So I went to start the 240 this morning and when I turned the key on the GP relay started making a rapid fire clicking sound and when I tried to start the car I got nothing. I mean the starter didn't turn over at all. I figured my relay went bad and was sucking up all the battery juice. So I decided, obviously not understanding how the relay works, to take the strip fuse out of the relay so it couldn't take all my battery power away, thus letting my car start and allowing me to get to work. Well part of my plan worked, when I pulled the strip fuse the car turned over at normal speed but would not start, not even a hiccup. It should start without glow plugs when it's 65 degrees outside? What am I missing? If the relay is disconnected does that effect something else I'm not aware of?

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1981 240d (The Diplomat Car), 1988 Dodge W250 (The Bruiser), Volvo 262 (The Never Ending Project), 1972 Duece and a Half (Will Winch Over Anything)

Rapid clicking usually means that a heavy load drops the battery voltage so low that the relay can't stay closed, and when the relay opens the load is removed, the voltage rises and the relay closes, drawing the heavy load, and the cycle continues click-click-click.

The usual reason is a low battery, which starts with low voltage, or an old battery that does not have the capacity to deliver the high current any longer.

Diesels have two heavy electrical loads when starting - glow plugs that draw 30-50 amps while glowing, and the starter motor itself that can draw 100 amps or more.

Without glow plugs, your engine must rely entirely on heat of compression, which requires good compression in each cylinder AND a battery/starter combination that can turn the engine at a high enough speed so the heat from each compression stroke is not 'lost' and builds up enough to ignite the injected fuel. During a hot restart, only a few revolutions may be needed, but if the engine is older had has lost some compression it may need a minute or two of cranking to build up cylinder even at 65 degrees.

Check your battery capacity as a first step. Many parts stores, such as Autozone, can do this test for free.

Ok, thanks! I load tested the battery a few months ago and it checked out ok, but I'll check it again tonight and go from there.

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1981 240d (The Diplomat Car), 1988 Dodge W250 (The Bruiser), Volvo 262 (The Never Ending Project), 1972 Duece and a Half (Will Winch Over Anything)

I do not remember if it was Brian Carlton or Hunter that suggested you could make a tem Jumper Cable for your Glow Plugs with I think it was #10 solid core building type Wire (it is somewhere in the Forum Threads).

Apparently the #10 wire is the same size as the Pin Holes in the Connector that goes to the Glow Plugs.

You cut 5 lengths of wire long enough to get a good tight twist on one end but still have enough room to stick the Wires into the Connector holes and clip a Jumper Cable to the Twisted End and the other to the + Battery Post.

The Glow Plugs can heat up to 1900 something degrees F while you only get 2 degrees for every PSI of Compressed Air in the Cylinders and a lot of that heat goes into the Cyliner walls and Cylinder Head before it gets into the Prechamber.
See post #23 for the details
Temperate of compression and temperature of the Glow Plugs.
Pre-glow cycle spin-over

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Check your electrical connections at the battery and the ground strap from the engine to the body. make sure they are clean and tight.

It also could be the alternator isn`t putting out what it should. could be as simple as the voltage regulator. It is mounted on the rear of the alternator, held in with 2 screws, and contains the brushes.

If you have digital volt meter, check the battery after sitting over night before startiing the engine. then after it is running see if the voltage comes up. If you don`t have a meter, Harbor Freight has them for $5.

Charlie

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there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

Agreed.

The usual problem...........the simplest of things.

Clean the battery terminals and the inside of the clamps.

Here is Brian`s post that Diesel911 mentioned.

Glow Plug Relay Shot - Bypass ??


Searching for something is a good refresher course reading some older threads.

Charlie

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there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

Thanks I put the Thread in my Notes.

Looks like I remembered the Wire size wrong!

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel