'82 240D won't start AGAIN!
 

so after what seemed like an epic amount of trouble shooting i had just gotten my 240D started. in the end it had a strip fuse to the glow plugs blown, but it was putting in a new fuel filter, bleeding the lines (took a few cycles through teh cyldiners to bleed them) and possibly tightening up the connections to the glow plugs that got it started in the end.

i drove it to and from work (an hour + each way) and it was fine. on the way home stopped for a second and when i got back teh battery was dead. had a spare charged battery on me by luck, put it in, drove home. now it won't start again. turns over but won't catch.

background: just swapped engine on the car about a month ago. ran for a day after the swap and i drove it two hours home. wouldn't start after that and it sat for about three weeks while i troubleshot. it was turning over but not catching. finally got it running two days ago and drove for a day and now same symptoms.

the reason the battery was dead yesterday was because there was no VR in the alternator. i've put one in, and it seems to be in good condition. the car turns over but won't catch (same exact problem i was having before). although there was old fuel in the car (it sat for a year before the swap) i'm assuming i couldn't have soiled a new fuel filter already? right? although i've never gotten it to empty i've topped it at a 1/2 tank twice.

the battery is fully charged. its pouring rain and its dark and i'm doing this by myself, but i'm pretty sure when i crack the cylinders and try turning it over no fuel is coming out. ran down the battery trying to bleed the lines. anyone have thoughts while it charges? air in the lines again? where could it be coming from? better way to bleed the lines?

(you can follow the old thread at http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/308793-77-240d-cant-start.html).

Do you still have the heavy series wires on the pencil plugs? Is the starter still turning as slow as it was in your video?

i still have the heavy gauge wire. warm to the touch after trying to start tonight (what is the name of that wire so i can order the correct wires btw?)

starter isn't as slow as in video. that video might be from the second attempt starting it. each time it gets a little slower. its not too much faster than in the video though. fyi i pulled the starter and had it tested and it was fine.

i'm leaning towards the fact that no fuel bleeds when i crack the cylinders (at least i couldn't get it to bleed before my battery went dead). the last time i had this problem i tried bleeding the lines and my battery went dead. charged it and dthe next day continued to bleed the lines and that time it started. hoping that tommorow (on my second attempt) it will once again start.

but i am supposed to drive otu of town tommorow,a nd assuming i get it started, i'd love to know why i keep getting air in there (if indeed that is the problem).

You'll have to make your own connectors for the pencil plug. There is no part you can order for the retrofit plugs. The fact that the wires are warm indicates that the wire is sucking energy out of the glow plug system that would be better used inside the combustion chambers.
Not sure about the air or even if that is the problem, but it could be that you have an air leak in the fuel lines somewhere.

You'll have to make your own connectors for the pencil plug. There is no part you can order for the retrofit plugs. The fact that the wires are warm indicates that the wire is sucking energy out of the glow plug system that would be better used inside the combustion chambers.
Not sure about the air or even if that is the problem, but it could be that you have an air leak in the fuel lines somewhere.