Story ('85 300d, 105k miles, Rotella synthetic, car runs very well and started last winter without effort):

- October - replaced glowplugs with Bosch duraterms. Strictly a preventative -- old plugs of unknown age.

- Late November - intermittent 'no-glow' (no glow light illuminating, no relay engagement. Eventually found retaining nuts were loose on 3 of 5 plugs. Tightened nuts, problem seemed gone.

- January - onset of cold snap (-18 C / ~ -1 F) resulted in no start when car left for day at work, no block heater etc. No fuel getting to injectors. Ran through Diesel 911 additive to remove any moisture in fuel, replaced fuel filters after. Tightened clamps on fuel lines (found one very loose, assumed this contributed to fuel gelling). Never had time to test this out properly as extreme cold ensued (-26 C / - 15 F) so car was either left running (at work) or plugged in. Fired right up in mornings, after two glows, at home with block heater.

- Yesterday morning - only -5 C / 23 F, car not plugged in, was very surprised it would not fire after the first glow cycles. After two cycles, ran unevenly once started, like the glowplugs were tired.

- Last night - came out yesterday from work, -11 C / 12 F, was stunned when car took a lot of cranking to fire. Again typical of what I would expect from weak plugs, one or two pots fired first but had to keep starter engaged to get the rest going.

Checked when I arrived at work and I have 12v at the plugs with the relay engaged. Don't carry an OHM meter in the car.

Right now I am leaning toward replacing the glowplugs over the weekend.

What am I missing here?

Thx

__________________


Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22