82 300d HARD/WILL NOT start
 

i have had this 1982 300d for about 5 years now. about 3 weeks ago i could not get it started on a very cold day (<20 degrees F). since then i have done the following.

-replaced the battery
-replaced the glow plugs
-checked for voltage at glow plugs (~11V)
-did a valve adjustment
-permormed a diesel purge
-replace primary and secondary fuel filters
-checked air filter and air intake system for obstruction
-attempted to "prime" the fuel pump (used the hand pump to ensure fuel was hitting the rack before attempting to start.)

i am about to go recheck my valve adjustment and check my fuel injectors for pitting but i figured i would get this post up sooner then later in the hope of getting some knowlage from the community/experts.

IMPORTANT: since that one cold day i have never been able to get the car started WITHOUT 1 or 2 sprays of starting fluid into the air filter housing.

When I use the starting fluid spray the car will start (still hard but it starts) the car then runs rough for about a mile then normal. THE CAR THEN STARTS PERFECTLY as long as it's still warm. Car also starts fine in the morning when i plug in the block heater over night.

Last night it only got down to 36 degrees F here and it was about 45F when i tried starting it. (no block heater no starting fluid) Car wont start.

I'm thinking it's just terminal weak compression at this point but if anyone has any other suggestions please let me know.

How many miles on the engine?

Have you actually checked the compression yet?

150K miles

no have not actuaslly checked compression

using starting fluid is asking for trouble!! Also make sure you don't have any air leaks in the fuel system. You have covered a lot of the bases already but agreed on the compression check, in the very least it is a good indicator on the health of your engine.

thankyou for the fast reponses

how do i go about checking for air leaks in the fuel system?

also i tried doing a compression test shortly after getting the car. (5 years ago) followed all the directions got EXTREEMLY low reading. Threw it on my fathers 300cd (rebuilt engne 30k miles) got same results. returned that tester for a new one (different brand even!) still got wierd results. shrugged and kept driving the car fine for the last 4-5 years.

i guess i will have to take it to a shop to do a compression test since i cant figure out how to do it right.

If your volt meter is accurate your battery is not putting out a proper voltage.. should be 12.5VDC +. Seems to be a clue as it starts easily when warm.

This is the important information. That it starts perfectly when it's warm.

Indicative of glow plug malfunction. Glow plugs should be checked for proper operation and the glow plug relay should be part of it.

thanks guys i should have thought about the relay. guess i'm a little on tilt since me and the wife are trying to start a road trip on wendsday.

i'll "borrow" my dads glow plug relay tomorrow morning and see if anything good happens. will post results.

also injector #1 doesnt have any visable pitting and i tightnend a couple valves that seemed a little (very little) too loose. actually #10 seemed to be spaced at .012 instead of .004 (oops)

thanks again for the help everyone

The starting ok when warm phenomenon could indicate either malfunctioning glowplugs or low compression. If you have new glowplugs and 12 volts at the plugs when the switch is in the glow position, it points towards low compression. It also means the relay is working. You could keep the car running 24 hrs during the road trip.

well i have checked my relay and my glow plugs against my father's car and get about the same readings. we are both convinced at this point the glow plugs are not it.

i was getting ready to do try a compression test when i was reading over the instructions: "make sure you have a strong battery and starter".

this made me go disconncet my fathers glow plugs so i could hear his starter turn. his starter definately turns the engine over alot faster.

i tested voltage to my battery (it's also only 2 weeks old) and then tried to jump my car off of his battery cold and then with his engine running. niether did my starter sound to be cranking faster. so i doubt it's my battery.

so now i am trying to explore my starter being bad if at least to make sure i get accurate compression readings (but with a prayer that this is that actual problem).

i figure if i can get it out i can have a motor shop bench test it....... if i can get it out. already kicked my butt today so maybe i'll have better luck tomorrow.
(i've read quite alot of info about getting these two bolts out and even though theres plenty of info/tricks it seems this only makes it possible not easy)

thankyou for the help and wish me luck/tell me what you think.

Jump starting a diesel is not easy. you need heavy cables, good connections and typically need to let the battery charge for a while. If you are sure all these things happened, then yes perhaps it is your starter.
Is there any difference in the kind of oil in the engine between yours and your father's car?

interesting point but no, i mooch off the oil he gets.

Just how slowly is the starter turning? Any chance of posting a recording of it cranking?

Do you remember what order you did these repairs in? It is possible that you may have put in new plugs but had a weak battery, then ruined the plugs with the starting fluid, then put the new battery in. This would leave you with good battery and bad plugs. Also, just out of curiosity, what kind of fuel have you been running in your car? Bad fuel?

Check the glow plugs with an ohm meter to seee if they are good, if more than one is bad, the compression is low, the crank speed low and it is cold, it is not amazing that it is not starting.

Check the power to the glow plugs with a volt meter

When you start it with ether get it warm and pull the valve cover vent, if it smokes like a train then you have serious blowby.

Injectors last only about 100K, bad ones will weep or open late.

Any decent garage can amp test your starter and battery while cranking, could be either one or just a bad ground.