1981 300tdt strange and scary noises:

When I was stopped at a light just after coming off 70mph on the expressway, there was a VERY strange noise coming from right in front of the steering wheel area in the engine compartment. It was as if there was a "popping" or knocking sort of noise. To me it sounded like small rythmic explosions, louder and different than the normal knock that I normally get.

Question #1: What is near the firewall behind the steering wheel that would be sounding like that??

Here are some things I noticed lately that may help in the diagnosis:
- The middle injector is wet and shiny. All others are dry.
- At cold startup, shaking at idle has increased.
- At cold startup, engine kinda "misses" until going down the road.
- Last 3 or 4 days power is decreased until about 30mph.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

thanks!
-Brian

__________________
Current: '91 300TE 4MATIC 317k and climbing...
Former:
'81 300TD Wagon 168K "Tank"
'83 240D 216K 4spd manual "Da Bear" (aka best car ever)

"Never sweat the petty things...
and never pet the sweaty things."

Thanks TxBill!
I will check the injector lines tomorrow night.

I have other problems tonight...battery is dead *AGAIN*!
I do not have a voltmeter, but will get one from a friend tomorrow and check that too. Concensus is that it is either the alternator itself or the voltage regulator.

Brand new 950CCA battery, Optima red-top. Dead.

__________________
Current: '91 300TE 4MATIC 317k and climbing...
Former:
'81 300TD Wagon 168K "Tank"
'83 240D 216K 4spd manual "Da Bear" (aka best car ever)

"Never sweat the petty things...
and never pet the sweaty things."

"It's always something!"
-Rosanne Rosanna Danna

__________________
Current: '91 300TE 4MATIC 317k and climbing...
Former:
'81 300TD Wagon 168K "Tank"
'83 240D 216K 4spd manual "Da Bear" (aka best car ever)

"Never sweat the petty things...
and never pet the sweaty things."

...but i wouldn't trade it for the world!

__________________
Current: '91 300TE 4MATIC 317k and climbing...
Former:
'81 300TD Wagon 168K "Tank"
'83 240D 216K 4spd manual "Da Bear" (aka best car ever)

"Never sweat the petty things...
and never pet the sweaty things."

Have not had that troubling noise again since...
I DO know (thanks TXBill nad rs90kirk) that I need to replace the flexible injector lines (I am so bad with terminology...)

I will also double-check that I tightened down the spiderweb correctly when I recently replaced my glow plugs.

I am thinking that that noise was just a fluke, and that since my wife drives this car (bummer) only about 7 - 10 miles a day, usually 45mph or less, that my little 70+ road trip to the airport might have done something. Maybe the sound was my engine giggling with joy that she was actually being used!

Thanks for your help guys!
-Brian

__________________
Current: '91 300TE 4MATIC 317k and climbing...
Former:
'81 300TD Wagon 168K "Tank"
'83 240D 216K 4spd manual "Da Bear" (aka best car ever)

"Never sweat the petty things...
and never pet the sweaty things."