1997 E300D N/A NO START - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

rodm · #1 01-30-2015, 04:31 PM

Finished changing all orings and plastic hoses all to viton. Now engine will not start. Yesterday for several hours I cranked had a few sputters here and there but would not fire up. Tried keeping the battery from running down too badly by keeping a 10 amp charger attached to it in the engine bay at the positive marked box in engine bay. I read several posts with reference to cracking the injection lines. I removed the crossover pipe took off the plastic cover and reattached the crossover. I loosened the front 2 injection lines and the rear. Tried cranking again for 4- 10 second bursts but nothing. I stuffed some paper towels in the holes to see if fuel was coming but none at the front 2. The back had a damp spot. The battery has run down again so it remains on the charger. Any ideas anyone??

THANKS Rodm

treetops · #2 01-30-2015, 04:46 PM

There are a quite a few ideas in quite a few threads here. Main thing to be concerned about is killing the starter. Im guessing you replaced all the lines without cranking/starting after each one?

Others will chime in, but the best ideas I've seen so far is

a. Jack the rear up or somehow point the nose down hill
b. Use a MityVac on the return line going to the metal line on the firewall to prime/draw fuel through the system. Never done it myself but makes sense.
c. Fill the pre and main filters with diesel or diesel purge(some say just about anything will run in a diesel including rocks and rodents) and that may help to get started.

I'd try to get it primed as much as you can then crank in 10 sec bursts with a couple of minutes to cool down the starter, probably longer the better.

TMAllison · #3 01-30-2015, 04:53 PM

Follow the fuel path. Confirm you reinstalled all fuel liens correctly. If correct, look for where bubbles first appear in the path (start with #1) and if a leak is present, go back and fix oring seals preceding that point.

fuelflow.JPG (image)

You did remember to reinstall the large pre-filter oring too, right?

A full tank of fuel helps sometimes as does having the rear end level or higher than the front. Prefill both filters. Once you've got it sealed up stop opening the fuel system, only serves to lose whatever progress you've made drawing fuel up the IP to prime everything causing you start over again.

rodm · #4 01-30-2015, 05:01 PM

Treetops I will try (a), dont have a mighty vac, (c) already done.

TKS Rodm

rodm · #5 01-30-2015, 05:13 PM

Terry, used the oring kit from FRYERPOWER, am using black fuel injection hose that meets sae 30r9 so cant see for bubbles. The way I changed lines was one end at a time, so no one line was off at any time( manifold off). Are you saying that with the 3 lines e open while the battery is recharging I am getting air in the lines. Thought it would have been better to wait till fuel was coming out. Will retighten them.

TKS rodm

GregMN · #6 01-30-2015, 05:39 PM

Of all of the diesels I have owned, the 606 is the hardest to prime after opening up the fuel lines.

It takes forever.

Loosen all of the hard lines at the injectors. (You can run the engine without the crossover pipe, or the manifold for that matter.)

Do not tighten them until fuel is coming out of them when you turn the engine over.

It takes forever. There is nothing wrong with your car was wasn't wrong before. Keep the battery charged. Don't burn out the starter.

I have used WD-40 as starter fluid. Have someone mist it into the intake manifold while turning the engine over. Might help.

engatwork · #7 01-30-2015, 05:45 PM

As Greg said. There is no getting around bleeding them to the injectors. You should see fuel coming out of #6 then move towards front of engine. Snug em down as you get fuel out. If you get running and it won't start tomorrow or the next day you will need to fix the leak and start over.

Don't be surprised if you run battery down a time or two. Proceed slowly to keep from burning up the starter. Let it rest some between attempts/purging.

tjts1 · #8 01-30-2015, 05:51 PM

These cars need an electric pump at the fuel tank.

GregMN · #9 01-30-2015, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjts1

These cars need an electric pump at the fuel tank.

Mine has one on the firewall. I put it there 150k ago for just this reason. $30 well spent.

rodm · #10 01-30-2015, 08:46 PM

IF I HAD TWO EXTRA LEGS....you know where I would be kicking myself???
Pushed car on slope as told. Cracked #1 injection line as told by a diesel mechanic. Jumped vehicle with another to keep battery up. Started noticing a drip which was not there before. As it started to prime the drip became more evident. It was coming from the shut off valve. Took crossover pipe and manifold off then the shutoff valve. THE HORSESHOE CLIP on the bottom of the shut off was not retracted !#@%.......tomorrow I will put it back together.
THANKS TO ALL

rodm

engatwork · #11 01-30-2015, 09:11 PM

You should be able to crank it without the intake manifold if it will make it easier.

tjts1 · #12 01-30-2015, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GregMN

Mine has one on the firewall. I put it there 150k ago for just this reason. $30 well spent.

Which brand/type pump did you use? I think I'm going to install mine at the back but it would be good to know what already works. Thanks.

GregMN · #13 01-31-2015, 09:06 AM

Get a low pressure, free flow pump designed for carburetors.

3 - 5 psi
free flow means that fuel can flow through them when they are not running so you can leave it installed in the line

Install on the fuel source line at the firewall.
Install the ground wire.
Run a wire up to the positive power post area in front of the fuse box.
When you need to use it, hold the wire to the post.

TMAllison · #14 01-31-2015, 02:51 PM

So you've retained the connectors, snipped the (E) fuel lines 1" above the connections and are using black fuel line and hose clamps?

I've had difficulty priming before (drained the battery a time or tw) but have never had to crack the injector lines. IMO once everything is sealed up the lift pump does a reasonable job at pulling fuel up to the IP. When it wont prime time after time I've usually found there's a bad seal somewhere.

rodm · #15 02-01-2015, 01:10 PM

I am so fed up.....after putting every thing back together and starting the car a new leak developed. It started slowly and now is a trickle. It is definitely from the shut off valve as I have the car on ramps went under and watched for the leak. The trickle is from the bottom and closest to the firewall. With a clean paper towel under the valve closest to the radiator there are no wet spots. I started this project initially as the vehicle barely made it home when it was last driven and had a huge puddle under it. It would then not restart. Is the shutoff now bad? or could the new viton oring be shot after my reinstall ?

Thanks rod