Another 1987 300TD "No Start" Thread
 

1987 wagon, changed prefilter 3 days ago when I changed oil. Next morning, wouldn't start, just turn over, but not catch. That afternoon, I cracked lines on top of injection pump and cranked and cranked and cranked to try and bleed lines. I figured I had somehow got air in lines changing prefilter although this had never happened before. I finally got it started after about 30 min. My driveway is on an incline so I parked it with nose downhill instead of usually uphill. Next morning car started right up as it usually does. Drove it all day. Parked last night with nose downhill. Got in car about an hour ago, fired up and drove to Walmart. I am now sitting in car in walmart parking lot because it won't start. Half tank of fuel, cracked lines again, opened fuel door (no gush of air), no little bubbles in pre filter. I'm stumped. Going to keep at it till starts or I have to call AAA. Any thoughts.

Did you get air or fuel when you cracked the lines at wallyworld ?

Have you perhaps over tighten'd the primary filter? I did on the 99 E300 and cracked the plastic seal ring at the top of it....caused my no start one time. Its probably one of the two filter in the engine bay.

This happened a few time for me. I got a helper pump and it went away. I'm sure this won't help at Walmart but it helps with priming the pump etc.

Thanks for the suggestions. Battery finally started to get real low and didn't want to add even more stress to starter so had AAA tow me home. I did notice only lines 4,5, and 6 were getting any fuel when I had the lines cracked which seemed odd. Will try to get it going again today and report back. Thanks for all help.

Sounds like you have an air leak somewhere in the fuel system, which causes the IP to loose its prime.