85 300 td. This one will crank over no problem (battery strong- very good cranking speed) but will not fire. I mean not even a cough or sputter. I've changed the fuel filter and bled the line. I've pumped the primer while cranking and still not even a cough. Some whitish smoke out the tail pipe while cranking. I'm confidant that this not a fuel gelling issue or glow plug issue. I'll leave it at that so I do not let my own theories pollute any valid responses. Any help is deeply appreciated, thanks.

90% of no start conditions are caused by glowplug problems. Why do you think your glowplugs are ok?

__________________
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

what is the history??
White smoke could be retarded IP timing or low compression. Does the smoke have a characteristic odor?
have valves been adjusted lately?
How many miles has the car done?
Has it been using WVO or any other non petro-diesel fuel?
has a compression test been done?
How do you know glowplugs are not the problem? Theory or test?
How did it run the last time it ran?
What work has recently been done on the car?
Any climatic considerations?
Is there fuel at the injectors?

Next time you go to the Doctor, try sitting there and when the Doctor asks whats wrong? Tell him he is the Doctor, & he should know!!
Most on here are capable of identifying pet theory's. Best to provide as much info as you can.
Provide the answer to those 11 questions and chances are you will have the solution.

__________________
Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

My 82 was getting progressively harder to start over last few months even with the block heater used and multiple glow cycles.
I suspected air leaks as I had some fuel weepage at the injectors.
In the process of replacing injectors and return lines, I tested my GP's and found 3 out of 4 were NG. Replaced them too and the car starts like new without block heating and a short glow cycle.
Plus with the new Monarks it is smoother and somewhat peppier at especially at higher speeds.

__________________
1981 240D 143k 4 spd manual -SOLD

2004 VW Jetta TDI 5 speed 300k -still driven daily

Here is some more info...

History:

The car has about 165K and has been running and starting with no problem.
Here is Wisconsin on the coldest nights we do plug it in and never had any issues.
It was starting right up with just the glow plugs to about 10 above, below that temp we'll plug it in just to be sure and to go easier on the engine at start up.
Like I said, the car was running great until one afternoon it would not start up for my wife after work.
I went the next morning and tried to start it, it cranked and cranked but would not fire.
I had it towed back home and cranked and cranked...it fired and then immediately died.
I cranked and cranked again and it started and I immediately gave it some throttle and it kept running.
We started driving it again and it ran great for about 5 days and then one morning it again would not start and has not started since.

Recent work:

I replaced the primer pump and the screen filter yesterday, bled the line and still no go.
Last week I replace the main fuel filter and bled.
I've looked at the lines for seepage and have not found anything suspect.
I blew a bit of compressed air (very low compression) back to the tank and could hear it bubbling through.
I've looked at vacuum lines and all seem good.
I used to run bio-diesel but we no longer have access so I've been running petroleum for about the last year.
I have not adjusted valves.
I have not done a compression test.
I do not believe these to be the issue because the can had been running great and then it just wouldn't start...then when I did get it to start up it again ran great.
I'm suspecting air in the line but I'm not sure.
Thanks again for any input.

Provide the testing procedure that you utilized to confirm that ALL glow plugs are working properly.

Also, provide the length of time that you wait during glow until you attempt the start.

Ignoring the valves for a significant length of miles (50K or so) is a guarantee that it will fail to start in cold ambients. Your anecdotal evidence that "it did start before" is irrelevant.

I thought all my glow plugs were working doing the ohms test, checking relay, voltage to plugs etc. But 2 of 6 were only working when I removed the injectors and looked down to visually see them glow. I visually checked when my glow light on the dash went out. I believe the glow light on the dash will show up with up to half the glow plugs NOT working.

Unless there is a better sure proof way I would watch them work. You could pull the plugs and quickly hook them to a battery jumper box. I believe positive on threads and neg on body. I'm sure this could damage the plug if kept on too long, but it works. The dead ones won't glow orange.

__________________

1987 300TD 147,000 miles- Palomino leather interior, 1995 facelift and body cladding, E350 wheels, Rebuilt suspension and sport springs, rebuilt turbo, New Monarch injection pump and injectors....and the list goes on and on...

I have not pulled the glow plugs to test/replace.
I have only tested to make sure that there is voltage to the glow plugs, which there is.

The reason I feel that this is not a glow plug or fuel gelling issue is only based on generalities...
Up until the very morning that the problem occurred, we were not having any starting issues...
Once this started I tried plugging the block heater in for significant period of time (overnight + some daytime hours), about a 2 minute wait on the glow plug dash light, 35 degree day, no windchill to speak of, and the sudden arise of the problem and inconsistent reoccurring problem.
I forgot to mention that the last time I got the car to finally start, I ran it for maybe 30 minutes, shut it down and about 15 minutes later went to start it to move the car into the shed and it would not fire.
So, I assumed (maybe wrong?) that after running the car for 30 minutes and getting the block nice and warm, that it would have fired right back up.
Again, this seems to be more of a fuel issue, this car cranks and there is not even a hint of a cough or sputter, nothing whatsoever.
Another thing that I was perplexed by was when I pulled the fuel line off the smaller screen filter no diesel was running out, which was why I blew a bit of air back through the line.
I heard the bubbles but still nothing was running back out that line.
I attached it back onto the filter, and once I was priming the pump it started to bring fuel up the line, through the screen filter and up to the larger filter so that I was able to bleed the air out.
But why would diesel not run out the line when I pulled it?

Glow plugs are similar to light bulbs, just because they worked yesterday does not mean they will work today or tomorrow. Check the resistance of each plug.

__________________
RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

91 W124 300D Turbo replaced, Pressure W/G actuator installed. 210K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

Every bad glowplug worked until it stopped working. It's a glowplug problem Voltage doesn't say anything about whether the glow plugs are good or not. You need to ohm them out or remove them and physcially test them.

__________________
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

x2.
I had my injectors out so I could see if they glowed
If the GP's are original they must be suspect.

__________________
1981 240D 143k 4 spd manual -SOLD

2004 VW Jetta TDI 5 speed 300k -still driven daily

Thanks for responding but I don't get how this can be gp's.
If this was a glow plug issue, why would this not start after the engine is completely warmed up?
Again, I ran this thing for 30 minutes, the engine was HOT.
I shut it down and 15 minutes later the thing would just crank, no cough no sputter, just cranking.
Back to the original symptoms.

Because the engine needs glowplugs to start.

__________________
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

1/ glowplugs
2/adjust valves
3/ air leak into fuel system
In that order
You said you wanted our opinion and didnt want your own theories to pollute valid responses. Well you have such opinion. Best you dont pollute those responses.

__________________
Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

You need to start listening to everyone. The glowplugs are the most likely culprit. If your valve are out of adjustment and your motor is warmed up then you WILL need your glowplugs to start. TRUST ME.

Like 1stbenznc said, get a visual on the glowplugs working. He just went through this problem. Pull the plugs and watch them work.

__________________
1998 E320 150,000
1980 300SD 240,000
1965 190D 79,000