Today was a really warm day, mid 60s with a lot of sun, but car still wouldnt even attempt to start. Lots of cranking, no catching.

1980 300TD wagon, previously diagnosed with bad glowplugs, glowplug light does come on but previously it blinked after starting car (meaning glowplug problems I was told).

When cranking (via jump start) she had plenty of juice to start with, same as before when I had to jumpstart when last battery went bad, but there is no catching. I can smell diesel when she cranks so I know fuel is getting through, as well.

Anyone have any further thoughts?

Did you check the glow plug relay fuse? It should be near the drivers side fender in a 2" x 4" black box. Just pull the cover off and take a look.

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2001 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins Turbo Diesel - 4x4, auto, 3.54 gears, long bed
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'92 300D 2.5 Turbodiesel - sold
'83 300D Turbodiesel - 4 speed manual/2.88 diff - sold
'87 300D Turbodiesel - sold
'82 300D Turbodiesel - sold

What should it look like if its busted?

Also, the glow plug light STILL comes on even tho car wont start.

Anthony, these are called Compression Ignition engines... on a warm day, with good starter and battery they should be able to start with out the glowplugs. So yours may be bad, but I think something else has to also be wrong for you to be experiencing your symptoms... Greg

So you think something else besides glowplugs has gone bad?

Im 50-60 minutes south of dallas bud.

I've already ordered glowplugs from Benzbin, they should be here tomorrow. I know there is gas in the car, I filled it all the way up not 40 miles before it stopped starting.

I'm not sure if it ever tries to catch when cranking, I cant really tell, but I dont THINK so.

Tony

Just checked to see how far Klein was from me: 240 miles.

Too far. Thanks tho for the thought.

Tony

Actually i Take that back its not 240 miles, its more like 180 or so I think, the route yahoo maps uses to get to me from Klein goes up past dallas and doubles back. Lame.

Still too far tho.

Yeah bro if the plugs come tomorrow I'd love to have a hand with changing these plugs and fixing whatever crops up. (Im convinced something will, every time I repair something on this car something worse appears. I fixed the thermostat so it decided to leak uncontrollably. I fixed the heater servo and that very hour the battery decided to never start again. The list goes on.)

Im convinced benzbin and fastlane are related somehow. I checked prices between fastlane and benzbin and I swear they were identical and they use the exact same webpages and ordering system. Very odd.

Im 30 minutes from waco, btw.

I agree, I assumed Benzbin was just another name for Fastlane because they order the same. I'll be sure to order from Fastlane next time and support the SuperForums.

I hope they come tomorrow. Ordered on monday via UPS ground usually gets to me on friday. We'll see, if it didnt ship on monday it wont tho.

Tony

Anthony,

Wish I could help you out, but I'd think that even w/ bad plugs you'd be able to coax the beast to life on a warm day. Replacing the plugs seems like a good idea anyway, I just did mine and didn't need any special tools. I left the injection lines in place. The only plug that was difficult was the one closest to the radiator. Had to squeeze in there with an open-end wrench and turn it little by little.
Have you replace the fuel filters? Diesel-purged the injectors? Even though you smell fuel, it may not be getting to the cylinders.

BTW, I love that little TD drawing on your signature. How did you get that?

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Dave
1995 C280
1999 Triumph Daytona 955I - my speed fix.
1982 300TD - Gone, but not forgotten.

If I understand your problem correctly, your indicator light previously was blinking (indicating one or more bad plugs) and you still could start you car. But now, the indicator light acts normal (indicating no problem with the plugs) but you cannot start your car. I think it is because you had four bad plugs previously and now all five plugs are bad. The glow plug box compares current flow of each plug to the current flow of #1 plug. Since the flow are now all equal now (= zero), the lamp will show you a normal good plug status.

David

It was working wierd before, would stay on for the pre-glow 6 seconds or so, then blink after car was started. It still stays on indicating preglow, but car wont start so I dont know if it still blinks post startup.

I nicked the pick and added the union jack from mbz.org or something, I dont remember it was a while ago.

You are replacing all glow plugs. Be sure to ream out the glow plug holes. If you don't have a reamer, insert the largest drill bit that will fit covered with grease to collect loosened carbon particles

Have you adjusted the valves? That needs to be done to optimize starting prospects.

Are you certain there is no air getting into the fuel feed lines? That would surely compromise starting ease.

I assume you have verified that the primary and secondary fuel filters are not plugged. But often people overlook the screen filter at the tank outlet. These often get plugged up with black tarry sludge and inhibit fuel flow. One way to estimate if you have much of this is to remove the fuel sending unit from under the medical kit. Take the bottom off the cylinder and see how much black goo there is. If there is a lot, then the tank filter is probably plugged. Sometimes the tank filter can be removed from underneath, other times the tank must be removed. A crude way to check the tank filter is simply to remove the fuel line from it to see if there is a good flow out.

Are the short rubber fuel line pieces just before the fuel tank showing wetness as if seeping through? If so, they may also be permitting air to enter when you afre trying to start. Easy to replace.

The glow plug fuse is inside the little black box on the firewall. It is a strip that is either intact or broken. Verify it.

Are you sure the injectors are producing the correct atomized spray pattern, or are they dribbling fuel out? They have to be removed to be tested at a diesel shop to determine this. How long have the injectors been in your car?

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Douglas
1959 M-B 220S cabriolet