alas, my 300TD wagon will not start.

I think I have ruled out cold weather related issues.
I tried a new block heater, and replaced an old battery.
And it's not cold anymore (78 degees in VT yesterday)

It turns over just fine but won't fire up. I'm thinking it's related to undercompression, but am far from sure about that.

I used to have the problem of it starting just fine, then choking out and shutting down right away. I was told there was a valve that was not receving adequate pressure to open to supply fuel. In this case I would drop from park into drive and GO quickly after starting up and it would then be just fine (after a few minutes of running it would not stall out when idling but after only a few seconds it would)

I had a good friend load two woodstoves in the back and blow out the hydraulic suspension so I let it sit a few months til the fittings came in (long story) then I couldn't get it started.

Got it started once w/ a short burst of ether (thinking it was cold weather related) but can't seem to make that happen again and being very reluctant to use that stuff.

Now for the confession...I ran it last summer on well filtered WVO but without a conversion. Yes, I know this is not good.

That said I ran it quite a bit, including in below freezing weather on diesel since then and replaced the fuel filter.

I have an injector that may be leaking but I'm not sure.

At times the glow plug light failed to come on, but at times it does come on. Odd...

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

Sincerely,
Ryan

Perhaps everything is gummed up from the WVO sitting in there. You may have to start the cleaning process from the strainer in the tank all the way to the injector lines.

__________________
1984 300TD

x2. Pull and clean all the lines from the IP to the tank. Pop the intank filter and clean it. You should flush the IP too.

__________________
1985 300D 198K sold
1982 300D 202K
1989 300E 125K
1992 940T

"If you dont have time to do it safely, you dont have time to do it"

"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."

You may want get more than one fuel filter soon, once you get it started. Sometimes putting WVO in the system will "clean" a lot of deposits out and your filter takes the brunt of it.

__________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1982 300D, anthracite grey, 260k miles, Greasecar
1999 E300D, black, 160k miles, Greasecar
2010 Honda Insight Hybrid
http://www.chuckwyatt.com
http://www.wordimpressive.com

He says he's run quite a bit of diesel since running the VO. Depending on how much "quite a bit is" I kind of doubt that the in the system is the issue.

How much diesel have you run since putting in the VO? If you talking several tanks worth I doubt there is enough VO still in the system to cause an issue. If is was one tank, then you might still have gelled up VO in the system.

With glow plug light issues I would put my money on bad glow plugs, or a short in the system. I would test all your GPs and make sure the rest of the GP system is up to snuff.

__________________

HAve you tried the starting and running from a bottle, like when you do a purge?

__________________
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

Do a complete test of the glow plug system. 90% of no start conditions are caused by malfunctioning glow plugs. Dieselgiant has a tutorial on his website on how to test the glowplugs.

__________________
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

These cars were made to drag start. Follow the procedure in the owner's manual.

If the valves are good and it has fuel (use a purge can under the hood, as mentioned?), it will start that way. Then you can ascertain whether it needs the de-gum-WVO-mistake steam treatment, do a hot compression test, etc.

__________________
James Marriott
2003 Buick Regal
1983 300D (228k, frau Auto)
1996 Suburban K2500 (192k, 6.5 turbo diesel/4WD towmaster 10,000)
www.engineeringworks.biz
1987 300SDL junker 170k
1982 300SD junker, 265k

Thanks all for the quick replies! FYI "quite a bit" = more than 20 tanks. I'll review the suggestions above and get back to you ASAP.

Then I highly doubt that you have any VO left in the system thats affecting you starting.

__________________

glowplugs, check for voltage at each one and ohm them out. If they check fine that way pull them and make sure they glow bright and hot. If you have no voltage to the plugs, check the gp relay.

__________________

85 300CD Gramps 390K
89 190D Baby 322K
93 300D Grumpy 176K
99 SLK230

Gloplugs Gloplugs Gloplugs

Take them out & bench test them!!
If they dont glow nice & red, replace them & throw the old ones out!!

Then you can test your relay etc if it doesnt start .

I would have liked to blame it on WVO but not this time!!!!

Filters & tank strainers replacement/clean wont hurt.

It sounds like you may have an air leak as well. That would be my second suggestion. Maybe the WVO has messed with the flex fuel lines etc (I had to get that in some how!!!!!)

__________________
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

hahah, I expected a WVO dig or two...

layback40, regarding the potential air leak I remembered last night something I should have mentioned - since I've owned this car, long before the starting troubles, the vacuum system has never worked properly. I can't get the door locks to work via the vacuum and the center air diffusers don't blow (i've read they are somehow influenced by the vacuum too) I think there's a leak somewhere. I mentioned in my initial post about fuel valve perhaps not getting enough pressure (vaccum pressure?) to open...does this make sense or could this vacuum problem be related to my startup troubles?

I'm definitely going to go check all my glowplugs even though the glowplug light still comes on sometimes. Thanks again!

Unrelated. The fuel shut off valve works in reverse. No vacuum means open, vacuum means closed.
Air leak would have to be in the fuel lines themselves. Not an impossible source of your problem but glow plugs are the more likely causes, especially given the inconsistent operation of the glow light.

__________________
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 on kerry's comments on vac problems. I couldnt have said it better myself!!

__________________
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