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  #1  
Old 06-03-2010, 09:50 PM
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cranks, black smoke, won't start

Another "won't start" thread. 1981 300 TD euro. Inherited it in its current condition: non-running. It's not worth putting much work into but I would like to get it started and maybe use as a beater. Yep, it's a 4 speed.

What I have done: Glow plugs work: injectors have been pulled and they have been visually verified. Tank is bypassed: fuel supply and return are in a jar of diesel. Both fuel filters are new. Battery is charged. It will crank and turn over pretty good and almost catch. Black smoke is coming out of a broken pipe coming out of the bottom of the air cleaner housing. No smoke coming out tailpipe. All injector lines have been bled, getting fuel at each one but maybe not sufficient flow.

I know the car was run on a lot of biodiesel, some of it probably homemade. It sat for several years with biodiesel in it: why I bypassed the tank. I wouldn't be surprised if the compression was pretty low but I still think it should start being as warm as it is. I have put a newer primer pump on it. When I pump it I can sort of hear air escaping. However, I don't notice any bubbles in the lines. Only wet spots I see are on the injection pump where the hard lines connect to the delivery valves. I removed one hard line and cranked it: some fuel came out but I sort of expected it to really spray all over the place.

So, I'm looking for ideas. Maybe pump seals are all shot from the biodiesel and it is sucking too much air? Would a plugged exhaust cause this? (I have had animals nest in exhaust systems, especially ones run on biodiesel). Maybe something much simpler I am overlooking? I am considering trying to tow start it but it will be hard to get it back to where it is in my driveway if it doesn't work.

Any ideas or questions appreciated.

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  #2  
Old 06-03-2010, 09:55 PM
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sounds like you have some burned intake valves, try setting the valve lash. .35mm exhaust, .10mm intake
measure between cam lobe and the follower, not between the follower and the valve head.
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  #3  
Old 06-03-2010, 10:08 PM
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forgot to mention that in the original post: valves have all been checked and are within spec. I thought that too and was kind of disappointed when I started to check them and they were all right. I think the previous owner had just had them done.
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Old 06-03-2010, 10:10 PM
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soooo, you're sure BLACK smoke (not oily smoke, BLACK?) is exiting the breather line? only way you're getting smoke out the breather during cranking is exhaust blowing out the intake valves... burned valves.
you can perform a leak down test and confirm.
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  #5  
Old 06-03-2010, 11:16 PM
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I'd do a compression test.
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  #6  
Old 06-04-2010, 04:27 AM
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If you just want it to start, you could try a tow start. It needs like 40 mph & it will start if the towing car has plenty of grunt.
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  #7  
Old 06-04-2010, 06:05 AM
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You could also try spraying wd forty into the intake. If it is a fuel problem and it will run on the wd forty you will find out about the compression that way.

I also would try pull starting it. I would put some biocide in the tank and hook things up change filters and pull 'er.
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Old 06-04-2010, 08:34 AM
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pull starting is an option, but I'd not go over 25! 40 is pretty fast to spin the motor!
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  #9  
Old 06-04-2010, 12:14 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kerry View Post
I'd do a compression test.
ditto

if theres compression, you can almost surely make it run.
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  #10  
Old 06-04-2010, 12:36 PM
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If siting a long period of time a pull start attempt is in my opinion as well the easiest approach. Some of these engines really do not appreciate sitting . The rings seem to stick with time. Once started they usually loosen up. Or at least enough to allow self starting as they will further loosen with use then.

If you find evidence of wvo use soaking is better as truly gummed up rings may not respond as well.

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