11  
Old 09-25-2009, 11:54 AM
Zack
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 337
I don't know I think he said that the compression sounds like it is ok. Meaning it is not so bad that it sounds off. Not the general condition of it.

I always thought that it was more difficult to check compression than that.
Thanks, I will do some research on that and see.
__________________
http://www.libertyagrifuels.com
1984 300D Turbo
1980 300SD Sold
1983 300TD Sold
Dagger 16 ft. Legend Canoe (for the weekends)
Marin Northside Trail Mtn. Bike
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  #12  
Old 09-25-2009, 12:01 PM
Graplr's Avatar
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Location: Huntington Beach, CA
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Here you go.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93644&xcamp=google&utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=cpc&zmam=33951326&zmas=12&zmac=112&zmap=93644


I've never done it (have wanted to and looked at the tester many, many times as I go there every once-in-awhile) but it isn't any harder than changing glow plugs. You take one plug out, put the tester in.
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2009 ML320 Bluetec
1985 300CD
1981 300TD


Past Mercedes
1979 300TD
1982 300TD
2000 E320 4Matic Wagon
1998 E430
1984 300SD
1980 300SD
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  #13  
Old 09-25-2009, 12:39 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: VA
Posts: 621
Quote:
Originally Posted by zsmith29 View Post
I don't know I think he said that the compression sounds like it is ok. Meaning it is not so bad that it sounds off. Not the general condition of it.
LMAO! You can't do a compression test by listening. Period. Did this "mechanic" charge you for performing his "compression test"?
Quote:
Originally Posted by kerry View Post
Get a real compression check and read the other threads which detail similar hot start problems and dying IP's when running WVO.
x2. I like a leak-down test better than a compression test, but that's just me being picky. I'll spare you the "negative wvo comments" but I will say that your fuel choice is very likely to be the cause of your troubles.
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Last edited by lupin..the..3rd; 09-25-2009 at 12:45 PM.
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  #14  
Old 09-25-2009, 01:54 PM
pawoSD's Avatar
Dieselsüchtiger
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Posts: 15,438
I'd stop with that ether right now! Ether + glow plugs = BOOM! You're only doing additional damage!
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  #15  
Old 09-25-2009, 02:42 PM
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Location: Walnut Creek, CA & 1,150 miles S of Key West
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Use WD40 instead of Starter Fluid. Your engine will thank you for it.

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