Hello,
Having lots of issues, lets start w/ the primary fuel filter. I bought the car w/ the primary filter installed as shown in the photo. However I have seen videos of it being installed in the reverse orientation.
That said I did not have that much air in the filter w previous filters and did not change brands. Other than a fuel hose leak, what could this be?
New hose, clamps and a wrap heater for the spin on filter are in the mail.
I just changed the glow plugs and reamed the chambers.
It is losing power up hills, shifting sluggish and black smoke upon starting. Starts later on are normal.
There is a vacuum leak that is causing dieseling, can that affect the starting in cold?
Thinking about changing the fuel tank screen?
Has new upgraded alternator & bat
Thanks in advance for any help!
Cold in Upstate NY

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You have it oriented the wrong way. Should be angled end to pump, straight from supply. I don't think it matters that much though. Somebody else will have more information.

On another note ... your fuel looks awful red

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1983 300CDT -- 177K

is that off-road fuel? or atf or something?

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1981 NA 300D 310k miles

Yup, it is kerosene added (10%)~
It is recommended in the MZB manual, but is this a problem.
Fuel/starting problem was before adding some Kerosene.
Not running vege during winter, not until a FPHE is plumbed in and starting
Issues are resolved.
Thx!

I am not clear wich way things are going in the Picture. You want the Fuel going though the Filter to go through the outside of the fileter element.

The Filter will filter either way but with the Fuel going through the outside of the Element you can see stuff build up on the Element and there is room for stuff to fall off of the Element.
There may be an Arrow on the Filter that tells you the direction of flow.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

the picture is "upside down" from the view most think of.
and yes, your filter is backwards. the angle should enter the lift pump, not the straight.
oriented this way, it's very easy to plug up.
don't worry about the air, it's normal. if you want all the air out, you need to orient the filter so the exit is the upper most part of the filter, so you'll need to add a longer fuel supply hose.
adding 10% Kero is only recommended for extreme cold scenarios with D2 (Summer) fuel in the tank. adding kero to D1 winter mix fuel will severely limit your power, and can damage the injection pump. especially if it's above -10F...

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Thx for setting me straight! Ugh! I was fustrated w hard starting in the cold,
so I tried the Kero w/o any research:/
Should I drain the tank or use it up?
Thank you in advance.
Trying a wrap heater on spin on filter next...

Where are located ? If you area uses winter fuel I would just keep topping the tank off to cut down on the amount of Kero. In it.

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86 300SDL. 250,xxx on #14 Head. One eye always on temp gauge.. Cruising towards 300K

I'm not sure 10% kerosene would cause that much problem.
A lot of things can go into hard starting in cold weather. Your hesitation symptoms also sound like clogged filters. Have you changed the pre and primary filters. You can test the tank strainer by reversing the supply and return lines in the engine bay. If the sluggishness goes away you know the tank screen is clogged. If no change then it's something else. You could also have a clogged tank vent, causing vacuum in the tank. Next time after you drive a while remove the fuel cap. If there is a suction noise then your tank vent is clogged, if not then alls well there.

You might also try a couple cans of diesel purge and a valve adjustment. Tight valves on these engines cause poor compression which leads to hard cold starting.

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I moved my filter with longer hose,so when I change it fuel doesn't leak on motor mount

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1999 w140, quit voting to old, and to old to fight, a god damned veteran, deutschland deutschland uber alles uber alles in der welt

It should look like this. Angle is to the left of the pic.

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Not to be a spoil sport, but when I read this I immediately wondered if you have a two tank wvo system and what your filtering practices are. Your answer may affect the advice given.

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I could not own any MB without the help from you...fellow forum members.


83 300td 207,XXX

Thanks for the help!
I have some new fuel hose and German clamps
In the mail.
What I have done: 2 diesel purges in the last 2 months, new spin on & primary
Filter, new glow plugs and reamed the chambers.
I have not used wvo in the last 50 days.
I let oil settle for a month, pre filter w 100 micron screen and
Run 2x through a 10 micron filter sock.
I know people do more and others less.
Valves were done 10,000 miles ago.
Thank You in advance!

from this answer, are we to assume you put this "filtered" WVO in your main fuel tank and you have no other fuel tank or method of switching between the two?
the level of treatment you are giving your oil is not sufficient to protect your engine or IP.
it's CERTAINLY not sufficient if you are not heating it in any way, and are just running it in the motor this way.
water will not SETTLE out of WVO... it needs to be heated above 212F to boil out all traces of the water. then immediately drained into containers that are not exposed to the air. it should be centrifugally separated to get the fine particles out, but at a minimum a 2micron filtration step should be in there. 10 microns is fine for the filter in the car with D2 pump fuel, but it's not good enough for WVO.

__________________
John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

"Primary fuel filter orientation"

I've had a few that seemed a little... you know.... light in the loafers.

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08 R320 CDI current

Past
95 E420
87 300D Turbo 5spd
90 300TE
83 300SD
85 300TD
92 400E
85 190D